Senior Fitness                   

                                                                                                                 

                                                                                        Bear-ly hanging on lately?

Introduction / Need / Purpose

 

Baby boomers have had an incredible influence on America’s society as they have moved through the decades.  They strained hospitals’ capacities when they were born, overwhelmed the school systems as they moved through the grades, and swelled the ranks of businesses as they moved into their careers.  Now, with middle age well underway for many and senior citizenship right around the corner, many of these boomers are beginning to feel the toll that years exact.  They are aging.

The parts are beginning to show some wear and tear.  Things aren’t as easy as they once were.  The Jeopardy answers don’t spring quite as quickly to mind.  And sometimes, for no apparent reason, life doesn’t seem to be as much fun as it once was.

But baby boomers have changed life as they have moved through the decades.  They have repeatedly and continuously refused to accept the status quo for themselves.  They have pushed the boundaries and scaled the heights.  Now, faced with the accumulation of those decades, they are not about to hit the rocking chairs and “go gentle into that good night.”  They are searching for the fountain of youth and if they can’t find that, they will at least fight the encroachment and limitations of age with all the tools they can muster.

This collection is aimed at senior citizen fitness: physical, mental, and emotional.  These resources will provide the tools needed to fight the battle on all fronts.  Whether it’s love handles, forgetting why you came into the room, or being downright depressed, there’s sure to be something in this collection to help anyone who is taking up the good fight.

 

Why audiovisual materials?

 

Audiovisual materials are particularly well-suited for this group.  Like it or not, the eyesight isn’t what it used to be.  Slick magazine pages now reflect the light and make the words blur.  Thick books weigh heavily on arthritic fingers.  And, especially with fitness workouts, a picture is worth a thousand words.  With self-help it is sometimes better if the advice is heard, as coming from a friend. 

 

Selection Criteria

 

Selection of these resources was not random, but based on specific criteria.  Each resource had to: 1) target older or less fit adults, 2) be favorably reviewed, 3) present fitness in a positive light,  and 4) present the message in the most effective format.   

 

                                                                       

 

DVD and Video

 

Richard Simmons and the Silver Foxes: Fitness for Senior Citizens.  Richard Simmons.  Warner Home Video/1986.  $9.98/VHS (Barnes & Noble).

            Includes basic low-stress, low-impact exercises.  Features celebrity parents doing the exercises, Simmons’ contagious enthusiasm, and swing music.  Reviewed by All Movie Guide and Amazon Customer Review.

 

T’ai Chi for Older Adults.  Dr. Paul Lam.  Wellspring Media/1998.  $20.99/VHS (Barnes & Noble).

            T'ai Chi sounds intimidating, but this video is designed for seniors who want to improve flexibility and strength.  Instructions are given slowly, movements are easy to learn and practice.  Includes explanation of T'ai Chi, warm-up, regular and progressive exercises, and relaxation breathing.  Suitable for people with arthritis.  Reviewed by All Movie Guide and Amazon Customer Review.

 

Dixie Carter’s Unworkout.  Dixie Carter.  MCA Home Video/1992.  $13.99/VHS (Barnes & Noble).

            Great for beginners.  Carter doesn’t claim to be an athlete, so this video is not intimidating to those just starting a fitness program.  Includes yoga, stretching, dance, and breathing.  Uses relaxed, spiritual approach to fitness.  Reviewed by All Movie Guide and Amazon Customer Review.

 

Dixie Carter’s Yoga for You:  Unworkout II.  Dixie Carter.  MCA Home Video/1994.  $13.99/VHS (Barnes & Noble).

            Appropriate for all fitness levels.  Includes 20-minute morning workout, 20-minute evening workout, and 10-minute relaxation segment. Carter’s southern charm and style are highly touted by reviewers as being a refreshing change from yoga gurus who take themselves too seriously.  Reviewed by All Movie Guide and Amazon Customer Review.

 

Leslie Sansone: 40-Plus Walk Aerobics.  Leslie Sansone.  Parade Video/1989.  $9.98/VHS (Barnes & Noble).

            Perfect for older adults just starting a fitness routine.  30 minutes: 5-minute warm-up, 20 minutes of individualizable aerobic activity, 5-minute cool down.  Improves general health, stress, stamina, and fat burning.  Reviewed by All Movie Guide and Amazon. 

 

The Alexander Technique: First Lesson.  Jane Kosminsky, Deborah Caplan, et. al.  Wellspring Media/$26.98/DVD, $24.98/VHS. (Borders).

            This method, popular with entertainers, concentrates on posture, based on the premise that changing your posture can change the way you move, breathe, and look.  The video features William Hurt.  Reviewers give the method top marks and cite its ability to reduce back pain.  Reviewed by Barnes & Noble and All Movie Guide.

 

Yoga Journal’s Yoga for Back Care.  Ted Landon. (Features Rodney Yee.)  Living Arts/2002.  $12.99/DVD, $13.99 VHS.  (Barnes & Noble).

            Yee demonstrates how to strengthen back muscles and restore spinal alignment.  The twists, poses, and stretches are designed to help with back pain and flexibility as well as teach relaxation.  Reviewed by Barnes & Noble and All Movie Guide.

 

The New York City Ballet Workout.  Richard Blanshard, Rebecca Metzger-Hirsch.  Palm Pictures Video/2000.  $15.98/DVD, $13.99/VHS (Barnes & Noble).

            This workout is not for the beginner nor the faint of heart.  Contains 50 stretches and strengthening exercises designed to “develop the grace and flexibility of a dancer.”; improve body tone, cardiovascular stamina, and posture.  May improve poise and body self-awareness as well.  Set to classical music.  Reviewed by Amazon and All Movie Guide.

   

Loretta LaRoche: The Joy of Stress.  Loretta LaRoche.  1997.  $15.98/DVD, $16.99 VHS (Barnes & Noble).

            LaRoche (adjunct faculty member of the Behavior Institute of Medicine, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School) is a nationally acclaimed expert on stress management.  Emphasis is on using humor to defuse stress and stressful situations.  Encourages looking for positives, since 75% of conversations are negative.  Reviewed by Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

 

 

Audiobooks

 

The Healthy Heart Walking Tape: Walking Workouts for a Lifetime of Fitness.  American Heart Association / Read by Rita Moreno.  Simon & Schuster/1986.  (Abridged, 1996).  $10.80/Tape.  (Barnes & Noble).

            Provides instruction, music, and motivation.  Includes 30-minute beginner’s walk, 30-minute intermediate’s walk, stretches, original music set to American Heart Association’s recommended paces, and illustrated booklet with diary.  Reviewed by Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

 

Body For Life: 12 Weeks to Mental and Physical Strength.  Bill Phillips and Michael D’Orso.  HarperCollins/2000.  $18.00/CD, $17.05/2 Cassettes/1999 (Barnes & Noble).

            This is an aggressive program which includes diet, aerobics, and weight training to attain the stated results.  It may be a bit much for seniors not used to a rigorous pace, but may be something to shoot for as they progress in their fitness program.  Reviewed by Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

 

The Wisdom of Menopause: Creating Physical and Emotional Health and Healing During the Change.  Christiane Northrup.  Hay House, Inc./1999 (Audio-Unabridged).  $11.65 (Barnes & Noble).

            Discusses how hormonal changes can disrupt emotional status-quo and affect a woman’s degree of satisfaction with her relationships.  (The premise is that suppressing these emotions can lead to physical disease, while expressing them can lead to relationship turmoil.)  Includes specific medical advice on sleep, breast health, diet, and empowerment.  Reviewed by Barnes & Noble and Publishers Weekly (cited by Amazon).

 

Slim Forever: For Women.  Bantam Doubleday Dell.  Bantam Books-Audio/1997.  $10.80 (Barnes & Noble).

            Contains relaxation techniques and affirmations on one side while these are repeated on side two beneath sounds of ocean waves and piano music.  Barnes & Noble Customer Review and Amazon Customer Review.

 

Taking Care of Yourself: Strategies for Eating Well, Staying Fit, and Living in Balance.  Andrew Weil.  Sounds True, Inc./2002.  $27.96/CD, $23.96 Cassette (Barnes & Noble).

            Weil blends modern medicine with natural or alternative healing.  Weil, a Harvard-trained doctor, has visited shamans in remote locations in his search for medical cures.  Covers all aspects of fitness from food preparation and vitamins through routines which will be enjoyable day after day.  Reviewed by Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

 

Make the Connection: Ten Steps to a Better Body and a Better Life. Oprah Winfrey and Bob Greene.  Random House, Inc./1996.  $16.20/2 Cassettes (Barnes & Noble).

            Combines diet and exercise tips.  Noted by Robin F. Whitten in AudioFile: “Audio is perfect for this program; in fact, it's hard to imagine it without Oprah's zestful voice and candid narrative.”  Reviewed by AudioFile and Amazon.

 

Relax—You May Only Have a Few Minutes Left: Using the Power of Humor to Overcome Stress in Your Life and Work.  Loretta LaRoche.  Villard Books/1998/Abridged/2 Cassettes.  $12.60 (Amazon).

            Following in the footsteps of Norman Cousins, LaRoche emphasizes the power of humor to heal and reduce the negative effects of stress.  Reviewed by  Amazon Customer Review, AudioFile and Library Journal.

 

Aches and Pains.  Maeve Binchy.  Read by Kate Binchy.  Audio Partners Publishing Corporation/2001.  $10.95 (Barnes & Noble).

            Best-selling novelist Maeve Binchy uses wit, wisdom, and humor to create a guide to hospital stays and at-home convalescence.  Reviewed by Audiobooks.com AudioFile and Amazon Customer Review.

 

Stay Fit and Healthy Until You’re Dead.  Dave Barry and Arte Johnson.  Read by Arte Johnson.  Audio Partners Publishing Corporation/1996/2 Cassettes.  $16.95 (Barnes & Noble).

            A lighthearted look at the world of fitness, workout regimens, and dieting as seen through the eyes of Pulitzer prize winning columnist Dave Barry.  Reviewed by Amazon Customer Review and Catalyst.

 

You’re Not Old Until You’re Ninety: Best to Be Prepared However.  Rebecca Latimer.  Electronic University Publishing/1998/3 Cassettes.  $19.95 (Barnes & Noble).

            Ms. Latimer is 93 years old—she knows what she’s talking about.  She draws on her own life experiences to create a guide to retain passion, excitement, and curiosity through every stage of life.  Reviewed by Audiobooks.com,  AudioFile and Ingram.

 

Life Is So Good.  George Dawson and Richard Glaubman.  Read by Levar Burton.  Audio Literature/2000/Abridged/4 Cassettes.  $25.00 (Barnes & Noble).

            The autobiography of George Dawson.  A grandson of slaves, Dawson decided at the age of 98 that he wanted to learn to read.  Shares wisdom on a variety of topics.  Reviewed by Library Journal, Publisher’s Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Christian Science Monitor, and USA Today.

 

Chicken Soup for the Golden Soul: Heartwarming Stories for People 60 and Over.  Jack Canfield, et.al.  Health Communications, Inc./2000.  $9.95/Cassette, $11.95 CD (Barnes & Noble).

            Shares life experiences of people 60 and older who have learned to embrace life.  Reviewed by AudioFile and Amazon Customer Review.

 

Grow Old Along With Me, The Best Is Yet To Be.  Sandra Haldeman Martz.  Read by Alfre Woodard and CCH Pounder.  Audio Literature/1996/Unabridged/2 Cassettes.  $17.95 (Amazon).

            Martz uses poems, stories, and pictures to create a view of how the aging fit in a changing society.  Reviewed by Midwest Book Review and Amazon Customer Review.

 

When I Am An Old Woman, I Shall Wear Purple.  Sandra Haldeman Martz.  Read by Ellyn Burstyn and CCH Pounder.  Audio Literature/1995/Unabridged/2 Cassettes.  $16.95 (Barnes & Noble).

            Martz uses writings and photographs to depict the life of aging women and to find the beauty and freedom that comes with the passing of years.  Reviewed by AudioFile and Amazon Customer Review.

 

 

Books

 

Strong Women and Men Beat Arthritis.  Miriam E. Nelson, et.al.  Perigree/2002/Hardcover.  $20.26 (Barnes & Noble).

            Dr. Nelson and co-workers at Duke University have a history of working with people to reduce the effects of aging.  Nelson's books tend to take a less "hardcore" approach to bodybuilding and diet, making them suitable for older people.  Reviewed by Barnes & Noble and Library Journal.  Additional books by Dr. Nelson include: 

 

Simplifying Life As a Senior Citizen: Hundreds of Tips to Make Everyday Living Easier.  Joan Cleveland.  Griffin Trade Paperback/1998.  $13.95 (Amazon).

            Lots of tips to help seniors save time, money, and frustration.  Reviewed by Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

 

Old Age Is Always Fifteen Years Older Than I Am.  Randy Voorhees.  Andrews McMeel Publishing/2001/Paperback.  $10.76 (Amazon).

            A wise and witty book about the way we view old age.  Reviewed by Amazon.

 

The Chronic Pain Solution: The Comprehensive, Step-By-Step Guide to Choosing the Best of Alternative and Conventional Medicine.  Dr. James N. Dillard and Leigh Ann Hirschman.  Bantam Doubleday Dell/Hardcover/2002.  $17.47 (Amazon).

             A cornucopia of ideas on how to prevent, treat, and minimize all types of chronic pain.  Includes evaluations/checklists and guides for tracking treatment.  This book's strength is in not getting locked into any one treatment, but offering a variety ranging from diet through alternative medicine and conventional medical treatments.  Reviewed by New York Times and Library Journal and Amazon.

 

Undoing Depression: What Therapy Doesn't Teach You and Medication Can't Give You.  Richard O'Connor.  Berkeley Publishing/Paperback/1999.  $11.20 (Amazon).

            O'Connor takes a holistic approach to treating depression, including exercises and skills to combat this disease.  Reviewed by Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

 

Bone Boosters: The Essential Guide To Building Strong Bones.  Harris H. McIlwain, et.al.  Kensington/Paperback/1998.  $5.99 (Amazon).

            Written by rheumatologist and gerontologist.  Tells how to stop/prevent osteoporosis, foods to eat, calcium robbers.  Reviewed by Amazon Customer Review and Ingram.

 

Maximize Your Vitality and Potency: For Men Over 40.  Jonathan V. Wright and Lane Lenard.  Smart Publications/Paperback/1999.  $10.47 (Amazon)

            Provides overview of causes and treatments for impotency.  Natural treatments, including natural testosterone, are emphasized.  Reviewed by Amazon and Library Journal.

 

Change Your Brain, Change Your Life: The Breakthrough Program for Conquering Anxiety, Depression, Obsessiveness, Anger, and Impulsiveness.  Daniel G. Amen.  Times Books/Paperback/2000.  $10.50 (Amazon).

            Written by a psychiatrist and neuroscientist who has also written a book on attention deficit disorder.  Advocates natural remedies such as deep breathing and meditation as well as dietary modifications.  Reviewed by Amazon and Amazon Customer Review.

 

Learned Optimism: How To Change Your Mind and Your Life.  Martin Seligman.  Pocket Books/Paperback/1998(reissue).  $11.20 (Amazon).

            Seligman is a renowned psychologist and clinical researcher who has been studying the dynamics of happiness for decades.  Includes extended discussion of factors contributing to happiness, tests, and skills-building activities.  Reviewed by Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

 

 

Movies Featuring Seniors

 

It can be a real challenge finding movies that feature people of a certain age.  All that viewing of firm, young, athletic bodies can be tiring (and depressing) to those for whom those years are a distant memory.  It's good to have role models at any age.

Here, in no particular order are a few movies featuring (or starring!) people of a certain age.  Reviews of all movies are available at All Movie Guide.

 

Space cowboys                         Steel magnolias                                   Fried green tomatoes  

Grumpy old men                        Grumpier old men                                 Oh, God  

Out to Sea                                  The Sunshine Boys                               Bill Cosby, Himself 

Waking Ned Devine                  As Good As It Gets                               Murphy’s Romance

Finding Forrester                       The Rock                                                Blood Work

True Crime                                  Absolute Power                                     Road to Perdition

Where the Money Is                    Message In a Bottle                              Guarding Tess

Nobody’s Fool                             Cocoon                                                  Driving Miss Daisy

 

 

  Websites

 

The following websites are devoted to the concerns and interests of older people.  Many provide links to other sites containing information about more specific areas of interest.  And yes, there are MANY humor links!

  Senior Cyborgs.  http://www.online96.com/seniors/fun.html

            Provides information about legal matters, health and fitness, politics, fun and leisure, consumer and finance…well, the list goes on an on.  An excellent starting point with many links to other good sites.

   

seniors-site.  http://seniors-site.com

            Provides information about many varied concerns of senior citizens.  Humor page included with several humor links.

 

Senior Journal.  http://www.seniorjournal.com/

            Another good site that offers a cornucopia of information of interest to senior citizens.

 

Appendix / Promotion

Created by:  Cheryl Holtsclaw 3/19/03

choltsclaw@comcast.net