The glorious golden years – you hope
All very different
So, this is an interesting one! Not because of the topic, but because everyone is different, and after a working lifetime, their health situation – good, bad or somewhere in between – is also very different.
Some individuals might still be working, either because they have to or because they want to, some might be long retired, some might be just thinking about dipping a toe in the waters of retirement. Variety is the spice of life, as they say, and how life looks over this age range will be unique to each individual.
The patchwork of life
If you have grandchildren, you might be helping out with their care, and enjoying (or tolerating!) the physical activity that comes with looking after them. If you are unencumbered by childcare responsibilities, are you still at your desk, or enjoying a range of post-retirement hobbies, or a mixture of the two? Life over this age range can be a patchwork of many different duties and activities, each of which will make different demands on your body and mind. These various stresses and strains need to be considered in the context of your age. Hopefully you are still fit and healthy; however, it is natural for many types of activity to become that bit harder (and possibly riskier) as you get older.
Physiotherapy can play an important role in keeping you mobile and supple enough to meet the demands of your life.
How can physiotherapy help?
As we age, our eyesight deteriorates. It is important that you get your eyes checked regularly for age-related problems, such as macular degeneration and glaucoma. Problems with vision can impact your balance as information gained from the eyes is processed along with that obtained from joints, muscles and that from the vestibular system (situated within the inner ear). As your visual system starts to decline it is, therefore, increasingly important to maintain strength, coordination and flexibility within the muscles and joints to preserve proprioception (your ability to work out where your body is in space), maintain balance and therefore reduce your risk of falling. Your physiotherapist will work closely with you, to create a programme that addresses your fears. Following the initial consultation, a goal orientated plan will be created. Balance exercises may be issued, however treatment will also include managing more hazardous situations and reduce risk of injury i.e pelvic floor exercises to decrease the need to dash to the toilet during the day and night.
Contact Life Made Simple Physiotherapy
We hope the ninth in this series of age-related blogs is helpful as 2022 gets into full swing. We hope you will see that thinking about your physiotherapy care is important and chatting through what you anticipate and expect is part of that process. Please do contact Life Made Simple Physiotherapy by email at Physio@lifemadesimple.co.uk , or by telephone on 07309 272 555 for your individual physiotherapy needs and care.