Grandpa used to ask me, "What can I do to live better?"
I remember asking him why he wanted to live better and he would always say, “I want to watch you play.” Today, the number one reason I tell others to get active is for the ones they love and for the ones who love them. Thank you, Grandpa.
We all have feelings
about physical activity. Some of us are indifferent, some are scared to try,
and some are reluctant to believe it will help. In the last days I spent with
Grandpa and on this day in August 2000, a long way from 1912, he was ready to
meet his savior. On one of his last days, he fell off the commode and was
trapped between the bathtub and commode. I remember doing everything I could to
get him up off of the floor. It was virtually impossible for me to help a man
that was once 6’2” and 245lbs, and now 5’11 hunched over and 165 lbs. But, I
recall him saying with confidence, although lacking his independence, “Boy just
grab me under the arms and tell me again just give it all you got”.
His cognitive ability
was stellar even though his strength had left him. This was a benefit from
being physically active. Being active increased his oxygen uptake and heart
rate. I made grandpa take brisk walks with my mom, swim in a pool twice a week,
garden, wash the car, go bowling and believe it or not, go dancing at the
community center. The goal was to have him maintain an activity level of 150
minutes per week in addition to his normal routine. We had other goals like;
shoreline fishing, golfing without a cart, cleaning house, playing the Wii,
biking, Tai Chi, yoga, tennis, water aerobics, pickleball, horseback riding,
paddle boating and much more.
On September 11th, 2001
as we laid Grandpa to rest in New Jersey, we realized there were many things we
didn’t accomplish. Yet, there were still many things we did together and a lot
of memories were made. He moved better, he felt better and he simply lived
a better life.
One in four people over
fifty years old get zero activity post their normal daily routine. Two in three
people over fifty years old have at least one chronic disease. Moderate to
vigorous activity is what kept Grandpa here with us. We cherished the days with
him and his love for his family was his reason to keep active. As longevity
increases, maintaining physical function, independence, and quality of life
must be a priority. Find something you love to do. Smile and remember those
counting on you. Increasing your strength can limit falls and improving your
functional reach can help with balance. An increase in your aerobic activity
improves oxygen intake and increases your heart rate. Brain balance means
cognitively confident and independent.
Finding something you
love to do, to keep you active is an important step in living better. If you’re
not sure where to start or how to begin, I would recommend working with Coach
Chad and trying out the Silver Strong Program at the Missouri Athletic Center.
JamesDean Abrams
JamesDean Abrams
