Sports Activities for the Health and Fitness of the Elderly (2)

Opinion Window.. Articles contributed by readers who follow the page, as well as specialists and those interested in issues concerning the care, service, and rehabilitation of the elderly. This week’s article: In order to promote and enhance health and sports culture among the elderly community and their caregivers in particular, and among civil society members and institutions in general, the Kuwaiti Charitable Association for the Care and Rehabilitation of the Elderly is committed to this goal. This effort underscores one of the Association’s objectives: raising awareness among the elderly and their families about the elderly care services provided by the Ministry of Social Affairs and other institutions and ministries, and informing them about the Social Care Law for the Elderly. It also aims to raise awareness among the elderly, their families, and society at large about the characteristics of aging and the changes that occur in the elderly as a result of aging, as well as how to help overcome their problems.

We continue to publish the (Second Article) as part of a series of awareness articles in the field of sports activities for the health and fitness of seniors over the age of fifty, by Dr. Mustafa Jawhar Hayyat.

How to Begin

Before starting sports programs and activities, especially regular exercises suitable for age and health status, and after surpassing the age of forty, a person should look around at the elderly they know among family, friends, and acquaintances. Then, the individual must decide whether they wish to be like those who are constantly active, more vital, energetic, and perpetually happy, with time to continuously perform their duties; or whether they prefer to be like those who lack energy and movement, spending all their time in lethargy and laziness, sitting for long hours in cafes and shopping malls, drinking coffee and tea, and consuming sweets. After all this, they complain of joint, knee, back, and muscle pains, and subsequently suffer from chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, and heart disease.

Therefore, fitness and health experts recommend choosing easy, light, and age-appropriate exercise programs, avoiding strenuous sports activities, and steering clear of harsh diets that deprive the body of essential nutrients. One should maintain the same level of bodily care and health as before turning forty, preserving well-being and a sense of happiness in life.

General Health and Physical Fitness

General health is the integration and balance of physical, mental, social, psychological, spiritual, and emotional aspects; it is not merely the absence of disease and disability.

Why do general health and physical fitness experts emphasize daily exercise, especially for those over forty, at present?

First: The widespread prevalence of chronic diseases (heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, cholesterol, and cancer) among community members, particularly in developed and wealthy countries, at high rates. This has led to increased mortality rates and a decline in physical fitness levels among their populations.

Second: Civilizational and technological progress, reliance on electrical appliances, machines, and modern transportation, which have deprived humans of muscular strength, natural movement, energy, and physical effort, leading to lethargy, laziness, and comfort.

Third: Environmental pollution... affecting the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink.

Fourth: The spread of bad habits such as smoking, alcohol, drugs, stimulants, medications, lethargy, laziness, and excessive food consumption.

These are aspects of general health and their manifestations:

- Physical Aspect: The integrity and efficiency of vital organs and muscles in performing their bodily functions and tasks without showing signs of fatigue or exhaustion.

- Social Aspect: The ability to interact with the environment and others.

- Mental Aspect: The ability to manage happiness, mental perception, and evaluate one’s surroundings.

- Psychological Aspect: The ability to maintain balance, internal stability, and harmony between satisfying personal desires and ambitions.

- Spiritual Aspect: Belief in a unique power.

- Emotional Aspect: The ability to control personal emotions according to the requirements of situations and experiences an individual undergoes.

Physical Fitness: The ability of vital organs and muscles to perform their bodily functions and tasks efficiently, while retaining surplus energy to successfully and effectively carry out recreational activities and handle emergencies with vigor and vitality, without feeling tired or exhausted. These are the elements of physical fitness related to general health and the manifestations of each element:

Elements of Physical Fitness Related to General Health:

- Flexibility: Using joints, ligaments, and surrounding muscles to their maximum anatomical range of motion.

- Cardiovascular Endurance: The ability of the heart and lungs to pump large amounts of blood and oxygen through blood vessels during physical exertion without showing signs of fatigue and exhaustion.

- Muscular Strength: The ability to resist body density and other external forces for short periods.

- Muscular Endurance: The muscular ability to perform continuously for long periods without showing signs of fatigue and exhaustion.

- Standard Body Composition: Body measurements and their proportionality to lean and fat mass relative to the skeletal structure.

(To be continued in the Third Article).

Dr. Mustafa Jawhar Hayyat

Head of the Kuwaiti Committee for Walking Enthusiasts, Kuwait Olympic Committee