safe is your exercise program towards healthy aging

It’s a fact that we are all living longer and that means finding ways to maintain our health, mobility and independence is essential. One key area to promoting healthy aging is participating in an exercise program. safe – senior adult fitness exercises – has been specifically designed for you.

Developed by the Geriatric Division of Medicine at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC), safe is a series of exercise videos with one goal – to improve your quality of life. The prevention of falls, as well as overcoming the fear of falling, is a big part of that. safe will help make you feel stronger and more confident.

Click on the video to the right featuring Dr. José A. Morais, Director, Division of Geriatric Medicine to learn more about safe.

How it works

Before you start, be sure to click on the safe recommendations section. These important tips will help prepare you for your exercise session.

A
Go to Start Exercising to access the videos.
B
Always begin each session with the warm up section. This prepares your body for the exercises.
C
Start with Level 1 in each of the sections. Go at your own pace. You can always press the pause button when you need to rest.
D
Repeat the Level l series until you feel completely comfortable and then move on to Level 2. Proceed in this way until you reach Level 4.

read safe recommendations

Exercise types

Every safe level is comprised of 5 videos, each one targeting a specific component of exercise. Together, they form a well-balanced program designed to maintain and increase your overall fitness.

Warm up

There are so many benefits to a warm up. It gently loosens your joints, activates the muscles, and increases your heart rate and circulation. All of these combined effects help to prevent injury so you can exercise safely.

Strength

Growing older is not a choice, but you can decide to grow stronger. Strength is a cornerstone to building muscle… and building confidence. Getting up from your chair, walking more steadily and daily activities will be easier once you strengthen your ankles, knees and hips.

Balance

Many things contribute to diminished balance such as inactivity, impaired vision and weakened bones. Balance-focused exercises help improve coordination and stability and foster an increased sense of resilience and control. This can lessen your fear of falling.

Flexibility

Improving your flexibility will help relieve joint stiffness as well as increase your range of motion. You’ll find that performing tasks such as dressing, reaching or bending won’t be as uncomfortable and painful. safe’s low-impact flexibility exercises aim to enhance your general mobility.

Endurance

No matter your age, cardiovascular health remains very important. Getting your heart rate up even slightly makes your lungs and heart function more efficiently. And, with boosted stamina, you’ll be able to do the things you like longer. This can positively impact your mood, autonomy and longevity.

It’s never too late to start exercising. As a precaution, ensure there’s a family member or caregiver by your side when you first try safe. The best part is you can do safe at home, during the day or evening and at your own pace! When done regularly, the physical and psychological effects of the program can be just what the doctor ordered.

Why safe is the right program for you?

safe is an accessible and easy-to-use resource to help seniors maintain optimal health, independence and safety

It is all-inclusive approach that prioritizes the four essential pillars of exercise for seniors

It is based on years of clinical expertise, research and hands-on patient care by the healthcare professionals at the MUHC Division of Geriatric Medicine

Do you experience:

An acute fear of falling that keeps you inactive
Pain or discomfort when moving or performing tasks
A loss of motivation to participate in any physical activity
Slower or uncoordinated movements
Decreased appetite or dehydration
Stress or agitation about getting around without assistance
Thoughts that you are not capable or don’t need exercise
Feelings of isolation and loneliness

Do you want help to:

Overcome your fear and reduce your risk of falling
Lessen back or joint pain associated with osteoarthritis or osteoporosis
Increase your appetite and enjoy meals more
Increase your strength and stamina
Enhance your overall mood and attain a more positive mindset
Feel stimulated and improve mental focus
Improve your posture
Get stronger and more fit

make the move

Helpful resources

Click below to discover a host of practical and informative articles about healthy aging and exercise. Makes for interesting reading on your rest days.

learn more

Benefits of exercising

One can never underestimate the critical role physical activity plays in achieving a state of healthy aging. It’s a simple matter of embracing the principle of living better. Even at an advanced age, there are very viable opportunities to introduce preventive medicine measures and educate people to adopt healthy and active life choices that champion autonomy, a heightened quality of life and the prevention of many of the harmful effects of aging.

—Guy Hajj-Boutros, McGill University

Regardless of age, exercise has a multitude of physical and psychological benefits. Physical activity improves gait disturbance, lower body strength and balance, all contributing factors to helping avoid falls. Furthermore, there is a direct link with how physical activity affects brain activity. Among the widespread benefits, it has been shown to improve concentration, enhance sleep quality and decrease symptoms of depression.

—Andréa Faust, McGill University