Occupational Therapist Julia Rodriguez helps Birches residents stay strong
As we age, retaining our strength and balance is crucial to leading an active and healthy life. Getting in and out of the car, shopping at the grocery store, and even getting dressed all require a certain amount of strength, coordination, and flexibility.
Unfortunately, the loss of muscle mass, strength, and functionality among older adults is a common problem. Known as sarcopenia, this age-related health issue can inhibit older adults from performing simple daily tasks and increase their risk of falls. Although we all begin to lose modest amounts of muscle mass after the age of 30, the amount accelerates significantly in our later years. Fortunately, there is a simple solution to this prevalent problem: exercise.
Occupational therapist Julia Rodriguez is dedicated to helping older adults develop the strength, balance, and flexibility they need to lead happy and productive lives. Rodriguez works for Legacy Healthcare, a company that provides therapy in assisted living communities. She and her associates work full-time with residents at The Birches Assisted Living in Clarendon Hills to help them reach small daily fitness goals that make their lives easier and more enjoyable.
"Real life is what occupational therapy is all about, and real life is not about the exercise you're doing. At no age do you go to a gym to get better at exercise, you go to get better at life," said Rodriguez.
Rodriguez encourages the older adults she works with to focus on the simple daily tasks they want to accomplish, and then she creates a therapy plan to help them attain their goals. In addition to conducting individual therapy sessions with residents, Rodriguez also leads group exercise classes and wellness activities- a responsibility she says is one of the most enjoyable aspects of her job.
Every Monday morning, Rodriguez leads a "Strength and Balance" exercise class that helps participants develop or maintain their strength, agility, and coordination. The class begins with simple warm-up stretches that get participants limber and proceeds into gentle exercises using hand weights to develop muscle mass.
Throughout the class, Rodriguez emphasizes the importance of maintaining proper breathing and posture during exercise. Focusing on breathing is particularly important, she says, because there is a common tendency to stop breathing when you're absorbed in learning a new exercise.
"Sometimes when we're focusing, we decide to wait to breathe so we can concentrate, but breathing is not something you should wait to do until later," she jokes.
During the class, Rodriguez also interacts with participants by taking short breaks from the exercise routine to discuss the benefits of exercise. Some of the benefits she highlights in her class are exercise's ability to stave off depression and memory loss.
"Exercise gets blood flowing to your brain and helps prevent some of the changes that happen when you start losing your memory or having trouble with your cognition," Rodriguez said. "That's actually a benefit most people don't talk enough about; we talk a lot about how it makes us look, but, boy, I want to feel good too!"
In all of the therapy work she performs at The Birches, Rodriguez says she is always inspired by the perseverance and open-mindedness of residents. Their positive attitudes and willingness to learn make her job incredibly rewarding, she says.
"I'm always really impressed with their willingness to try something completely new. I have huge admiration for that and I only wish that I can be just the same," said Rodriguez.
The Birches Assisted Living in Clarendon Hills is a premier retirement community dedicated to providing professional services that support its residents' physical, social, intellectual, and spiritual growth. The Birches offers a full calendar of purposeful programs and activities designed to promote a healthy aging lifestyle and a strong sense of community. For more information about The Birches, call 630-789-1135 or visit: birches.net.