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Liu Qianli was an enthusiastic middle school teacher, and after retirement, she did not choose to spend the rest of her life quietly, but was active in various activities of the elderly. Whenever the sun is shining, she will come to the park early, play Tai Chi with a group of like-minded friends, chat, and enjoy the comfortable time of her old age.
However, one unusual afternoon, while she was immersed in a relaxing walk, she suddenly felt a wave of vertigo and fell headlong among the flowers. Luckily, others in the park quickly spotted her abnormality and immediately called an ambulance to rush her to the nearest hospital.
After some first aid and observation, Liu Qianli slowly woke up the next day. When she opened her eyes, she saw Dr. Dong standing next to the hospital bed. Dr. Dong is an experienced geriatrician who is well versed in the various health issues of the elderly.
Dr. Dong began to ask Liu Qianli about her current situation and daily habits, and Liu Qianli told the doctor the details of her life: although she has retired, she still maintains a high-intensity exercise habit, not only walking every day, but also insisting on doing some strength training, and even occasionally trying some difficult yoga movements.
After listening to Liu Qianli's description, Dr. Dong frowned deeply and told her that while exercise has great health benefits, it is important for older people to choose the appropriate intensity and type of exercise.
He solemnly reminded Liu Qianli that as she gets older, all body functions will decline, and her bones and joints are not as strong as when she was younger.
Dr. Dong suggests that for seniors like Liu Qianli, it is best to choose some light activities, such as sitting around a table and playing mahjong every day, which can not only exercise the brain, keep the mind active, but also avoid overexertion.
He explained that strategic thinking and interaction in mahjong games are very beneficial to improve the mental health of the elderly, and at the same time, this form of sitting activity does not put too much burden on the body.
Dr. Dong also recommended other exercises for seniors, such as jogging, swimming or tai chi, which can help maintain flexibility and balance without putting too much strain on the body. He particularly emphasized that Liu Qianli should do a proper warm-up before participating in any sports and avoid directly engaging in high-intensity activities.
After listening to this, Liu Qianli was very grateful for Dr. Dong's advice, and she realized that she had indeed ignored the physical changes brought about by age. Under the guidance of her doctor, she decided to adjust her lifestyle and focus more on her long-term health.
Since then, Liu Qianli has begun to arrange her exercise plan more scientifically, no longer blindly pursuing high-intensity training, but choosing a more suitable way for herself to maintain vitality and health.
When discussing lifestyles that are suitable for older adults, there is often a misconception that older people should continue to engage in high-intensity or challenging physical activity to stay healthy. However, moderate leisure activities, such as daily mahjong, are not only effective in maintaining cognitive function and social connection in older adults, but also reduce the risk of physical injury.
From a cognitive standpoint, mahjong is an excellent cognitive maintenance activity. Mahjong is not just a pastime, it requires memory, strategy, calculation and quick thinking, all of which can effectively stimulate the brain.
Older adults who regularly participate in table games such as mahjong tend to perform better than those who do not participate in such activities in terms of memory, attention and information processing speed. This stimulation can help delay the deterioration of cognitive function and even fight dementia.
The sociability of mahjong is also a very critical factor, old age is a special stage of life, and many older people may face problems with loneliness and reduced social activities. Regular mahjong games allow participants to maintain regular interactions with friends and family, and this social activity is essential for maintaining mental health.
When it comes to physical health, although mahjong is a seated activity, it has the benefit of reducing the physical injuries that older adults may suffer when doing high-intensity exercise. Problems such as osteoporosis, arthritis, and muscle weakness may be exacerbated by intense physical activity in older adults. Light activities such as mahjong can avoid these risks while keeping the body active and flexible.
Mahjong also has certain benefits for the elderly to maintain fine motor skills, in the process of playing mahjong, drawing cards, cards and other actions can train the flexibility and coordination of the hand, which has a positive effect on delaying hand joint stiffness and muscle degeneration. While these movements may seem simple, they are great daily exercises for older adults.
Let's look at the benefits of mahjong from the perspective of mental health, the elderly can easily feel that their lives lack purpose and meaning after retirement, which directly affects their mental health.
Through regular mahjong games, the elderly can feel a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction, and these positive emotional experiences are important factors in preventing psychological aging. In addition, the competitive and cooperative elements in mahjong games can stimulate the fighting spirit and sense of participation of the elderly, which are important factors in maintaining mental vitality.
As an activity suitable for the elderly, mahjong has advantages that go far beyond simple entertainment. It plays an irreplaceable role in maintaining cognitive function, maintaining social connections, reducing physical injuries, training fine motor skills, and maintaining mental health. Therefore, we recommend that older adults participate in social activities such as mahjong rather than high-intensity activities as a way to promote healthy aging.
When discussing the healthy life of the elderly, in addition to paying attention to avoiding certain physical activities that are too strenuous to do, more attention should be paid to strengthening those activities that can promote mental and physical health. Here's a little-talked about but meaningful perspective: enhancing the physical and mental health of older adults through music and dance activities.
Music can not only provide spiritual comfort, but also concretely improve the cognitive function and emotional state of the elderly, who listen to music regularly or participate in music activities, their memory, attention and executive function tend to improve significantly.
Dance, as an activity that combines music and movement, is an excellent all-round exercise for the elderly. Dancing regularly not only strengthens the body's coordination and balance, prevents falls and injuries, but also greatly improves cardiorespiratory fitness.
It's a light-hearted, enjoyable and effective approach, especially for older people who are looking for low-risk, high-reward healthy activities. Therefore, it is recommended that seniors participate in more such activities, which will not only enrich their retirement life, but also help them stay healthy, active, and happy in their later years.
(All names have been changed)
What do you think about what the elderly should do less? Welcome to discuss in the comment area!
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[1] Yu Sujun. Study on the Effect of Exercise Frequency on the Cognitive Function of Elderly Aged 60 and Above in the Community, Modern Preventive Medicine, 2024-03-10