Hidden Benefits of Exercise for Seniors

Hidden Benefits of Exercise for Seniors: A group of four recent studies, shows a strong connection between seniors, exercise, and mental and physical health, especially among aging women. Researchers found that: women who exercise regularly at age 60 were almost twice as likely to live beyond 70 with no cognitive, physical, or mental health limitations; women age 65-75 who participated in low-level strength training exercises showed significantly improved executive function and also improved physical walking speed compared to a control group; men and women over 55 who exercise at a moderate level or higher were half as likely to develop dementia later in life; and women, age 70 and up, with mild cognitive impairments who engaged in aerobic exercise four times per week showed significant improvements over a control group in all administered cognitive and physiological tests over a six-month trial.
Published in 2010 Harvard University health and medicine journal