50+ Lifestyles

Benefits of Staying Active

By Mary Huebbe
Marketing Director
Ridgecrest Village

The Geese are flying back to town. Our skies are filling with the sound of song.  Flowers are springing up everywhere and the sweet smells of lilacs and peonies are around every corner.  This is my favorite time of the year.

What isn’t to love about spring and summer? Who doesn’t enjoy this time of the year?  At one time I thought the answer to those questions would be no one, but I’ve learned differently.  With spring comes pollen, which many people are allergic to. Then there is the growing grass that needs to be cut and the flowerbeds that need to be weeded. This time of the year is a lot more work; in my younger years, I didn’t even notice it.  I could stay outside all day long working in the
garden enjoying the heat.

This year I turned 50, and what a change I have noticed.  I still love the smells, sounds, and pretty flowers, but the heat definitely gets to me more than it ever did before. Once I’ve been out working in it for a while, I start getting tired.  By the time I’m done, all I want to do is go lay down somewhere.  My husband will suggest going for a walk (like we used to do) and my usual answer is “Maybe tomorrow.”  Unfortunately, tomorrow never seems to come.

I finally went to the doctor and was amazed at what she told me. Being the age of 50 had nothing to do with my behaviors; I was dehydrated! She said our heat this year is a hotter heat than normal, and it is causing more people to become dehydrated, and our summer is just getting started. So her thoughts were, if you normally drink 6 glasses of water, increase it to 9. Make sure to take more breaks out of the direct sunlight, and try to work more in the shade or in the evening when the sun is lower.

Since taking those simple steps my energy has returned, and I don’t feel 50 anymore, even though I am. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not the “fix all,” but it helps.  Even when we are feeling tired we need to continue to move.  Staying active is very important. You’ve heard the phrase “move it or lose it,” right? That is a very true statement. Here at Ridgecrest Village our residents stay active because they know all too well how true that is.

Roger told me that before he moved into Ridgecrest he was living in his own home.  It seemed like all his old friends either moved away or moved on so he started doing less and less. After a while he started to notice his legs and arms were becoming weaker, and that’s when he went to the doctor.  He was told that he needed to get more exercise, so he was prescribed physical therapy for strengthening.  He was doing therapy with someone that lived at Ridgecrest, and they invited him to come visit our community.  He did and he decided to move in. He has been here several years now and, although he said he never regained all of his strength back, he has noticed that doing exercises and getting out again has made him feel better.  Being part of a community gave him just the boost he needed to get back to enjoying life.

If you still have friends or family nearby, we strongly recommend you stay active by getting out and spending time with them.  If not, come by Ridgecrest Village and see if our community is right for you.  Contact Mary Huebbe or Karen McCoy for a lunch tour today at: (563) 391-3430.

Mary Huebbe is the marketing director for Ridgecrest Village in Davenport, Iowa. For more information about Ridgecrest Village, contact Mary at (563) 391-3430 or mhuebbe@RidgecrestVillage.org.