Page 8 - Healthcare News Senior Planning Guide 2022

Fitness
Continued from page 16
activity can influence many of the changes in muscle during aging, and thus should be emphasized as part of a lifestyle essential to healthy aging.”
Now that you know why you should be strength training, let’s talk about what and how much you need in order to make a difference.
Getting Started
In the 14 years that I’ve been a strength and conditioning coach, I’ve worked with people from all walks of life and ages spanning from 8 to 98. Many of these individuals, especially those who have come to me in their 50s, 60s, and 70s, had never exercised a day in their life.
Medication
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provide advice or change the medication or dosage to minimize issues. You can also talk to your pharmacist with questions and concerns about side effects.
8. Learn how to read the labels. The label on the outside of
your prescription contains valuable information about interactions, dosage, who prescribed it to you, and how long it is good for. This is a valuable tool, especially if you take multiple medications prescribed by different healthcare providers. The label typically includes eight parts:
• Pharmacy information, including the address and phone number; • Your information;
• The prescribing physician’s information, including contact
information;
• Drug name and strength;
• Instructions for how, when, and how often you should take it; • Prescription information, including the date your medication
was prescribed, the date it was filled, the number of doses provided, how many times your prescription may be refilled, and when your medication expires;
• The name of the manufacturer of your medication; and
• Finally, a federal caution statement which could include warnings about consuming alcohol or driving while using the medication.
9. Plan ahead for refills. Make sure you order refills well in advance to avoid missed doses. Some pharmacies now offer medication-management programs allowing for routine refilling of your prescriptions and will notify you when your refill is ready. n
Kara James, PharmD, is president and co-owner of Louis & Clark Pharmacy. She attained her doctor of pharmacy degree in 2012 from Albany College of Pharmacy and has been with Louis & Clark ever since. She is certified in pharmacy-based immunization delivery from the American Pharmacists Assoc. To learn more about Louis & Clark’s services, which include free delivery, visit medibubble.com.
“Remarkably,
physical activ-
ity and exer-
cise are well-
established
countermea-
sures against
muscle aging
and have been shown to atten- uate age-related decreases in muscle mass, strength, and regenerative capacity, and slow or prevent impairments in mus- cle metabolism.”
Once you’ve done that, the next best step is to hire a coach to guide you along your journey. A good personal trainer or strength and conditioning coach will meet you where you are and ensure that you start safely and progress slowly at the pace appropriate for you. It’s best to listen to your body and remember that this is a journey, and no single exercise or workout is going to get you to your goals. Anybody can make you tired, but a good coach will make you better over time. It’s a cumulative process that involves finding the best routine for you and consistently showing up to reach your goal.
Everybody is different. What’s right for you might not be the best for someone else. This is key to understand when you’re starting out, and
Before starting any fitness routine,
it’s imperative to speak with your
doctor to discuss any underlying
conditions that might cause a problem or put you at risk for injury.
it’s important to remember even when you’ve been working out for a long time. Our bodies
Fitness
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SENIOR PLANNING GUIDE
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