According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the average human needs about 150 minutes of exercise per week to remain healthy as they age, but 80% of Americans aren’t checking that box.
And while there may be a plethora of reasons why “getting older” could impose on your ability to exercise as frequently as you should, three residents of Ingleside at King Farm – all 95 years young – are living proof that it is possible, and that there is no excuse.
The three neighbors, Sy Herman, Peggy Adams, and Bob Verkouteren, are using their daily commitment to swim together to encourage and inspire each other’s healthy living choices and well-being. After retiring to the Rockville, Maryland senior living community, Ingleside at King Farm, just outside of Washington, DC, the aquateers became friends through their shared love of aquatic fitness, realizing they also shared the same diligence in being at the pool each day before sunrise, meeting as early as 6:30 a.m. to swim laps.
“One morning I’m in the water and I find these two rascals here, and now we’re here together every day,” said Peggy. The friendship among the three seniors grew close over the past year ever since the trio made a deal that they would start each day at the pool before breakfast.
Unlike forty percent of older adults in the U.S. who report chronic loneliness, Peggy, Sy and Bob, are a prime example of the positive impact meaningful relationships can have on maintaining a personal commitment to physical fitness and daily exercise.
Science has proven that positive social relationships play a role in better health and life expectancy
Each morning, the seniors take turns using the fast lane at The Herman Aquatic Center at Ingleside at King Farm, challenging their endurance while also making use of water weights and other strengthening tools. The aquatic trio bonded over a shared commitment to physical exercise, community-building, and philanthropic work – all factors that health studies have shown contribute to longevity and increased quality of life. İncele
