School’s Out! What Can You Do?
A LIFE-CHANGING SECRET THE BENEFITS OF LOW-IMPACT ACTIVITY FOR AGING ADULTS
PILATES Similar to yoga, Pilates is extremely gentle on your joints, but it incorporates a bit more strength training. The focus is on your core, but Pilates also works your arms and legs while also improving your flexibility and posture. It can be done with or without equipment such as yoga balls, rings, and weights. AEROBIC ACTIVITIES Endurance activities such as swimming, jogging, walking, and bike riding are all great options for boosting your cardiovascular function and building stamina. According to the CDC, adults who are 65 years or older should get at least 150 minutes of physical activity a week — or 30 minutes five times a week. Staying active into your golden years is essential for your mental and physical health. It can prevent health complications and enable you to keep up with your children and grandchildren for years to come.
As we age, it’s important to remain active and maintain a healthy combination of strength training, aerobic activity, and flexibility exercises. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), aging adults benefit greatly from regular exercise. However, you may find that there are certain movements you can no longer safely do or that your range of motion just isn’t what it used to be when you were younger. Low-impact activity is a great way to reduce the strain exercise can put on your joints while still allowing your body to reap the benefits. If you’re looking for some ideas or fresh workouts to incorporate into your routine, here are some that use safe strength and resistance training, proper stretching practices, aerobic exercise, and highly beneficial mobility work. STRENGTH TRAINING Don’t worry, we aren’t talking about bench- pressing 150 pounds! Instead, situps, pullups, wall pushups, squats, single-leg stands, and stair climbing are all different
types of low-impact body weight exercises that you can do at home without any equipment. They will help you burn body fat and reverse muscle loss. If you’d like to incorporate strength training, opting for hand weights is a great option. YOGA Yoga improves your flexibility, builds muscle, strengthens and stabilizes your core, and benefits your joints. If you’re new to yoga, don’t worry — there are many yoga programs specifically designed for new yogis or older adults.
Doing More Than the Minimal Amount of Work
When it comes to elevating your disabilities, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will look at whether or not you’re currently working. If you’re working part time and not earning much, you won’t automatically be denied disability benefits. But, if you’re doing a substantial amount of work, like working full time, it is guaranteed you will be denied benefits. WHAT IS SUBSTANTIAL GAINFUL ACTIVITY? The reason is that the SSA requires that a disability applicant be unable to perform a substantial gainful activity (SGA). The term is used to describe a level of work activity and earnings. The work is “substantial” if it involves significant physical or mental activities or a combination of both.
Here are some examples of what the SSA usually doesn’t consider as substantial gainful activity:
• Things you do to take care of yourself • Household chores • Physical, occupational, or mental therapy • Attending school • Involvement in social activities
WHO IS ELIGIBLE? To be eligible for disability benefits, a person must be unable to engage in SGA. A person earning more than a certain monthly amount (net of impairment-related work expenses) is ordinarily considered to be engaging in SGA. The amount of monthly earnings considered as SGA depends on the nature of a person’s disability. The Social Security Act specifies a higher SGA amount for statutorily blind individuals; Federal regulations specify a lower SGA amount for non-blind individuals. In 2022, that amount is $1,350 for non-blind disabled SSDI or SSI applicants and $2,260 for blind SSDI applicants (the SGA limit doesn’t apply to blind SSI applicants).
“Gainful” work activity is:
• Work performed for pay or profit. • Work of a nature generally performed for pay or profit. • Work intended for profit, whether or not a profit is realized. WHAT IS NOT CONSIDERED SGA? It is essential to know that, although these activities won’t demonstrate SGA for initial eligibility, the SSA may still consider them as evidence of whether or not you are disabled. If you can do some activities outside of work without functional limitations, Social Security can use this information to decide your work abilities.
If you have questions regarding substantial gainful activity, contact us at 503-325-8600, so we can help you navigate the process!
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The Di Bartolomeo Law Office, P.C. 1139 Exchange Street | Astoria, Oregon | 503-325-8600 | www.JoeDiBartolomeo.com
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