Do you ignore statements about how to “be healthy?” Do you quickly turn the page or change the channel when you see and hear challenging facts about your health?  Or even worse, you read and listen about healthy choices and say, “I’m fine” when you know otherwise. Please DON’T IGNORE what your body is saying to you!

Our physical bodies are like machines, and with this in mind, I always tease my classes about oiling our knees and hips when we start with warm-up routines.

With all that said, let’s talk reality. Yes, it is definitely harder as we get older to keep our bodies and minds in a healthy state. Look at some strong statistics though. The most recent statistics of people living over 100 years of age is from Wikipedia in 2012 stating the number at 316,600. The United States has the most Centenarians, with Japan coming in second.  You have to say that the Doctors and media are getting through to some people.

What can seniors do and what should they be doing to enjoy more of a “Quality of Life” as they age? I have a few suggestions and would also like to hear from some of you who either know what to do or are experiencing that “Quality of Life” we all desire.

The statistics are high for people of all ages in the world who live with pain.  According to the American Academy of Pain Medicine, a recent market research report indicated that more than 1.5 billion people worldwide suffer from chronic pain.  I witness this on a daily basis in my aerobic classes.  Seniors 55+ attend my classes with back pain, knees that have been replaced or just worn out, and with arthritis, the most commonly reported pain.  In fact, on some days so many of my seniors who have arthritis have to sometimes sit down while participating in my class.  This is fine.   I always tell everyone to only move as much as they can.  What counts is “You walked in the door!”