The CDC reports that, on average, one in three men and one in two women stop exercising completely by the time they turn 75.
The dangers brought on by a sedentary lifestyle are immense. And unsurprisingly, exercise is the answer — and there are several exercises that you can do to relieve yourself of some pain.
But a student design team from Virginia Tech took it a step further, and created something that would help prevent the elderly from sustaining injuries in the first place.
It's called the "Veevo" design: a simple end table that can be pulled out into a simple home gym for seniors.
Handles on the table turn to unveil a platform for seated exercises, a bottom level for aerobics steps, and storage space for weights and yoga equipment.
This amazing design is among the finalists of the Design Challenge, hosted by the Stanford Center on Longevity, and has become one of the most intriguing, practical solutions for senior health.
Scroll on to see how this incredibly unique "exercise table" works, and let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
[H/T: Fast Company]
For many seniors, making a trip to the gym to exercise is an impossible feat.
But because it’s crucial to keep up exercise, even well into old age, alternative solutions need to be found.
A team of industrial design students at Virginia Tech entered their design, “Veevo,” during the Stanford Center on Longevity’s third annual Design Challenge.
Veevo looks like a very normal end table, one that you would have beside the couch in your living room.
However, the simple piece of furniture can be transformed into something pretty fantastic: there is a handle on the drawer that can be pulled down to unveil an entire exercise component.
There is a chair that provides safe, low-impact seated exercise for seniors, and can also open up to a storage compartment, which can fit weights and yoga equipment.
At the bottom of the table, there is a step stool that can be pulled out to reveal step aerobics, and a safety handrail on the side that users can hold onto for balance.
All of the features were designed with a few things in mind: to help reduce the risk of falls (which is one of the most common reasons for injury in the elderly), and to encourage more seniors to exercise routinely.
“We realized that the idea behind it, helping promote activity in the elderly, could have some serious benefits in the real world, especially considering the increase of elderly adults from the baby boomer population,” said team leader Sarah Ahart.
They focused on building a concept design that would encourage independence in the elderly.
The team conducted research with their grandparents, residents in retirement homes, and with physical therapists who work with elderly adults, to see what they could create to build users' strength and balance.
First, the team spent 10 weeks making a prototype out of cardboard and foam, and then spent a week in the wood shop building the actual functioning model.
In the end, they came up with a piece of furniture that would help prevent seniors from falling in the first place.
“We learned that seniors don’t need hardcore exercise in order to stay in good shape,” said Sarah.
“A few simple daily routines will go a long way in keeping them healthy and able to do the things that they want to do.
We are hopeful that the design will succeed and hit stores — it is one of the most creative solutions to improve a sedentary lifestyle that we’ve seen!
Currently, the Veevo table is one of the finalists in the Design Challenge.
The students are hoping to make a few final tweaks before hopefully delivering it to market.
Please SHARE if you would find this design potentially useful in your own home!