Why Your Grandma Needs Prescription Swimming Goggles

Swimming is one of the best activities in the world and we’re not just saying that because we love pools. Where else can you get a full-body workout without worrying about sweat or do a backflip without worrying about breaking your neck? No matter what you like about exercise, recreation, or physical activity in general swimming is fun for the whole family. However, certain members of the family have more to gain from swimming than others. Your grandma, for instance, along with any other older relatives near or past retirement age, have an enormous amount to gain from swimming and many elderly people spend a great deal of time in the pool because of it’s myriad benefits. However, there is one minor complication. Many old people can’t see.

Okay, to be honest, a great many not-old people can’t see either. About half of the total population needs some kind of corrective lens though a great many of those wear contacts so we can’t tell without asking. Unfortunately, contacts or not, we’re all blind at the pool. The good news is that you don’t have to be. With prescription goggles, anyone can see the bottom of the pool even better than you could trying to wear your glasses underwater. Many people find out about prescription goggles in their adulthood and get a pair and a few even equip their nearsighted children with prescription goggles as well. We’re here to tell you not to leave grandma off the list, as she might have more to gain from prescription swim goggles than anyone else in the family.

Swimming is Great for Older People

Staying healthy and fit is something all seniors have to work for after retirement and swimming is by far one of the best ways to achieve both goals. Even a little time spent in the pool can increase an older person’s health and actively doing laps or playing games is even better.

Low-Impact Exercise

The first and perhaps most important benefit for seniors who swim is the fact that swimming is the most low-impact an exercise can get. Many seniors have difficulty staying fit because they rely on things like walking, jogging, and dancing which can be hard on the joints. The literal impact of each step causes a jolt that can become painful over time as your cartilage or cushioning bursal sacks become less effective. However, a senior can workout three or four times harder in the pool without doing any damage because there are no impacts at all.

Increases Strength and Cardio

Though swimming is easy on the joints, your grandma could also achieve a healthy cardio heart rate while swimming and maintain it long enough to lose weight, improve her heart health, and even get stronger. Strength training is very important for the elderly because muscles tend to deteriorate faster after a certain age and when seniors aren’t in the pool, it’s hard to get a good workout without putting their joints at risk. However, the simple act of pulling yourself through the water works out almost every muscle in the body creating a healthy, vigorous full-body workout.

Keeps the Mind Active and Relaxed

Finally, swimming is great for your mental health. Really, any exercise is good for your mental health because it gets the blood flowing and helps you to focus. Mental health and stimulation are important for elderly people who need to keep their minds active. A relaxing swim is a great way to unwind during the day and an energetic one can get the brain going to take on complex tasks and problems.

Better Stability Against Falls

One of the facts found by the numerous studies on elderly health is that swimming more than any other exercise including walking increases a senior’s stability against falls. Falling is one of the biggest risks for any person above 65 and over time, elderly people tend to lose a great deal of stability and the ability to catch themselves during a fall. Swimming not only works out the arms and legs and trains the body to move with purpose, it also more subtly exercises the core muscles you need to keep your walking motion steady and balanced.

Reduces Risk of Osteoporosis

Swimming is also one of the few easy activities that can improve a bone mineral density problem commonly known as osteoporosis or “porous bone”. Many seniors, especially women over the age of 50, tend to start losing bone mass as they age which makes the bones brittle and difficult to heal. This is actually why falls are so dangerous. Every time your grandma goes swimming, she reduces the bone density loss and is much less likely to break a bone in her old age.

Your Grandma Can’t See Without Her Glasses

So now that you understand why your grandma should definitely pick up a swimming habit and hit the pool as often as she feels like, we can explore how you can make that easier for her. If you wear glasses, you understand that it’s difficult to spend time swimming and hanging out around the pool when you can’t see where you left your towel or what that vague shape is down at the bottom of the pool. We have always found that the solution to this problem is prescription swimming goggles or perhaps a scuba mask if your grandma would prefer a single piece. By gifting your grandma with prescription swimming gear, you are simultaneously making it easier for her to enjoy time spent with you at the pool and you might even help her start a new health trend for a long and happy retirement.


Leave a Reply

Trackback URL http://www.aquaeyewear.com/why-your-grandma-needs-prescription-swimming-goggles/trackback/