Making Your List and Checking it Twice
Gift Giving: Thinking Outside of the B
ox.
This is the time of year you get stumped for creative gift ideas for the adults in your life. Sure, kids are easy, toys for the younger set and electronics (or gift cards for the teens and early 20 somethings) the ’30s, ’40s, and early 50’s usually can use something for the home, garage or kitchen or even something hobby-related. After this though, it starts to get tricky. And finding the perfect gift really becomes a challenge. Especially for retired or semi-retired parents and grandparents. What do they want? What do they need? If you ask them they’ll more than likely say ‘nothing’. They don’t want more ‘stuff’ they may even be starting to downsize and material things just aren’t at all important anymore.
What IS important?
To be able to enjoy life heading into retirement when they finally have the time to pursue the things that they put on the back burner while working and raising a family.
To have strength, stamina, and mobility and the ability to be active in a body that works with them, not against them.
To be able to live long, vibrant, healthy, lives.
Could stiffness, joint pain, lack of energy and flexibility, or even fear of falling keep them from the things they’ve worked all their lives for, things like travel, volunteering, hobbies?
Will it prevent them from even the simple pleasures like getting on and off the floor, or running around in the back yard with the grandkids?
More than 80% of retirees describe health as THE most important factor for a happy and fulfilling retirement.
Sure, we are living longer but are we THRIVING or just surviving? A long lifespan doesn’t necessarily equate to a long health-span. According to the CDC, 2 out of 3 adults over 50 have at least 1 lifestyle related chronic condition. 4 in 5 of the most costly chronic conditions among adults 50 and older can be prevented or managed with physical activity, yet almost 30% of adults do not get even the minimum recommended amount of activity.
So, how does this circle back around to the hard-to-buy-for adult on your gift list? Forget the digital photo frame, the e-reader, or the gift certificate for a restaurant. Skip the subscription to the flower, wine, coffee, or tea or any other “of the month club”.Rather than buying them another novelty item. Here is the opportunity to truly improve the life of your loved one.
Giving the gift of fitness to the adult-who-has-everything can be just the nudge they need to create a better quality of life for themselves.
The CDC says resistance training relieves joint pain from arthritis, builds bone density, improves balance, increases energy, helps with weight loss and blood sugar control, and even improves sleep. In fact, there are so many long-term benefits, that everyone should be doing it! ESPECIALLY the older we get.
If 2020 has taught us anything it is that our health truly is our wealth. And wellness is not just a lack of disease it is the ability to live with abandon, free from the limitations that come from poor health, lack of energy, limited mobility and strength. And while any movement is better than no movement, older adults will benefit most from specific programming that takes into account physical changes that come with age.
Fitness programming for older adults is not just about stringing together a series of exercises to improve basic strength. Particular attention must be given to joint integrity, mobility, power and reaction time, balance, and stability, to name a few, in order to target the body systems that are most affected by time. Only when these are all addressed will the time spent exercising lead to meaningful improvement in health.
By gifting a trial Active Aging or Functional Aging exercise program, you can give the older adult in your life a chance to ‘try on’ a fitness program and help them make better health a reality.
Can you think of a better gift??
Call for Black Friday Specials and then check your loved one’s name off your list!
