How Libraries Help Seniors Stay Fit

Finding free age-appropriate workout classes has never been easier than visiting your public library.

This August 21st is National Senior Citizens Day, so many people and public institutions are taking time to examine what they’re doing to accommodate older adults. Senior citizens have health needs just like anyone else, and it’s just as important, if not more important, to meet those needs. One of the most important needs, of course, is a regular fitness routine to stay in shape. However, the typical gym routine we think of isn’t exactly well-suited to seniors, which is why libraries are stepping in to help. Let’s take a look at how.

Take action today to support libraries!

Hosting Workout Programs

Libraries across the nation are helping seniors stay in shape by hosting workout programs specifically suited to their needs. High-impact workouts aren’t usually ideal for seniors since heavy weightlifting and intense resistance exercises can be unsafe and more likely to cause injury.

Because of this, libraries hosting exercise programs have developed special low-impact workout regimens that seniors can engage in safely. These exercises may include yoga, basic stretches, and light cardio-like walking, all of which help seniors stay in shape and strengthen their resistance to injury.

Libraries Are a Safe Space

Many seniors, especially those with mobility challenges, feel self-conscious when exercising in a more conventional setting. Library-hosted exercise programs for seniors aim to combat this, creating a welcoming, nonjudgmental environment that focuses on giving seniors the opportunity to stay fit in a dignified, comfortable way.

Sign the pledge to vote for libraries!

Libraries Are Easily Accessible

For many seniors, one of the greatest challenges in finding the perfect exercise program is accessibility. As people age, they begin to lose mobility, so making a long commute to their favorite gym or going out for a run may just not be feasible. Libraries, however, are always nearby, so finding a way there will be simple, even for people with mobility issues. 

The fact that these exercises are so much more accessible than the alternatives makes seniors that much more likely to engage. Many would love to stay in shape but are prohibited by distance, so simple, accessible programs like these are just the thing they need to keep fit.

Libraries aim not just to provide books to the public but to improve and enrich the lives of their communities. Naturally, these senior exercise programs are part of this, but they’re just one of many other programs that local libraries run for the community’s sake. If you’d like to learn more about these programs or how you can help them continue, feel free to visit us at EveryLibrary today!

Visit www.everylibrary.org to learn more about our work on behalf of libraries. 

#librarymarketers: Enjoy this story? Want to use it for your library newsletter, blog, or social media? This article is published under Creative Commons License Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International and is free to edit and use with attribution. Please cite EveryLibrary on medium.com/everylibrary.

This work by EveryLibrary is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0