Nowadays lifestyle diseases have alarmingly increased particularly among senior citizens.
Many among those aged 50 and above are grappling with high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, obesity and, depression among many such ailments and conditions.
Some old-age pensioners are fighting multiple health conditions that have impoverished their families due to high medical expenses they are forced to incur.
It is against this backdrop that one iconic woman, Elizabeth Wanjiku Wambugu, from Gikondi location, Mukurwe-ini, Nyeri county, moved by the numerous cases of ill health among her Kaharo village ‘mothers and fathers’ resolved to volunteer and train them on techniques to ward off such conditions by engaging in physical exercises, dancing and singing.
“I am a Community Health Promoter (CHP) and in the course of making my rounds from house to house taking routine checks for high blood pressure and diabetes, I realized that many elderly people in my designated region of Kaharo village were suffering from ill health and living with conditions ranging from Arthritis, hypertension, and diabetes,” explained Wanjiku.
The 66- year- old said cognizant of the vital role exercise plays in enhancing one’s health, convinced her patients to organize themselves and form a social group promising to train them to undertake various exercises free of charge.
“That’s how Kaharo gymnastics group, comprising both men and women was birthed two years ago. Currently the group has about 120 members, ninety of them women and the rest men,” said Wanjiku adding that the oldest member is aged over 90 and youngest is around 44 years.
She identified the oldest member as 90-year-old Mr Zakayo Kimotho and the youngest as Ann Kagondu, 44, adding the latter had earlier suffered a stroke that paralyzed the left side of her body following which she was hospitalized for months at Kenyatta National Hospital.
“On being discharged from hospital, Ann had been confined at home and was unable to walk. I convinced her to join the group and this seems to be one of the best decisions she has ever made.
After engaging in several physical exercises at Kaharo hospital grounds where group members meet on Fridays to exercise, dance and play football, she has now recovered fully and walks normally,” Wanjiku added.
Wanjiku, a mother of six (one of them deceased) who is also a trained counselor, said many of those who joined the group while suffering from various diseases have since recovered after undertaking the P.E sessions.
“There are many who were suffering from high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity prior to joining this group but most of them have since recovered and are no longer on medication,” stated Wanjiku who is also a gifted thespian and ballerina.
Some group members concurred with their leader’s sentiments claiming to have recovered fully after undertaking exercises and playing football.
“Exercising has helped me a lot. Prior to starting these exercises under Mrs. Wambugu, I was using crutches having fractured one of my legs after I slipped and fell early this year. Now I can even compete in a race,” said Mr. Wahome Thongoro, a retired 74-year-old teacher and a member of the group.
Mr. Wahome, who displayed his agility in performing various gymnastics that seemed impossible for a person half his age to prove his fitness and overall health, urged the government and individual well-wishers to support the group by donating games kits and balls.
“I request the government to provide us with sports equipment such as balls and uniforms,” said Wahome pointing at another elderly member of the group, Mr Zakayo Kimotho as he slowly stepped out onto the playing field.
“You see that elder, he previously was unable to walk due to joint pains and other age-related conditions but now he is very fit health wise despite his advanced age,” added Wahome whose youthful appearance was only betrayed by a greybeard.
Another group member, 84-year-old Elizabeth Wambui Taiti thanked the group founder cum leader and Coach Mrs Wambugu for approaching and encouraging her to join the group.
“I was suffering from a heart condition and severe stress. Our leader Mrs Wambugu visited me at home and encouraged me to join this group.
After I started exercising and mixing with group members, I have regained my heart health and I cannot remember the last time I felt stressed or depressed,” said Wambui as she advised women who felt lonely or discouraged to join them.
On her part, Mrs Muthoni Ndirangu said prior to joining the group hypertension, diabetes and arthritis had afflicted her health to an extent that she dreaded visiting washrooms to answer a call of nature.
“I would suffer excruciating pain in the knees and lower joints especially whenever I needed to relieve myself as I would be forced to bend. So severe was the pain that I dreaded toilet moments,” she narrated.
“But that was then; now high blood pressure is gone, diabetes is gone and the pain I suffered while answering the call of nature is no more,” Muthoni said joyfully while demonstrating how she went about relieving herself to a thunderous applause from her colleagues.
According to a report from Mayo Clinic, a nonprofit academic medical centre, exercises can help shed off excess weight and also prevent weight gain. It states that as people take part in physical activities, they burn calories.
“The more intense the activity, the more calories are burnt,” the organization maintains.
The global organization mostly known for intensive medical research and education, further informs that exercises help combat health conditions and diseases such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular ailments diabetes and obesity.
“No matter what your current weight is, being active boosts high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol; the good cholesterol and decreases bad cholesterol,” the report reads in part.
It states that regular exercising helps prevent or manage many health problems and challenges including stroke, metabolic syndrome, Type-two diabetes, depression, anxiety, various cancers, and arthritis.
The organization further affirms that exercising promotes better sleep, boosts energy, enhances one’s sex performance, improves self-image and confidence besides many more benefits.
Physical exercises being of such immense health benefits, it is incumbent upon everyone and particularly the elderly to spare some time for exercising to prevent some lifestyle disease and conditions and possibly lengthen one’s stay on earth.
By Kamiri Munyaka
