A new online community is aimed at exclusively at adults 60 years and older and helping them find ways to stay active, physically and mentally.
Although it was launched earlier this year, before the coronavirus outbreak really took hold in the United States, many of the resources available on Vitality Society are especially relevant now.
Vitality Society was founded by Meredith Oppenheim, who has a history of working as a “senior housing specialist.”
She said the goal was to build a space where people can come together — from afar.
"We offer this community that helps I think, restore people's sanity in many ways that they feel that they're connected to something much larger than within the four walls of their home and beyond the typical circle of their friends and family," Oppenheim, Vitality Society founder and CEO, told WBOY-TV.
While it can be hard to make connections amid shelter-in-place orders, the online community was well poised to offer people a place to gather.
The website offers everything from yoga to dance classes. They have also hosted virtual sessions on creative ways to connect with grandchildren amid the coronavirus outbreak and digital lunch and learns.
If you’re looking for ways to stay active while staying in doors, here are ways to stay active inside:
Online yoga:
Yoga can be not only good for your physical health, but can improve general wellness by relieving stress and improving emotional health, sleep and balance, the National Institute of Health notes. It can also relieve low-back and neck pain and help manage anxiety and depressive symptoms.
You don't have to pay big bucks or leave your home to do yoga. Just put on something comfortable and pull up YouTube. Some popular channels include Yoga With Adrienne, Yoga By Candace and Body Positive Yoga.
Try tidying up:
Cleaning your house can be a win-win. Lifting laundry, going up and down stairs, being on your feet can all add up to a good amount of physical activity. Then, having a clean space can help with your mental health as well.
"Cleaning your house can incorporate a variety of muscle groups without you even realizing it," personal trainer Rich Gaspari told Everyday Health.
Simple exercises:
You don't need expensive exercise equipment or access to a gym to do simple exercises like planks, wall sits or squats. There are a variety of routines you can find online and on YouTube.
Dance it out:
Put on some tunes and have a living room dance party. It’s also a good way to keep kids active, if they are home from school and stuck inside.
"Dance is an effective form of exercise and can burn just as many calories as swimming, walking, or bike riding. The amount of calories you will burn depends on the intensity of the dance, the length of dance, how much effort you put in, and how much you weigh," active.com notes.
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