Lessons From My Elders: Exercise Bands

 

Resistance bands. Credit: Mzuriana.

When my mother, "Joanne," was in her late 80s, there was a day when she had what I can only call a system crash. Joanne acquired some sort of infection that, like a malware program, brought her down both physically and cognitively. It was scary, and after doing some hospital time, she passed additional time in a rehab center. 

It's my mother's experience at the rehab center that taught me two lessons that I have onboarded for myself: 

1. Get a set of stretchy exercise bands for strength-building at home, the same bands that the rehab center's physical therapist had Joanne use
2. Actually use them

I did buy a set of bands.

I do actually use them. Almost every day. 

I can get some benefits of a gym without having to go to a gym. The bands are inexpensive and they take up virtually no space. 

I can build and maintain strength and muscle. I'm going to need both as I continue to grow old.