The benefits of exercise are well known. Exercise may prevent, delay and/or reduce the severity of: coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, some cancers, arthritis, depression, and osteoporosis.

Older adults who are inactive lose ground in four areas that are important for staying healthy and independent: endurance, strength, balance and flexibility.

Endurance is your ability to sustain activity over time and is a measure of the ability of your heart, lungs and blood vessels to deliver adequate oxygen to your muscles.

Endurance exercises are activities that increase your breathing and heart rate like walking, dancing, swimming, or raking. Walking is a good endurance exercise and can be done by almost anyone.

Strength is the ability to produce physical force.

As we age and if we are inactive, we will lose:

• 15% of our strength in our 60s
• Another 15% in our 70s
• 30% of our strength in our 80s
• Another 30% of our strength in our 90s

If you are injured or an illness necessitates bed rest, you will lose one to 1.5% of muscle strength for each day you rest in bed.

Numerous scientific studies show us that even frail elderly people can increase their strength through simple exercise.

To do strength exercises, you need to lift or push weights. You can purchase hand and ankle weights or use things like cans of soup. Or you can use strength training equipment at a fitness center.

Balance is the ability to control and maintain your body's position as it moves through space. Keeping your balance has many components: Vision, hearing, feeling, strength, and flexibility. Have your vision and hearing checked regularly and remain physically active. Balance exercises frequently look just like endurance and strengthening exercises. You may also try standing exercises, dancing or T'ai Chi as ways to improve your balance.

Flexibility is the ability to move a muscle and joint through a motion easily without significant stress or strain on the muscle or bone. Through the normal aging process, muscles tend to lose elasticity and tissues around the joints thicken. We need a certain amount of muscle length and range of motion to reach over head, to walk safely and get in and out of bed. To improve your flexibility, perform stretching exercises. Stretching exercises are a good way to cool down after your endurance or strengthening sessions.