Wellbeing Note · 4 min read

Staying active after 60: walking, strength and balance

Almost half of older Indians aren't active enough. The WHO's advice for older adults is simple, and a daily walk is most of it

The Pushpa team · 5 sources

Pushpa notes19

Walks this week

150 min

Goal met

Balance exercises: 3 days

Keep moving

Activity is one of the few things that helps almost everything at once. The WHO links it to lower risk of high blood pressure, diabetes and falls, and to better mood, thinking and sleep. People who are not active enough have a 20–30% higher risk of death than those who are. And after 60, the WHO notes, inactivity rises in both men and women

54.1%

of Indians over 60 meet the activity guideline: 150 minutes of moderate activity a week (LASI Wave 1)

What to aim for

At least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, like brisk walking. That's about 20 minutes a day
Moderate means she can still talk, but not sing, the NHS suggests
Strength work on 2 or more days a week: rising from a chair, light weights, carrying the shopping
Balance and strength on 3 or more days a week, which the WHO and ICMR-NIN both recommend for older adults to help prevent falls
As active as her body allows. Some movement is always better than none

Easy ways in

A walk with a friend at the same time every day, in the park, the society compound or a temple
Yoga or pranayama, which only about one in nine older Indians practise regularly (LASI)
Standing on one leg while holding the kitchen counter, a few times a day
Climbing stairs slowly, with the rail, if her knees allow

Start small, especially after an illness or with heart or joint problems, and ask her doctor what's safe. The goal is a habit she enjoys, not a target that worries her

How Pushpa helpsPushpa asks about her walk on the evening call and keeps count across the week. The family sees it in the morning report, and Pushpa cheers her on when she keeps it going