02/20/2026
A short walk or chair activity and a visit with friends can be much more than daily routines. They can go a long way in helping seniors remain independent, in their own homes, for as long as possible.
With a focus on Senior Independence Month in February, here are a few practical tips from Dr. Louis Capponi, Center Medical Director, InnovAge Colorado PACE โ Thornton:
๐ ๐ผ๐ฏ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐๐. Dr. Capponi encourages setting the goal of 15 minutes of walking or chair activities, every day. โThis can have a dramatic impact on your health,โ he says.
๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฒ๐๐. Many of us assume that aids such as grab bars should be installed in the home when instability becomes an issue. Dr. Capponi suggests building muscle memory for the future. โThe time to put in a grab bar isnโt when youโre falling, itโs a couple years before that,โ he explains. โGet used to using it. Use it every time you take a shower. Then some day in the future when you are slipping, your body is going to know where that bar is and itโs going to reflexively grab it.โ
๐ ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐บ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ต. Dr. Capponi stresses the importance of staying active socially. โGoing out and visiting with people, and just getting out of the house, really stimulates the brain,โ he says, adding that when testing cognitive activity between seniors who engage socially and those who donโt, there can be a measurable difference. โWhen somebody is out for a social event, their cognition improves that day.โ
During Senior Independence Month, and all year long, the InnovAge PACE team of professionals is here to provide practical guidance and actionable steps for both the large and small ways that seniors can remain safer and healthier at home.
Thanks to FOX31Great Day Colorado for the lively and informative discussion with Dr. Capponi!