Protection
Put yourself at ease by protecting those you love
{{title}}
{{label}}14 September 2017
Most people associate growing old with failing health and a decline in physical activity. Some even think that seniors should refrain from regular exercise to avoid injury as they think their bodies are more fragile. However, there are those who have shown that age is just a number when it comes to exercising, living a healthy life, and even engaging in competitive sports.
Sis. Madonna Buder, better known as the "Iron Nun," is the current world record holder for the oldest person to ever finish an Ironman Triathlon, which she achieved at the age of 82. She only started training and exercising regularly when she reached 48, and joined her first triathlon at the age of 52. Since then, she has joined over 325 triathlons and was inducted into the USA Triathlon Hall of Fame in 2014 at the age of 84. Now in her late 80s, she continues to swim, run, and bike regularly.
Not to be outdone is grandma Ernestine Shepherd, the world's oldest competitive female body-builder according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Shepherd only started exercising at the age of 56 after she realized how out of shape she was when she tried fitting on some swimsuits. Together with her sister, she decided to start doing aerobics, and eventually got into weightlifting, then body-building. Now in her 80s, she continues to have her daily 16-kilometer walk and spends four hours in the gym working out and leading exercise classes every day of the week.
What is inspiring about the stories of both Sis. Madonna and grandma Shepherd is that both of them only realized the importance of regular exercise when they were in their 50s, proving that it is never too late to start changing your lifestyle even though you may be approaching your retirement years.
However, one does not need to finish a triathlon or compete in body-building to live a healthy life as a senior citizen. According to the US National Institute on Aging (NIA), exercise and physical activity are an important part of healthy aging as it helps prevent diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic conditions affecting older adults. The NIA suggests that retirees prepare a daily exercise or activity plan which touch on all of the following four categories:
1. Endurance or Aerobic/Cardio activities increase one's breathing and heart rate. They keep the heart, lungs, and circulatory system healthy and improve one's overall fitness. Building endurance makes it easier for older adults to carry out their day-to-day activities. Some examples of endurance activities are:
2. Strength Conditioning makes muscles stronger. Even small increases in strength can make a big difference in a senior's ability to stay independent and carry out everyday activities, such as climbing stairs and carrying groceries. These exercises also are called "strength training" or "resistance training," which include:
3. Balance exercises help prevent falls, a common problem in older adults. Many lower-body strength exercises also will improve your balance.
4. Flexibility exercises stretch your muscles and can help your body stay limber. Being flexible gives you more freedom of movement for other exercises as well as for your everyday activities.
The key to having a great retirement is to not only be physically healthy but also be financially healthy, and preparing for both starts as early as now. Good thing there is a plan that can help you prepare both finance-wise and health-wise—Build Estate Plus from BPI AIA.
Build Estate Plus is a unit-linked protection plan that allows you to build your long-term savings for retirement through professionally managed funds of BPI-Asset Management and Trust Corporation (BPI-AMTG) and BPI Investment Management Inc. (BIMI). Moreover, it is also designed to cover for your estates taxes, so your loved ones won't have to bear the burden of finding the resources to settle your estate.
The product is part of the BPI AIA wellness and health initiatives. You can enjoy an upfront 20% additional life coverage and supplementary benefits as you make healthy choices with AIA Vitality. Boost your Vitality Status and get to receive up to 50% additional coverage on the succeeding years. Plus, avail discounts from a range of partners as a reward for living healthy.
To take the first step on living longer, healthier, and better, head to a BPI branch near you or check the BPI AIA Wellness Series.Living a full life also means taking care of one's health so that you're able to do everything you plan to do after retirement. Schedule checkups and preventive exams to work out with your health care provider how to improve and maintain your health.
In order to live a full life in retirement, one needs to be healthy—physically and financially. Being healthy has its own rewards, in that it enables one to do and experience all that one would like to in life.
The Protection Solutions That Reward Your Healthy Choices