As people get older, health decreases and reduces mobility. Not only should people eat healthy and exercise but I feel aquatic exercising is especially beneficial for elderly people with physical disabilities. Fitness Proposals (2010) defines aquatic exercising as being done in chest high water to improve muscle strength and flexibility, may prevent from further deterioration and reduce pain. The benefits associated with physical disabilities aqua exercising are tremendous and will be discussed further.
Not only are there benefits for elderly people physically but also mentally, socially and emotionally. Aqua exercising can open up a social network for elderly people to meet people their own age and who both have the ultimate goal to feel healthy and improve their quality of life all around. Aqua exercising is not over exerting and your head is kept above the water at all times and therefore people are able to keep the communication window open.
You may be wondering what aquatic exercising would have anything to do with social work. The definition of social work in elderly people can be defined as an “organized effort to help individuals and families to adjust themselves to the community, as well as to adapt the community to the needs of such persons and families.” Viewing this issue with elderly people and the disadvantages that physical disabilities may cause in their life, a social worker would see aquatic exercise as an all around healthy opportunity for a social network and to increase their capability to be independent in many ways. Elderly people with a physical disability may not want to depend on family and friends to do things they can’t physically do and for example, the physical flexibility that they get from the aqua exercising can maybe help them reach up to that top shelf they never could before. Also, having a social network opens up communication with others that can relate to being elderly with a physical disability whereas family may say they know what it’s like but they really don’t unless ‘you walk a mile in their shoes.’ Elderly people with a physical disability may feel like they are alone and have no one to talk to but this opportunity allows them to meet others who are going through the same struggles.
Some physical disabilities that Beason, K and Gilbert, J (1995) discuss that elderly people face as they age include “osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, spinal cord and head injuries, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord and head injuries, muscular dystrophy, spina bifida, hip and knee replacements and injuries, lower back injuries, obesity, disease and injury to connective tissues and degenerative bone diseases.”
A personal experience that I have had with an elderly person with a physical disability and aqua exercising is with my grandmother. She has rheumatoid arthritis, had polio of the spine and her joints constantly ache. She feels that aqua exercising has helped her life dramatically and opened up social communication with many of the people who attend. She wants to feel independent and after doing the aqua exercising over a six month period, she feels she has a little more mobility and her joints don’t ache as much.
In conclusion, although this may be a small portion of helping elderly people with a physical disability aqua exercising may help in getting them involved out in the community and at the same time as improving their quality of life. I do understand that for some people results will vary and for some people it may work and for others it may not. Even if they are not greatly improving their physical challenges, they may get involved in the social aspect which seems that it may have a greater benefit for them in the end. They may no longer feel alone, may feel a sense of belonging and feeling connected with others who are going through similar situations.
Tiffany
Not only are there benefits for elderly people physically but also mentally, socially and emotionally. Aqua exercising can open up a social network for elderly people to meet people their own age and who both have the ultimate goal to feel healthy and improve their quality of life all around. Aqua exercising is not over exerting and your head is kept above the water at all times and therefore people are able to keep the communication window open.
You may be wondering what aquatic exercising would have anything to do with social work. The definition of social work in elderly people can be defined as an “organized effort to help individuals and families to adjust themselves to the community, as well as to adapt the community to the needs of such persons and families.” Viewing this issue with elderly people and the disadvantages that physical disabilities may cause in their life, a social worker would see aquatic exercise as an all around healthy opportunity for a social network and to increase their capability to be independent in many ways. Elderly people with a physical disability may not want to depend on family and friends to do things they can’t physically do and for example, the physical flexibility that they get from the aqua exercising can maybe help them reach up to that top shelf they never could before. Also, having a social network opens up communication with others that can relate to being elderly with a physical disability whereas family may say they know what it’s like but they really don’t unless ‘you walk a mile in their shoes.’ Elderly people with a physical disability may feel like they are alone and have no one to talk to but this opportunity allows them to meet others who are going through the same struggles.
Some physical disabilities that Beason, K and Gilbert, J (1995) discuss that elderly people face as they age include “osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, spinal cord and head injuries, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord and head injuries, muscular dystrophy, spina bifida, hip and knee replacements and injuries, lower back injuries, obesity, disease and injury to connective tissues and degenerative bone diseases.”
A personal experience that I have had with an elderly person with a physical disability and aqua exercising is with my grandmother. She has rheumatoid arthritis, had polio of the spine and her joints constantly ache. She feels that aqua exercising has helped her life dramatically and opened up social communication with many of the people who attend. She wants to feel independent and after doing the aqua exercising over a six month period, she feels she has a little more mobility and her joints don’t ache as much.
In conclusion, although this may be a small portion of helping elderly people with a physical disability aqua exercising may help in getting them involved out in the community and at the same time as improving their quality of life. I do understand that for some people results will vary and for some people it may work and for others it may not. Even if they are not greatly improving their physical challenges, they may get involved in the social aspect which seems that it may have a greater benefit for them in the end. They may no longer feel alone, may feel a sense of belonging and feeling connected with others who are going through similar situations.
Tiffany
Great post! I do believe that water aerobics would help with arthritis. Even when my muscles just ache, I can take a bath and they will be fine again. There is something about water that tends to heal muscle pain. This is an inexpensive and healthy way to help with arthritis.
ReplyDelete- Amanda P.
i really enjoyed reading your post. This is so true, my grandfather loved doing aqua exercising, and I once watched. I found it quite entertaining.
ReplyDelete-Allery
I like the idea of aqua exercising, as you pointed out, it allows people to stay fit, while keeping a constant communication with others, and it’s a very safe way to build and maintain muscle strength without the use of heavy equipment or weights. Some people with a physical disability may have a tendency to be more isolated from society, feeling alone and depressed. As we come to the end of this course, I found that social workers do more then just sit and talk to people, that’s what I perceived them as doing anyways. Social work is definitely a profession that, even once you are done your studies, it seems that it doesn’t really stop, you’re constantly always learning and finding new solutions to problems that may arise.
ReplyDelete-Rocco
Very good post. I personally love Aqua fit, I do aqua fit twice a week after I do another type of work out. Doing aqua fit helps my joints feel better then if I was to just run or use the tredmil. I can see why old persons would participate in this type of excersise. especially an older person with a disability, its much easier on their joints and fragile bones. How does an older person learn how to get involved in the social work in elderly people? Does it work for them?
ReplyDelete- Samantha G
I really enjoyed your post. I find aqua fit interesting and it's something that I'd want to start doing and keep doing as I age. I agree that exercises in water is beneficial, not just for older adults but for children and adults as well. It's good that this is another active way for seniors to socialize. I like how you incorporated that your grandmother does aqua exercises because then you know from your grandmother that it's beneficial.
ReplyDelete- Kristal
I was thinking about my post after and I also wanted to say that older people with a physical disability may be worried to exercise in fear of maybe falling or straining more muscles but in the water "buoyancy decreases the effect of gravity: body weight is reduced by 75% to 90% (chest to neck level immersion)" (http://www.calainc.org/Aquafitness/aquafitness.htm).
ReplyDeleteTiffany
I think aqua exercise is a good idea to maintain senior's health, also your post brings out the message of helping them to develop some hobbies can maintain their social interactions with others. Like my grandma, I can feel she is happier and healthier after she started meditation at buddhist temple because she met lots of "meditation buddies" there. Great Post!
ReplyDeleteSarah Poon
Thanks for the post Tiffany! I thought it was very important that you did not only point out the physical benefits of this activity. Physical well being is just one aspect of health, and when not in combination with emotional well being it is not as strong. The socialization aspect of aqua areobics is just as valuable as it's physical component.
ReplyDelete-Eliza R.
Really good post! I never realised how many benefits there were to aqua exercising, that is a really long list. Being form a small town, you wouldn't think we had alot of fitness classes but there is always something going on in the school gym or pool in the summer. Many of the classes are for the younger crowd, but the instuctor offers a couple different streching classes and aqua exercising that the older generation really enjoys. Its a chance for them to get out and exercise and get together with friends.
ReplyDeleteJordan