Why housework is a good workout for old people – just ask Hongkonger, 70, who does 15 hours a week in between hikes
Raymond Lo does 15 hours of cooking, dishwashing, sweeping, mopping and laundry per week, and finds it therapeutic and relaxing. New research says men and women over 65 years old who enjoy household chores have better health
Seventy-year-old Raymond Lo enjoys an active lifestyle and says that, compared to other senior citizens his age, he is in excellent physical shape.
Lo, who lives alone in Tai Wai in the New Territories, hikes, runs, and does tai chi, push-ups and sit-ups regularly. Sometimes, he cycles and sails.
102-year-old runner who’s setting records around the globe and the diet of wheatgrass, kefir and pulses that fuels her exploits
“I’m generally in good health, thanks to my exercise routine and a wholesome diet,” he says. “Sometimes, after I’ve completed a race, or if I’ve been training for an extended period of time, I might experience some soreness in my muscles and joints, but that doesn’t usually last beyond a few days. I have no major physical issues, except that I can’t bend down to touch my toes, but that is probably because, over the last 10 years, I neglected to stretch properly after running and hiking.”
Lo’s other “secret weapon” to better health is housework – 15 hours of cooking, dishwashing, sweeping, mopping and laundry per week, to be precise.
“Housework is therapeutic,” he says. “I find that it relaxes me, and that, in turn, helps a lot with my mood and temperament. Maybe it also has something to do with the fact that I’m still healthy and active at this age.”