Senior Sunrise

For most people, getting a massage is a luxury. For the elderly, receiving massages can improve their health and overall quality of life. Massage therapy can be valuable for alleviating the aches and pains that go along with growing older. Massage can also encourage positive blood circulation and decrease joint inflammation.

Adding massage to senior health management isn’t a huge adjustment time-wise because typical sessions last 30 minutes to an hour. Look for geriatric massage practitioners who are specially trained to adapt their techniques for the more fragile older body. Geriatric massage practitioners are particular about where a client is placed so they don’t have to ask an elderly patient to change positions, as is typical with younger clients. Elderly massage often concentrates on the hands and feet, as the extremities often have the weakest circulation. Elderly massage can do wonders for an aging body.

My great-grandma is currently 99 years old and still has the vigor and tenacity of someone in their 80’s. One of the keys to her longevity is implementing and maintaining a stringent senior health management plan. There are a few simple things she does that keep her going and in good physical shape.

Every morning she makes sure to do a little light exercise, which usually just means walking a few blocks. For her though, this small amount of exercise is enough. She also fills her diet with healthy foods like fruits and vegetables, staying away from excess sugary foods.