Strength training: The 'magic pill' to reduce the cost of ageing
Are you ready to take control of your health and defy the traditional notion that life is a downhill ride after 40?
For many women, the idea of embracing strength training in their later years might seem like a controversial or even daunting prospect. But for Sally Jenning, 63, and an advocate for strength training, it was a wake-up call to her own health and a way to prevent the physical decline that often leads to aged care services.
Jenning, inspired by her mother's decline, realized that prioritizing self-care is crucial for her own well-being and that of her daughters. She began strength training and adopting a healthier diet, aiming to prevent the physical decline she witnessed in her mother.
"I wanted to try and prevent that physical decline from happening as much as I could, because you can't stop life," she said. "But there's been no looking back, my hands haven't been aggravated, my back is stronger, the muscle definition is starting."
The 'magic pill' of strength training
Age transformation coach and personal trainer Jan Herdman advocates for strength training as the key to independence in senior years. She believes that muscle loss, not age, is what pushes people into dependence, and strength training is the most effective way to protect muscle mass, mobility, and independence as we age.
"For years we have normalised frailty as part of ageing," Ms Herdman said. "Muscle loss, not age, is what pushes people into dependence ... strength training is the most effective way to protect muscle mass, mobility and independence as we age."
Herdman's personal experience caring for her elderly mother for eight years before her death shifted her perspective on what it means to age well. She wanted to prove that we can be the best version of ourselves at any age, and strength training is the 'magic pill' that helps post-menopausal women, keeps them out of age care, and increases their social circle.
The financial impact of ageing
In 2023/24, Australian federal, state, and territory governments spent $36.4 billion on aged care, with the largest proportion on residential care services, according to data compiled by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. However, it was often a loss of muscle, mobility, and balance that led to aged care admissions, not age or medical conditions, Ms Herdman said.
"We often don't make changes in our lives until life slaps us in the head ... no one is prepared for how age impacts you," she said. "Prioritising strength will keep people out of aged care and out of that dependency on nurses and the health system and it would help reduce the cost of ageing."
A call to action
Strength training should be taken seriously as a way to prevent senior decline, advocates say. By embracing strength training and prioritizing self-care, women can take control of their health and potentially reduce the cost of ageing, while also improving their quality of life and independence.
