WEBVTT 00:00:00.460 --> 00:00:03.859 Hey everyone, welcome back to the Senior Safety 00:00:03.859 --> 00:00:10.359 Advice Podcast. March, this is March 8th and 00:00:10.359 --> 00:00:13.160 March is Mobility and Independence Month. I'm 00:00:13.160 --> 00:00:15.419 so glad that you're here with me today. I'm Esther 00:00:15.419 --> 00:00:19.260 Kane, retired occupational therapist and a certified 00:00:19.260 --> 00:00:22.160 aging in place specialist. And today we're gonna 00:00:22.160 --> 00:00:25.760 talk about the benefits of short daily walks 00:00:25.760 --> 00:00:28.800 because it is Mobility and Independence Month. 00:00:29.179 --> 00:00:31.679 And I wanna start off by clearing up something 00:00:31.679 --> 00:00:35.070 right away. Many people think that, oh, when 00:00:35.070 --> 00:00:37.950 you're talking about walking and the benefits 00:00:37.950 --> 00:00:40.670 of walking and exercising and walking, those 00:00:40.670 --> 00:00:44.649 are all great, but they discount short daily 00:00:44.649 --> 00:00:49.469 walks. So I want to say that it's not necessarily 00:00:49.469 --> 00:00:54.570 needed or don't feel guilty that you aren't taking 00:00:54.570 --> 00:00:58.109 a long walk. I think it's just as important to 00:00:58.109 --> 00:01:01.570 take daily walks and even better to take a short 00:01:01.570 --> 00:01:05.730 walk Excuse me, several times a day. I like the 00:01:05.730 --> 00:01:10.849 idea of walking 10, 15 minutes after every meal. 00:01:10.870 --> 00:01:14.030 So that would be three times a day. And all you 00:01:14.030 --> 00:01:17.230 need is just a short little walk. And it's not 00:01:17.230 --> 00:01:20.069 even about the pace. And it's not certainly not 00:01:20.069 --> 00:01:23.250 about hitting a certain number of steps. This 00:01:23.250 --> 00:01:27.650 is about short walks, gentle walks, consistent 00:01:27.650 --> 00:01:31.109 walks, because a little bit of walking done most 00:01:31.109 --> 00:01:35.280 days can change how your whole body feels. What 00:01:35.280 --> 00:01:39.480 I hear all the time are phrases like, I know 00:01:39.480 --> 00:01:42.760 I should walk more, but I don't have the energy 00:01:42.760 --> 00:01:46.750 or I'm afraid I'm going to lose my balance. Or 00:01:46.750 --> 00:01:49.689 it doesn't seem worth it if I can't go that far. 00:01:49.849 --> 00:01:52.349 And you may think that while you're sitting watching 00:01:52.349 --> 00:01:55.370 TV that, oh, a 10 minute walk isn't going to 00:01:55.370 --> 00:02:00.189 do anything, but it actually can. I began taking 00:02:00.189 --> 00:02:03.870 little short walks after my meals about a month 00:02:03.870 --> 00:02:08.030 or so ago, and it really does. It really has 00:02:08.030 --> 00:02:11.310 helped me not only with my energy level, but 00:02:11.310 --> 00:02:15.800 my flexibility and my mobility as well. So here's 00:02:15.800 --> 00:02:19.979 what I want you to know. Short walks absolutely 00:02:19.979 --> 00:02:23.479 count. I've seen people improve strength, balance, 00:02:23.819 --> 00:02:26.400 mood, and confidence just by walking a few minutes 00:02:26.400 --> 00:02:30.240 a day. Heck, I've seen it in myself. And here's 00:02:30.240 --> 00:02:34.069 where this really, really matters. Walking is 00:02:34.069 --> 00:02:36.469 just one of the most natural movements that your 00:02:36.469 --> 00:02:39.509 body knows how to do. It wakes up your muscles, 00:02:39.770 --> 00:02:42.250 it wakes up your brain, and it keeps everything 00:02:42.250 --> 00:02:45.550 communicating better. And if you're worried about 00:02:45.550 --> 00:02:49.580 losing your balance, then... get some walking 00:02:49.580 --> 00:02:54.139 sticks. My sister recently fell during a walk. 00:02:54.180 --> 00:02:58.139 She does these multiple mile hikes several times 00:02:58.139 --> 00:03:02.800 a week and she fell. It just took one second 00:03:02.800 --> 00:03:06.159 for her to fall and she fractured her wrist. 00:03:06.580 --> 00:03:10.360 So her friends on her walking club bought her 00:03:10.360 --> 00:03:15.000 some walking sticks. So yes, now she uses the 00:03:15.000 --> 00:03:17.900 walking sticks for her walk, but she is getting 00:03:17.870 --> 00:03:23.389 still getting out there and doing it. So the 00:03:23.389 --> 00:03:26.229 reason that she does a lot of the walking, and 00:03:26.229 --> 00:03:29.069 actually several of my friends who do a lot of 00:03:29.069 --> 00:03:33.550 walking, they tell me that their hips don't feel 00:03:33.550 --> 00:03:39.830 as stiff. their steps are more relaxed and that 00:03:39.830 --> 00:03:42.849 they feel better with their balance because they're 00:03:42.849 --> 00:03:45.469 exercising they're building their muscles they're 00:03:45.469 --> 00:03:48.909 building their bones as they're walking and actually 00:03:48.909 --> 00:03:51.770 you know what if you're looking to build your 00:03:51.770 --> 00:03:55.129 bones you can always if possible wear a weighted 00:03:55.129 --> 00:03:58.050 vest that's something that can certainly help 00:03:58.050 --> 00:04:00.370 you you can get them on amazon or any sports 00:04:00.370 --> 00:04:03.599 store and you can control the amount of weight 00:04:03.599 --> 00:04:08.460 that is on or in that vest and having that extra 00:04:08.460 --> 00:04:12.680 weight can help to increase the density of your 00:04:12.680 --> 00:04:16.540 bones because weight lifting or resistance exercises 00:04:16.540 --> 00:04:20.160 are very good for increasing the density of your 00:04:20.160 --> 00:04:22.339 bones. So you can do two things while you're 00:04:22.339 --> 00:04:27.800 walking. So yes, a short walk is very, very powerful. 00:04:28.060 --> 00:04:31.839 Even a walk to the mailbox, even a 10 -minute 00:04:31.839 --> 00:04:36.199 walk around your living room, your dining room, 00:04:36.600 --> 00:04:39.620 even getting up and walking a little bit at every 00:04:39.620 --> 00:04:42.899 commercial break, anything at all, down the driveway, 00:04:43.180 --> 00:04:46.740 around the block, those minutes all add up, especially 00:04:46.740 --> 00:04:49.079 if you can do it multiple times throughout the 00:04:49.079 --> 00:04:53.040 day. Walking helps circulation in a way that 00:04:53.040 --> 00:04:55.939 very few other activities do. You know, blood 00:04:55.939 --> 00:04:59.420 flows better to the legs and the feet, swelling 00:04:59.420 --> 00:05:03.300 can actually improve, muscles get oxygen, and 00:05:03.300 --> 00:05:06.779 you can just feel a little lighter each day. 00:05:07.579 --> 00:05:09.920 Each time that you do take a walk the one thing 00:05:09.920 --> 00:05:13.579 that I would recommend is to make sure Well number 00:05:13.579 --> 00:05:16.459 one make sure that you get approval from your 00:05:16.459 --> 00:05:19.040 physician You know if there are any issues that 00:05:19.040 --> 00:05:21.560 you need to watch out for in case you have cardiac 00:05:21.560 --> 00:05:25.699 issues or Neurological issues, you know, make 00:05:25.699 --> 00:05:28.459 sure your physician knows if you have a physical 00:05:28.459 --> 00:05:32.490 therapist obviously speak with them and make 00:05:32.490 --> 00:05:36.069 sure that you are wearing the best possible walking 00:05:36.069 --> 00:05:40.230 shoes for you because I know that for myself 00:05:40.230 --> 00:05:44.310 when I don't wear the proper shoes I end up with 00:05:44.310 --> 00:05:48.410 a little extra pain in my foot or maybe even 00:05:48.410 --> 00:05:51.649 a little swelling in my ankle simply because 00:05:51.649 --> 00:05:54.769 I didn't have the support that I needed during 00:05:54.769 --> 00:05:57.490 my walk and yeah that can change depending on 00:05:57.490 --> 00:06:00.509 the length of the walk as well but I would definitely 00:06:00.509 --> 00:06:04.329 recommend that. So let's talk about balance again, 00:06:04.389 --> 00:06:07.170 because I think this is a big one. A lot of older 00:06:07.170 --> 00:06:10.029 adults do not take walks because they're afraid 00:06:10.029 --> 00:06:12.769 of their balance. Walking does challenge balance, 00:06:12.790 --> 00:06:18.069 and it can also help to improve balance. So it's 00:06:18.069 --> 00:06:22.620 kind of a... Yeah, it's a mixed bag. So you are 00:06:22.620 --> 00:06:24.779 shifting your weight from one foot to the other. 00:06:24.939 --> 00:06:27.139 You're coordinating your arms and your legs. 00:06:27.240 --> 00:06:30.300 So all of that can help you to improve your balance. 00:06:30.560 --> 00:06:34.680 And again, if you do feel unsafe, then use walking 00:06:34.680 --> 00:06:37.019 sticks. And I'm not talking about just a cane. 00:06:37.420 --> 00:06:40.079 I'm talking about two walking sticks, one in 00:06:40.079 --> 00:06:43.319 each arm. When walking becomes part of your routine, 00:06:43.500 --> 00:06:46.600 your balance often improves. without you even 00:06:46.600 --> 00:06:49.139 thinking about it. And that's something that 00:06:49.139 --> 00:06:51.699 a lot of seniors and a lot of families don't 00:06:51.699 --> 00:06:55.480 always realize. Short walks can also help to 00:06:55.480 --> 00:06:58.500 improve joint stiffness, especially in the hips, 00:06:58.720 --> 00:07:01.879 the knees and the ankles. You know, I've treated 00:07:01.879 --> 00:07:06.199 a lot of patients. that had arthritis that always 00:07:06.199 --> 00:07:09.839 felt better after they did some form of exercise 00:07:09.839 --> 00:07:12.879 for the part of their body that had the arthritis, 00:07:13.100 --> 00:07:15.980 be it the knee or the ankle or the shoulders, 00:07:16.220 --> 00:07:20.240 the wrist, the hands, whatever. And movement 00:07:20.240 --> 00:07:23.680 definitely, as we all know or should know, is 00:07:23.680 --> 00:07:27.319 that movement helps joints lubricate themselves. 00:07:28.000 --> 00:07:31.439 Sitting, Does the opposite actually so that's 00:07:31.439 --> 00:07:33.699 why they're saying that sitting for long periods 00:07:33.699 --> 00:07:36.660 of time is not a great idea you should get up 00:07:36.660 --> 00:07:39.399 and take a little walk every twenty thirty minutes 00:07:39.399 --> 00:07:42.500 or so if you're doing a lot of setting so when 00:07:42.500 --> 00:07:44.759 someone says that they don't walk because they're 00:07:44.759 --> 00:07:49.500 stiff. I often suggest that stiffness might actually 00:07:49.500 --> 00:07:51.699 improve with a little bit of walking. I know 00:07:51.699 --> 00:07:54.660 it does for me. Obviously, I'm on the computer 00:07:54.660 --> 00:07:58.339 a lot. I do my podcasting and YouTubing, and 00:07:58.339 --> 00:08:02.939 I do a lot of work on aginginplacedirectory .com 00:08:02.939 --> 00:08:06.439 and seniorsafetyadvice .com. So yeah, I'm sitting 00:08:06.439 --> 00:08:09.680 at my computer, but I do my best to take every 00:08:09.680 --> 00:08:12.240 20, 30 minutes, get up and take a little walk 00:08:12.240 --> 00:08:15.720 just to remove that stiffness because I am stiff 00:08:15.720 --> 00:08:20.459 when I get up, for sure. Now, let's talk about 00:08:20.459 --> 00:08:23.660 posture and breathing. Walking encourages you 00:08:23.660 --> 00:08:27.639 to stand taller. Your chest opens up, your breathing 00:08:27.639 --> 00:08:31.480 deepens, and better breathing, of course, means 00:08:31.480 --> 00:08:34.279 more oxygen to the brain, which affects your 00:08:34.279 --> 00:08:37.240 focus and your mood and your steadiness. And 00:08:37.240 --> 00:08:40.159 that's a quiet benefit that people don't always 00:08:40.159 --> 00:08:43.139 connect. And here's something that I see a lot. 00:08:43.629 --> 00:08:48.590 Short daily walks can actually improve your confidence. 00:08:49.029 --> 00:08:51.289 I know, it's like you don't even think about 00:08:51.289 --> 00:08:55.570 that, right? When you walk regularly, your body 00:08:55.570 --> 00:08:59.809 starts to remember what it can do. Fear softens, 00:08:59.950 --> 00:09:04.230 your trust grows, and you can go from avoiding 00:09:04.230 --> 00:09:08.200 movement to looking forward to movement. meaning 00:09:08.200 --> 00:09:11.759 the walk. And walking doesn't have to be outside, 00:09:11.799 --> 00:09:14.860 as I said before. You know, you can walk up and 00:09:14.860 --> 00:09:17.580 down your hallway, you can walk in the mall, 00:09:18.039 --> 00:09:21.799 you can go to indoor track in a local park. Even 00:09:21.799 --> 00:09:25.399 walking during TV commercials counts. Walking 00:09:25.399 --> 00:09:28.580 around the dining room, anything at all. I know 00:09:28.580 --> 00:09:31.360 on wintery cold days, or if the weather's not 00:09:31.360 --> 00:09:34.039 good, It makes sense to be able to do a little 00:09:34.039 --> 00:09:36.980 walk in your home. And hey, if you have a treadmill, 00:09:37.379 --> 00:09:39.940 that may be something you can use as well, as 00:09:39.940 --> 00:09:43.899 long as you're safe on that treadmill. This is 00:09:43.899 --> 00:09:47.580 about movement. It's not necessarily about scenery. 00:09:48.019 --> 00:09:51.360 So it's not as if when you do a walk, you think 00:09:51.360 --> 00:09:54.019 about, you know, going to the beach or going 00:09:54.019 --> 00:09:57.519 to a forest or taking a beautiful hike. I mean, 00:09:57.539 --> 00:09:59.820 sure, if you can do those things, but you can't 00:09:59.820 --> 00:10:04.440 always do them daily. So why not, you know, just 00:10:04.440 --> 00:10:08.379 consider focusing on the movement and then when 00:10:08.379 --> 00:10:11.940 you can, of course, include the scenery. So let's 00:10:11.940 --> 00:10:15.120 talk about safety because that's what I'm all 00:10:15.120 --> 00:10:19.179 about, right? So you want to always wear the 00:10:19.179 --> 00:10:22.679 best supportive shoes that you can. You want 00:10:22.679 --> 00:10:26.059 to take your time. There's no need to rush or 00:10:26.059 --> 00:10:28.419 keep up with the fastest person in your group. 00:10:28.860 --> 00:10:32.899 And you want to use a cane or a walker or walking 00:10:32.899 --> 00:10:36.120 sticks, you know, whatever it is that you need. 00:10:36.320 --> 00:10:39.399 to help you. I personally like the idea of walking 00:10:39.399 --> 00:10:41.559 sticks the most but of course if you need the 00:10:41.559 --> 00:10:45.039 walker you know certainly but I like the walking 00:10:45.039 --> 00:10:49.299 sticks better than just a single cane. And then 00:10:49.299 --> 00:10:53.000 if you need to hold on to a railing then absolutely 00:10:53.000 --> 00:10:55.779 walk somewhere where you can hold on to a railing. 00:10:56.159 --> 00:10:59.659 Support is smart. It doesn't mean you're weak. 00:11:00.259 --> 00:11:03.259 It's smart because the worst thing that can happen 00:11:03.259 --> 00:11:06.200 during a walk is that you fall because if you 00:11:06.200 --> 00:11:09.519 fall, then that destroys your confidence to keep 00:11:09.519 --> 00:11:12.820 walking. And guess what? You stop walking. And 00:11:12.820 --> 00:11:15.679 that's not what it's all about. It's about doing 00:11:15.679 --> 00:11:19.519 what you can in short, limited times so that 00:11:19.519 --> 00:11:23.220 you can build it up. Short walks mean you don't 00:11:23.220 --> 00:11:26.659 push past your limits. And that's usually how 00:11:26.659 --> 00:11:31.139 any form of exercise becomes sustainable. Because 00:11:31.139 --> 00:11:34.179 if you do too much and you injure yourself, then 00:11:34.179 --> 00:11:38.259 guess what? You stop doing it. So if you're a 00:11:38.259 --> 00:11:41.149 family caregiver, This is something that you 00:11:41.149 --> 00:11:44.710 can even do together, side by side, no pressure, 00:11:45.049 --> 00:11:47.690 just take those little short walks. They can 00:11:47.690 --> 00:11:50.470 become moments of connection, a chance to talk, 00:11:51.009 --> 00:11:54.669 a chance to breathe. And honestly, those moments 00:11:54.669 --> 00:11:58.769 matter just as much as the movement. One more 00:11:58.769 --> 00:12:02.370 thing I want to say out loud. Consistency also 00:12:02.370 --> 00:12:05.740 matters more than distance. Five minutes every 00:12:05.740 --> 00:12:10.059 day beats 30 minutes once in a while. Your body 00:12:10.059 --> 00:12:13.440 responds to regular signals, routine. Routine 00:12:13.440 --> 00:12:16.840 is very important. And walking sends a really, 00:12:16.840 --> 00:12:19.779 really good one. It says, hey, I'm moving, I'm 00:12:19.779 --> 00:12:23.179 capable, I'm still engaged. And that message 00:12:23.179 --> 00:12:27.220 carries far beyond the walk itself. So if walking 00:12:27.220 --> 00:12:30.679 feels hard right now, then start smaller than 00:12:30.679 --> 00:12:33.399 you think you should. You may think, I need to 00:12:33.399 --> 00:12:36.460 do 30 minutes every day. And you may say that 00:12:36.460 --> 00:12:38.840 to yourself every night. And then the next day, 00:12:38.860 --> 00:12:41.600 of course, you never get to it. But just think 00:12:41.600 --> 00:12:45.179 five minutes, five minutes after every meal. 00:12:45.470 --> 00:12:49.350 three times a day, and then maybe increase that 00:12:49.350 --> 00:12:51.570 to 10 minutes. And then before you know it, you've 00:12:51.570 --> 00:12:54.269 got 15 minutes, and that's pretty much all you 00:12:54.269 --> 00:12:57.129 need. Three times a day, that's a 45 -minute 00:12:57.129 --> 00:13:01.190 walk every single day. A little bit today, a 00:13:01.190 --> 00:13:03.769 little bit more tomorrow, and that's how you 00:13:03.769 --> 00:13:07.409 can increase your balance, your strength, and 00:13:07.409 --> 00:13:10.129 your mobility. Before you know it, it becomes 00:13:10.129 --> 00:13:13.830 a part of who you are. Well, that's all that 00:13:13.830 --> 00:13:16.519 I have for you today. I want to thank you so 00:13:16.519 --> 00:13:19.299 much again for being here with me. If today's 00:13:19.299 --> 00:13:21.879 episode gave you some useful insights or some 00:13:21.879 --> 00:13:24.179 new ideas, then please share it with someone 00:13:24.179 --> 00:13:26.440 who you think might find it helpful as well. 00:13:26.879 --> 00:13:29.820 You can discover even more expert tips and helpful 00:13:29.820 --> 00:13:33.460 guides for seniors and caregivers at seniorsafetyadvice 00:13:33.460 --> 00:13:36.539 .com. And hey, if you're searching for an aging 00:13:36.539 --> 00:13:38.559 in place specialist or someone that can help 00:13:38.559 --> 00:13:41.740 you with home renovations to make your home safer 00:13:41.740 --> 00:13:44.980 as you grow older in it, then visit our website 00:13:44.980 --> 00:13:48.379 at aging in place directory dot com. Come back 00:13:48.379 --> 00:13:51.759 tomorrow for more useful tips, insights and ideas 00:13:51.759 --> 00:13:54.940 right here on the Senior Safety Advice Podcast. 00:13:55.259 --> 00:13:57.639 And if you haven't yet subscribed to our YouTube 00:13:57.639 --> 00:14:00.179 channel or the podcast yet, then please go ahead 00:14:00.179 --> 00:14:02.740 and do that right now, because that really helps 00:14:02.740 --> 00:14:05.460 us to reach more people. who could use this kind 00:14:05.460 --> 00:14:08.799 of support and information. So until next time, 00:14:09.039 --> 00:14:11.419 take care of yourself and the ones that you love.