Exercise is an essential activity for seniors that’s too often overlooked. It presents all kinds of amazing benefits for seniors, from improved mobility to better mental health, lower disease risk, and greater opportunities for socialization. Whether you operate a senior living facility, community center, or even a public park, introducing an outdoor gym for seniors can transform the lives of your elderly community members.
Read on to learn all about building an outdoor gym for seniors, including what to look for in exercise equipment for seniors and our selection of the best equipment picks.
Benefits of Exercise Equipment for Seniors
Physical fitness is important at any age, but it can make a unique impact in the lives of older adults. The benefits of exercise for seniors include:
- Greater independence: Loss of independence is one of the biggest struggles for seniors. Regular exercise helps seniors maintain their mobility, enabling them to remain independent longer.
- Disease prevention: Exercise can improve cardiovascular health, lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other diseases common among the elderly.
- Stronger muscles: Fall risk increases dramatically as people age. Increasing muscle strength lowers the likelihood of life threatening falls and other injuries.
- Stronger bones: Outdoor exercise is a great way to boost Vitamin D, which helps build stronger bones. This is particularly important for elderly women, who experience significant bone density loss after menopause.
- Socialization opportunities: Elderly people are at a much greater risk of social isolation, which can lead to more rapid cognitive decline, mental health issues, and reduced lifespans. Communal exercise spaces give elderly folks the opportunity to socialize with one another.
- Reduced stress and anxiety: Endorphins released during exercise can combat stress and anxiety, two common challenges for aging folks.
- Lower dementia risk: Research shows a link between regular exercise and a lowered risk of dementia and other types of cognitive decline.
- Better sleep: As people age, their sleep can become more interrupted and less restorative. Exercise improves sleep quality, leading to dramatic improvements in health.
What to Look for in Good Exercise Equipment for Seniors
With so many benefits of exercise for seniors, it’s clear that a gym is a non-negotiable for every senior facility. For your senior gym to be truly effective, it’s essential to tailor your exercise space to the unique needs and limitations of seniors. Read on to learn how to select good exercise equipment for seniors and what to consider when building your space.
Low Impact
While public gyms are typically filled with treadmills and stair climbers, these pieces of exercise equipment tend to be too high impact for seniors. They put too much pressure on their fragile joints and are geared towards exercises that tend to be far more intense than elderly folks can handle.
Instead, look for lower impact exercise equipment that’s gentle on the joints and are geared towards smooth, controlled movements.
Accessibility
Accessibility is crucial when selecting exercise equipment for seniors over 70. Whether limited in mobility, unstable on their feet, or even wheelchair-bound, all seniors at your facility should be able to use your gym.
When selecting accessible exercise equipment for seniors, look for extra supports like handrails, grab bars, and non-slip materials. Adjustable heights and ADDA-friendly design make gym equipment accessible to seniors in wheelchairs or those who need to work out seated.
Simple Design
For the senior set, the more simple the exercise equipment, the better. Advanced exercise machines with biometric data, programmed workouts, and multiple settings may appeal to the general population, but they’re not ideal for seniors. At best, seniors may find them overwhelming, and at worst, misuse may lead to serious injury.
Instead, keep it simple with manual exercise equipment for seniors with straightforward designs. It may be useful to add clear signage next to equipment with instructions for use. That way, your seniors can use them independently.
Durability for Outdoor Settings
An outdoor gym offers an excellent opportunity for seniors to get fresh air, sunshine, and plenty of Vitamin D, but it’s important to select equipment that’s made for outdoor use. Avoid equipment that requires a power source or is made from flimsy materials. Look for outdoor exercise equipment for seniors that’s durable and weatherproof, with sturdy design.
Best Outdoor Exercise Equipment for Seniors
Ready to build your outdoor senior gym? We’ve rounded up a selection of the best outdoor exercise equipment for seniors to get your started.
Elliptical
A low-impact cardio machine that provides a full-body workout, the elliptical mimics the motion of walking without straining the joints like a treadmill might. Its supportive design features handles with grips for increased stability, so your seniors can hold on as they work out.
Air Walker
For seniors looking to boost their leg and hip flexibility, the Air Walker is an excellent option. Like the elliptical, it’s a low impact exercise machine that simulates walking without the same joint pressure. The Air Walker features a broader grip bar and allows for a more upright position than the elliptical, which may make your seniors feel more stable.
Exercise Bike
An exercise bike is a must for any senior gym. It provides a seated, low-impact workout without the fall risk that a standing cardio machine may present. More importantly, an exercise bike allows for great control in your seniors’ workout. They can choose to move more quickly for higher intensity, or more slowly for a more leisurely workout. Regular use of an exercise bike increases joint flexibility, range of motion, lower body strength, and more.
Recumbent Exercise Bike
Recumbent exercise bikes are a more accessible alternative to upright exercise bikes. Their modified seat provides plenty of support for seniors with lower back pain, or who simply require more support, while still offering a sufficient cardiovascular workout.
Chest Press
Chest presses are a great way for seniors to strengthen their upper body, improve posture, and even increase lung capacity. Instead of free weights, which pose a significant safety risk for seniors, a seated chess press machine enables a safe, controlled workout using one’s own body weight.
Tai Chi Spinner
For an exercise that introduces a bit of mindfulness into their workout, explore Tai Chi Spinners. These rotating wheels improve shoulder, arm, and wrist flexibility and present an opportunity for a tranquil workout. To enable use from more people, look for wheelchair accessible Tai Chi Spinners.
Accessible Multigym
Our accessible multigym, designed specifically for wheelchair users, offers a seated, full-body workout to four people at a single time. It includes a shoulder wheel for mobility, a hand and foot bike for cardio and endurance, and a shoulder press for upper body strength. Better yet, the design allows all four users to interface with one another throughout the workout, encouraging social interaction.
Tips for Building a Safe and Accessible Exercise Space for the Elderly
When putting together your outdoor gym for seniors, intentional and accessible design is as important as the exercise equipment you select. Follow these tips to build a safe and useful exercise space in your senior facility:
- Pick a shaded area: Choosing an outdoor space that’s nice and shady will keep your seniors cool while they work out. If you don’t have the right spot, consider adding shade sails to give your seniors much-needed relief from the sun.
- Give machines a wide berth: To allow seniors with wheelchairs and walkers to move through the space with ease, allow for lots of space between machines. Similarly, add ramps as alternatives to stairs and consider other accessible design elements like handrails.
- Add plenty of seating: Give your seniors places to sit and rest between sets or while waiting for a machine to free up. These seats also present opportunities for seated workouts.
Upgrade Your Senior Living Facility with Outdoor Fitness Equipment from TriActive USA
The benefits of exercise equipment for seniors are immense. It can help them live healthier, happier, and longer lives. For a selection of durable and weatherproof outdoor exercise equipment designed with seniors in mind, meet TriActive USA. Made from durable steel with protective coatings and simple design, our equipment is perfect for your outdoor workout space for seniors. Get started by shopping our selection of equipment today.
