The Pandemic Has Made Many Seniors Less Active
The New York Times
Health experts are concerned that the pandemic, in upending daily routines, has reduced mobility and physical conditioning in older adults.
In normal times, Cindy Myers, an executive at a nonprofit organization, is “not a real physical person,” she said. “I work at desk jobs. I’m not a big exerciser.”
Still, before the pandemic, Dr. Myers, who is 64 and has a doctorate in organization development, commuted from her home in Petaluma, Calif., to an office in San Francisco. She met friends for lunch or coffee, and she went to restaurants, theaters and lectures with her wife. “There was so much more variety in my life, more locations, more people,” she said. “You’re not cognizant of all the moves you’re making.”
Like many employees, Ms. Myers has now been working remotely for two years, curtailing social and cultural events and forgoing travel. That shift, perhaps exacerbated by a bout of depression in 2020, has taken a physical toll, she said. Her limbs feel weak, her balance rocky; she has fallen several times.
