Staying active at every age is one of the secrets to a long, healthy life.

But despite your best intentions, it can be difficult to motivate yourself into beginning - and sticking to - a regular exercise routine. Physical constraints or a busy schedule may create a barrier to getting adequate exercise, but it is important to prioritize physical activity into your schedule, especially as you age and your body changes.

It's never too late to adopt a healthier lifestyle and reap the benefits of active aging. Even light daily exercises can improve your body's wound-healing process, prevent disease, foster greater independence and even increase your mental capacity. A study by the Franklin Institute established that seniors who walked regularly saw improvements in their memory, learning ability, concentration and abstract reasoning.

Exercising doesn't need to take place in a gym or even outdoors. A great way to keep in the habit of healthy movements is to incorporate small exercises into your otherwise inactive moments during the day. Do you need to reach to retrieve a glass from your cupboard? Grab the glass, return it to the cupboard, and repeat the action with your alternate arm. Are there stairs where you live? Challenge yourself to use them instead of a ramp or elevator. Do you sit for long periods of time? Every few minutes, stretch your legs out in front of you and hold them in the air for a few seconds.

Even these seemingly small acts can make a big difference in improving and maintaining your health. Performing daily exercises slows the loss of muscle, strengthens bones and reduces joint problems. If you keep all of these parts of your body in working order, you'll be less likely to suffer from painful problems such as osteoporosis or osteoarthritis. Keeping up on exercise also greatly improves your balance, which reduces your risk of falling and suffering a serious injury like a fractured hip.

To keep our residents in tip-top shape, we incorporate exercise into our activity plan at Legends Park Assisted Living. You can find our residents swimming in the Kroc Center, learning tai chi, dancing at the senior center and playing Nintendo Wii to stay active.

The key to incorporating exercise into your life is to develop a routine that fits your wishes and needs. Keep at your own pace and learn to enjoy the benefits of a more active lifestyle!

Mary Beth Hassel is executive director at Legends Park Assisted Living in Coeur d'Alene, which offers compassionate, award-wining assisted living care and health services. She can be reached at (208) 666-9900.