Helen Malins had no idea when she volunteered to take part in muscle mass and strength research to help others, that it would end up almost saving her life and allow her to resume her passion for travelling.
The feisty 80-year-old,who normally exercises three times a week at the AgeWell Centre’s seniors gym in Hawthorn, took part in the Your Muscles Matter study, conducted by Professor Alan Hayes with Victoria University researchers, and supported by Uniting AgeWell last year.
The retired teacher, along with the other participants, had bone density scans and assessments and followed a regimen of resistance and other exercises, as well as adhering to a protein-rich diet.
So, when Helen visited a friend in South Australia last Christmas for a little bit of rest and relaxation after a hectic year which included cruising to Noumea, visiting the Galapagos Islands and sailing up the Amazon River and sleeping in a hut during a five-week expedition to South America, she fell and fractured a disc in her back.
“And I know if I hadn’t been as strong as I was through taking part in the research, I would have broken my hip for sure!” she says.
So, what is this research all about, and how did Helen get involved?
First up, Uniting AgeWell is a not-for-profit aged care organisation that champions research to help people age well, and live their best lives possible.
This study investigated the incidence of sarcopenia – the loss of muscle mass and strength in ageing – to find out how best to combat and treat this disease, which affects mobility, increases the risk of falls and fractures and often affects independence.
Recruitment was done in the first half of 2019, with regular participants from Forest Hill, Hawthorn, Noble Park and Oakleigh AgeWell Centres signing up.
Participants were asked to work through their individual exercise programs, under the supervision of Uniting AgeWell exercise physiologists and physiotherapists. Researchers also evaluated their food intake, quality of life, sarcopenia risk and physical ability including strength, balance and mobility. Helen fitted the research into her busy schedule and discovered she had weak bone density in her wrists and hands.
She followed the exercise routines, which she loved, as she hates walking “unless it’s to visit shops, restaurants and the pub.”
Although she is not a red meat fan, Helen likes chicken, fish and cheese and upped her protein intake.
And she believes all of this meant that when she had a tumble at Christmas, she was in the best shape possible not to injure her hips.
“I participated in the research to help others, and it ended up helping me too,” Helen says. And the findings? The good news is that sarcopenia can be prevented and treated with exercise, particularly resistance training, as well as by eating adequate levels of protein.
Other findings were:
• Conventional and HUR (Helsinki University Research) gyms have similar effects on sarcopenia
• Exercising only once a week is insufficient to provide significant protection above routine activities of daily living
• Gym attendance should be additional to usual daily activity, not a substitute
• Improving nutrition in older adults and ensuring sufficient protein is eaten, aids muscle mass; and
• Maintenance of adequate nutrition and non-supervised physical activity may enhance the benefits of supervised training.
Now Helen is planning to go back to exercise classes with AgeWell centres gradually reopening so that she’s “fighting fit” for her next travel adventure.
The only problem now facing the Hawthorn resident, is to decide which country to visit next when international travel opens up.
She’s holidayed in most countries across the world – including Russia and Africa – and is running out of new horizons to explore.
“I rent out a room in my home in Hawthorn to a student, I have no ties, nothing is holding me back and am raring to go!” Helen says.
Find out more about Uniting AgeWell's commitment to research and innovation.
