A group power class at The Alaska Club.
Aging is not for the weak. Tasks we once took for granted become more difficult to complete. New challenges pop up frequently such as sore knees, stiff back or not sleeping well. That list just keeps on growing, right? However, aging is a gift and one we can value and maximize every day.
To be our best selves at our current age and forward, we need to invest in our health and well-being. The benefits of strength training for aging are well documented. The good news is this doesn't have to be a body builder program. We simply need to challenge our muscles two or three times per week.
The Alaska Club's Expressway is a circuit of weight machines targeting the major muscle groups that can be done in 30 minutes, and can progress with you over time simply by moving the pin to the next weight stack. Another means of staying muscle and movement strong is by taking our Group Power classes. You'll be coached though exercises using the major muscle groups and stay motivated with fun music and an amazing community of people. One of our Group Power regulars recently celebrated his 82nd birthday-so yes, Group Power works for everyone.
I also recommend having an activity that you really enjoy. This can be pickleball, golf, hiking, and many other activities. To keep you at your best in that activity, be sure to cross train with strength and mobility exercises. Community, enjoyment and movement will positively impact our sense of happiness.
This is all positive but yes, I also have days when I'm not so appreciative of the aging process. More wrinkles and extra belly fluff can certainly get to me. However, I know that not everyone is given this gift. My mother died at 48 after battling breast and bone cancer for six years. My dad was in the prime of his retirement, the day before his 65th birthday when he died from a heart attack. My brother Leo died at 55 from ALS.
Diagnosing ALS
Unfortunately, ALS is becoming more prevalent in those ages 40 to 70. It could be there are more people getting ALS or that medical professionals are getting better at diagnosing it. Most likely it's a combination of both, meaning it's happening more often and what used to be misdiagnosed or undiagnosed is now being discovered.
ALS-Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis – is a progressive condition where the brain and the muscles stop communicating. Eventually this impacts muscles needed for walking, talking and breathing. The average life span from diagnosis to death is about 2.5 years. However, if we can get that diagnosis sooner, the person will have more quality time by receiving the needed medications and tools to make the most of the time remaining.
ALS is in the same "family" as multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease. When my brother Leo was at the Mayo clinic receiving his diagnosis, it was narrowed down to these three. No one should ever have to hope they have MS or Parkinson's but that's the reality for those in the ALS diagnosis process.
Initially the symptoms are subtle and easier to ignore or attribute to getting older, such as tripping, dropping things, fatigue and slurred speech. There was a point Leo knew it wasn't nerve damage due to breaking his arm as a kid or just getting older. Knowing it was more, he didn't want to face it right away completely understandable and normal.
Recently a woman in her sixties that I knew died from ALS although it wasn't identified as ALS until the end. She had lost weight quickly, needed to use a cane to walk and didn't talk as much as usual. All of these can be a normal part of aging or related to dementia but the rate at which these symptoms progressed should have raised the ALS flag much sooner than it did.
Be honest with yourself, your family and your doctor about anything you're feeling that is not part of your normal, seems to be progressing quickly or simply scares you. It might be something simple like needing physical therapy to overcome a muscle imbalance or a change in medications. If it happens to be more, you'll make the most of your gift of aging by addressing it sooner.
To read more about ALS and seniors, Check this out: http://www.targetals.org/2022/04/28/als-in-the-elderly-recognizing-als-in-seniors/
To learn more about how The Alaska Club is supporting Augie's Quest to Cure ALS: http://www.thealaskaclub.com/als.
Janet Warner is the Fitness Services Executive Director at The Alaska Club.
