Sport is essential for everyone. However, decreased physical ability and memory are common, especially for senior citizens. "To prevent and reduce the impact of biological decline, we need to do physical activity to maintain fitness. Moreover, proper exercise can support the goal of living a healthy, fit, and happy life," said Prof. Subagyo on August 3, 2022.
Learning to swim is usually popular with children and teenagers, but it is rarely done by the elderly. "Swimming for the elderly has several advantages. First, the risk of physical injury is low because all activities are in the water. For the elderly with obesity, swimming will reduce the risk of bone and joint injury. The activity of supporting body weight is reduced in the swimming pool due to the force of the water. "The body temperature is relatively controlled because the water temperature in the pool is relatively lower than body temperature, so it avoids dehydration," said Prof. Subagyo.
To get the benefits of swimming, the elderly need some adjustments. In terms of intensity, swimming in this age group should be done with relaxed intensity. To increase safety, the elderly should swim with the concept of recreational swimming. With this concept, swimming activities no longer focus on swimming technique/style, distance, and time as competitive swimming.
