As we move into the warmer summer months, this is the perfect time of year to get motivated to increase your physical health through exercise. There are so many options that don’t require going to a gym or formal fitness class. You can exercise from the comfort of home, your backyard, or a park! Better yet, there should be some friends or family who may be able to join you for a summer activity that helps you both make progress toward your health goals.

Keep reading for our advice for the best summer exercises for seniors. We hope this offers you inspiration to get moving while the weather is most enjoyable!

Walking

Walking is a “lifetime” exercise that people can enjoy at every age and ability level. You don’t have to walk far or fast to reap the benefits of this exercise. In the summer months, getting out for a walk is easier and more convenient than ever. You can walk around your home, neighborhood, at a local park, or somewhere completely new. And walking is a great activity to enjoy with friends!

Yoga and Meditation

We can all benefit from adding more yoga and meditation into our lives. This not only enhances our physical health but our mental and emotional health as well. Yoga and meditation practice reduces stress, blood pressure, and increases mental clarity. Best of all, these exercises can truly be done anywhere, especially meditation! You can practice yoga and meditation on your own and guide your body through whatever feels good for you. Alternately, there are many free resources for guided yoga and meditation that are available online or from local community centers.

Light Weight Training

Moderate weight training is healthy as we age. This helps to keep bones and muscles strong which can help prevent future injury. If your body is trained properly to lift a heavy item, go up stairs, or perform usual housework, you are less likely to get sore or injured when you perform these tasks as part of daily life. Best of all, you don’t need to own traditional weights to enjoy some weight training activities. Water bottles, cans of soup, or any other easy-to-grip 2 to 5 pound item in your home work great as makeshift weights!

Dancing

Our bodies are made to move and dancing is simply moving our bodies to music. Turn on whatever tunes you enjoy and simply move your body for 20 minutes or so every day. You can do this from the comfort of home, in your backyard, or bring a stereo to a park and invite some friends to join you. There are also many free dance classes, of all styles, available online that you can search and view.

Water Aerobics

If you have access to a pool, water aerobics are an excellent activity, particularly for aging adults. This exercise is easy on the joints because the water offers support for your body weight. There are many water aerobics classes offered through local gyms and at community pools. With the guidance of a professional instructor, you can safely enjoy this style of exercise which can adjust to your age and ability throughout life.

Active Stretching

Even if you choose another type of exercise to do regularly, be sure to incorporate active stretching into your routines. This is gentle movement that aims to stretch your muscles to increase flexibility and prevent injury. Unlike static stretches which can cause you more pain, active stretching involves gentle movement which helps to keep muscles limber and encourages healthy growth. You can stretch truly anywhere and without any equipment needed! Simply set a timer and make it a point to stretch for at least 10 minutes each day!

And most importantly…consistency!

This final point is an important one. No matter how you choose to move your body this summer to stay active, be sure you do so safely and consistently. Consider your level of health and lifestyle at this moment and select a level of exercise that is right for you. Engaging a friend or family member to exercise with you will also help to keep you consistent and accountable for your workouts.

Could you or someone you know benefit from an intentional and structured exercise routine this summer? It doesn’t have to be intimidating to get started! The most important thing to focus on is to simply move your body and listen to how it responds. Consider these exercise recommendations to motivate you to get moving while the weather is nice.

Retired seniors enter a beautiful new chapter of life where you no longer have to build plans around a work schedule, growing a family, or any of the other obligations that take a front seat in our lives in the early years. For many of us, these “golden years” aren’t a complete free-for-all either. We have to be mindful about adjusting to life on a fixed income and making decisions that will maximize our finances so they last throughout the rest of our lives.

Though many retired individuals need to stick to a budget, it doesn’t mean you still can’t live well if you can learn to focus on the right things! Keep reading for advice to help anyone living on a budget to maximize their spending in the right places to bring the greatest joy. Before we dig into the tips, please remember to consult with a trusted financial professional before making any changes to your financial plan or family budget.

Have a plan.

Every smart budget begins with a plan. This isn’t just a plan for what you can spend, but it’s how you want to spend it and where it will have the most impact. Of course, there are the basic needs which must be accounted for, then there are the wants and nice-to-haves. As a retired senior on a fixed income, you must plan to first take care of those basic needs. Then, you can map out how much is left over to spend on things and experiences which are not essential but enjoyed. When you put a plan on paper, and begin running the numbers, you will have a better idea of what you monthly allowance should be and where it should go. As with most things in life, it is best to start with a plan!

Communicate your wants and expectations.

Yes, you want and need to have a comfortable place to live, food on the table, and clothes on your back, but beyond meeting your basic needs, it’s reasonable to expect that you will have wants and expectations for your quality of life while in retirement. Living life on a budget doesn’t mean trimming off every little extra you might enjoy. Rather, it’s planning carefully and intentionally so you can enjoy those little extras. If someone else is involved in your finances or helping you to manage your spending, it’s important to have an open conversation with them about your wants and expectations for how you wish to live. This may mean dedicating a portion of your budget to travel, gifts for loved ones, or enjoying dinner out. It doesn’t take a lot of money to still live well and enjoy various experiences. If you plan ahead and communicate your expectations, you’ll be able to manage expectations and enjoy a greater quality of life.

Focus on no-cost and low-cost entertainment.

There are so many things in this world to enjoy that do not require a lot of money or any money at all. A walk in the park, a picnic, attending a free community event, or visiting with a friend are all activities that are readily available and very budget-friendly. Best of all, these are rich experiences that focus on the memories you’ll create rather than receiving something material or fleeting. Even if your retirement budget is very modest, you should feel encouraged to know that most communities enjoy supporting their retired residents through low-cost and no-cost activities that take place year-round. Check with your local YMCAs, senior centers, libraries, even schools for opportunities to get involved and meet new people.

Spend where it matters.

However you choose to allocate your budget for living expenses, be sure to consider where it will have the greatest impact. Are there areas where you can find cost-savings or reduce expenses so that you can spend a little bit more where you’ll enjoy it? Things like utility costs, car repairs, healthcare costs, and more are usually things you can shop around for and reduce the cost of with a little bit of research. You may even find a better-quality alternative! Then when you save on these things, you can reinvest that portion of your budget into enjoying an evening out with dinner and a movie, purchasing new patio furniture or a recliner that you can enjoy every day. By focusing your spending on high-impact items and experiences, you’ll enjoy a greater quality of life while sticking to your budget.

Leave room for surprises.

Surprises can be both good and bad when it comes to finances. Sometimes you’ll find cost-savings and sometimes something will crop up that will cost you money outside of what you had budgeted. A home or car repair is one such example. When setting your budget in retirement, be sure to account for both little and big “surprises” which can throw off your budget during any given month. Create a “slush” fund and only dip into it when it’s needed. If several months go by where you don’t have to use this fund, you may be able to pull some money from it to buy a nice-to-have treat!

Keep a clear perspective.

And finally, keep a clear perspective as it relates to life on a budget. Whenever we’re given constraints, it’s easy to feel like we don’t have the freedom to do whatever it is we want to do. But in retirement, time is the real freedom! Sure, you may have to live within a reasonable budget to ensure you’re a responsible steward of your retirement fund, but there is so much you can enjoy living life on a budget. Keep a grateful heart for all of the non-monetary blessings you have in life, and with that in mind, the size of your living allowance will hardly be a concern.

As a retired senior, it can be challenging to navigate the new waters of balancing a fixed income while still enjoying the golden years to their fullest. By applying some of this advice to your own finances, we hope you can find both stability and freedom in living well on a budget. Remember, before making any changes to your finances or budget, it’s wise to speak to a trusted financial professional who can guide you in the right direction!

With the concern of COVID-19 still top priority, many people are uncertain of what travel looks like in the near future. As vacations and family gatherings continue to get postponed, it’s more relevant than ever to start thinking about how to make a “stay-cation” feel special this year. Afterall, we all need a little break! Especially for our senior population, who have been spending more time than ever at home and indoors, consider these easy and low-cost ideas for making a vacation at home feel special and memorable.

Define your destination.

Sure, you’re staying home, but you can still make that feel special by making it a true destination. Will your home become a cozy cottage in South Carolina? Or a mountain getaway in Colorado? If you’re by the lake or sea, even better! Get creative and have fun with mentally traveling to your stay-cation destination. Best of all, traffic and airport delays are completely avoided.

Breakaway from your normal routine.

Although you’re still at home, don’t let yourself fall back into a normal routine. Determine how long you want to spend on your stay-cation and mark it on your calendar. During these dates, switch up your routine with a new breakfast menu, wearing different types of clothes, and trying new activities you wouldn’t normally do during a standard day.

Pack a bag!

It may feel silly doing it, but packing a back for your stay-cation will help you feel like you’re headed somewhere special. Think about what you want to wear each day based on what you plan to do. Pick special clothes you wouldn’t normally wear – and don’t forget the accessories! If you have more than one bedroom in your home, consider moving into it for your stay-cation just like you would a hotel room or vacation rental. The slightly different change in scenery will make things feel different and special.

Have a special activity lined up for each day.

Make every day unique with at least one activity that structures the day. Try being a tourist in your own town. If someone was new to the area, what attractions would they want to see in a week? Try out a new restaurant, visit a scenic spot, or stroll down main street with the new point of view of a tourist. You’ll be amazed by how places you’ve driven by countless times before take on a whole new look!

Plan theme dinners.

When you return home from the day’s activities, make the evening a special celebration with themed dinner menus that make each day stand out. Try food from different cultures, order take-out from an authentic Indian or Thai cuisine, or make it interactive with an online cooking class. Be sure to theme your attire and table setting to make it even more fun and unique!

Make family and friends a part of the experience.

Vacations are always more fun with others! Consider hosting family or friends for a day or two on your stay-cation. You’ll be able to see your home and community through their eyes. You could also meet them for lunch or dinner and enjoy a meal together. With family and friends visiting you throughout your stay-cation, you’ll have something to look forward to each day and memories you can look back on.

If you’re looking for ways to make your home feel more like a destination vacation, we hope these ideas have offered you some inspiration. With staying home remaining the safest option to avoid exposure to COVID-19 and other illnesses, a stay-cation can afford you a nice break from your routine without risking your health.