Prague 5: Exercise activities for seniors in the Community Center Laundry
“A large number of activities are aimed at active seniors. Considering that exercise and movement are perhaps even more important in advanced age than in advanced age, it offers seniors a large number of different sports and health activities, including the less traditional ones, says JUDr. Petr Lachnit, councilor of the Municipal Council of Prague 5.
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What physical activities can seniors from Prague 5 take part in at the Community Center Prádelna and how much do they pay?
For several years now, health gymnastics for seniors has been held twice a week in our community center under the guidance of a qualified lecturer Mgr. Marta Roubalová. This experienced trainer, herself also of senior age, prepares very attractive and appropriately structured movement bands for visitors accompanied by music. Her lessons are consistently popular and form an integral part of the regular program center.
In addition to medical gymnastics, table tennis regularly operates here, which records an ever-increasing number of interested parties, who annually test their strength in the traditional January SEnzation SEnior table tennis tournament. This year was already the eighth year, and I must state that the performances of the players are sometimes admirable.
Tai-chi lessons and regular yoga classes have been taking place for the fourth year. Tai-chi and yoga were the first “non-traditional” physical activities that we offered to seniors, and their response confirmed the interest of seniors in less common exercises as well. Therefore, since last year, we have added stabilization exercise lessons with elements of yoga, which now take place regularly for four groups a week. “Exercise with Lucka” has become popular, offering seniors dynamic exercise and strengthening under the guidance of experienced instructors.
I mustn’t forget the Marietta dance company, whose training sessions also include warm-up and stretching for the public, and regular oriental dance workshops for joy, relaxation and health, which are intended for all age groups, are of interest. So there is really enough, but I still feel that the demand exceeds the capacity of our premises.
All mentioned activities are completely free for seniors.
What is the benefit of the above-mentioned stabilization exercises, tai-chi or yoga for seniors?
In today’s hectic and hurried times, these exercises help not only seniors to slow down, stretch the body and calm the soul, but also to maintain life. When practicing them, he pays great attention not only to his body, but also to his mind, taking care of their strength, flexibility and use.
Yoga and these related exercises are thus an ideal way to improve not only your physical health, but also to tune your mind to psychological well-being. Balance during exercise plays a very important role. If we can control it, we will strengthen our muscles very effectively, gain better control over our body and calm our mind at the same time. When maintaining balance, it helps us to maintain the correct position of the body, focus on movement, but also the abdominal muscles, which help keep the torso in the correct position and are therefore also key in maintaining balance. If you strengthen the muscles and the body, you will also improve coordination, which will always have a positive effect on the correct posture of the body, as well as its functionality. This exercise can thus be recommended as part of the prevention of back pain.
Why is exercise, sports and physical activity in general so important in the elderly?
Old age is currently burdened with a high level of disease, the issue of chronic diseases, deterioration of physical fitness and self-sufficiency dominates here. This is demonstrably preceded by regular exercise and movement, as I already mentioned. Exercise helps seniors reduce illness and allows them to stay active for a long time. At the same time, it also improves the ability to learn, especially short-term memory and has an effect on quality sleep. It is clear that it is no longer appropriate to exercise at a more mature age, and it is necessary that it be the most gentle and effective physical activity at the same time.
Seniors most often suffer from back and joint pain, high blood pressure, poor sleep and depression. But these are all difficulties that are largely caused by our way of life and lack of exercise. Appropriate physical exercise and proper breathing practice can largely alleviate or even eliminate these difficulties. Today’s research speaks clearly. Movement in old age is not just prevention, it is a necessary necessity, not only for physical, but especially for mental health, which is an important factor in the overall satisfaction of seniors. According to surveys, compared to their peers from other countries, Czech seniors show worse mental well-being, they also have reserves in playing sports and maintaining social contacts. Therefore, it should be a society-wide effort to include appropriate movement that respects health limitations in the daily life of seniors.
In the list of positive benefits of movement, we must not forget the social aspect, when seniors find new friends in the lessons, with whom they share and possibly develop other interests. I always see this overlap when I visit our Laundry Community Center, where there is a truly natural community in which people feel comfortable.
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author: PV