Jim Harrison, DPT - Western Physical Therapy
by Lorine Parks
“Half the population over 72 aren’t having any fun.”
That’s the conclusion Jim Harrison, DPT, owner of Western Physical Therapy in Downey, draws from the fact that 50% of the people over 72 have to have assisted living.
“This group here today is exceptional,” said Jim, referring to us Rotarians. “You all look fit, and you enjoy coming together for luncheon. You stay mobile.” He might have added that we are a privileged, mostly white, mostly comfortable, if not affluent, well-nourished group of people who drink good well water, have preventative check-ups and access to the best in Western medical care.
Most of us do celebrate a state of wellness that is a goal for civilized living. We perform activities that enable us to carry out the activities of our daily routine, the definition of “fit.”
“What if health care were actually about caring for your health,” instead of treating illnesses,” Jim asked. “People are living incredibly long. Why? And is this good?”
Longevity combined with fitness equals a good quality of life. “Good health,” Jim explained, is defined as “a state of complete social and mental wellbeing,” Health is about function, and functional ability means being able to perform the activities that make up the daily routine.
What happens with age? From birth to about age 25, we grow and develop, peaking around ages 25 to 33, after which physical abilities begin to decline, according to Jim’s charts.
Somewhere on the other side of this equation, gerontologists look at people at age 72, by which time 50% of the population need assistance to cope with daily routine. By that reckoning, the other fifty percent of the population aren’t having any fun.
What about the productive years, the ones in the middle, say between 33 and 72, where a slow but gradual decline is noted? That’s the time, Jim says, to build up fitness and your intrinsic capacity.
Coordination is measured in eight ways; strength, flexibility, speed, balance, endurance, power, agility, and stamina. Jim offered a simple test, the ability to get up off the floor.
By now Jim had everyone’s attention but the 1:30 deadline for speakers was approaching. Which of the above qualities can be altered or modified with time? “All of them,” says Jim. “All of them.”
But only about 10% of the elderly participate in regular physical activity, not even the 15 minutes of strenuous activity each day that physicians recommend. In many cases, the decline that occurs with aging may be due at least partly to lifestyle, behavior, diet, and environment. And thus, as matters of choice, they can be modified. According to the Merck Manual, “Physical activity is one of the few interventions that can restore physiologic capacity after it has been lost.”
Jim had a video which would have shown us how Western Physical Therapy helps to prioritize your health by getting fit, with workout classes and experienced therapists, but in the interest of time he only mentioned his facility, where one can “achieve independence in a safe and effective manner, and discover medically sound, self-help strategies that result in positive immediate and long-term health benefits.”
The Downey Gym is a community training center, created by and located within Western Physical Therapy, to help define and achieve goals for a positive, active lifestyle.
A quick check with our resident health and fitness guru, Greg Welch, indicates that what Jim had told us is “exactly so.” With appropriate exercise and diet, the goal of healthy aging can be met. And it’s fun!