Encourage Your Senior to Exercise
Many people over sixty-five do not get enough exercise. And being too sedentary is dangerous for everyone, especially those who no longer have the routine of a daily job to go to.
The ideal amount of exercise for any senior might well be an hour a day. But getting someone to go from no exercise to that much exercise might be impossible. So it’s a good idea to set smaller, more reasonable goals when you are trying to get mom or dad off the couch.
The five-minute work out
Senior Care in Chester, PA: Encouraging Exercise
Harvard Health recommends five minute workouts for people who are out of shape. And that group often includes people over sixty-five. A five-minute workout might consist of standing up from a chair, then sitting back down as often as possible in a five-minute span. Or it might involve taking a walk around the block. Or pulling on a resistance band for a few minutes.
Because your mother or father needs to retain muscle, you may want to encourage a type of strength training to be incorporated into the five minute workout. Lifting small barbells of one or two pounds is a great way to keep muscle.
As your senior gains strength, you may want to encourage a more energetic workout. Perhaps your senior can work up to doing jumping jacks and squats which are great for cardio and weight management.
Of course, it’s great if a parent or grandparent can do four or five of these five minute workouts a day.
Put exercise equipment within sight
One easy way to encourage a little light exercise is to put exercise equipment where a parent is likely to see it. For example, you could put a pair of two pound barbells on the side table next to the television. No reason dad shouldn’t push a little iron while binging on Netflix, right?
You can hang a couple exercise bands in the kitchen. So if your senior is waiting for his coffee to brew or for an egg to boil, she can pull the band with her hands or hands and feet while waiting for breakfast to be ready.
Exercise if more fun when shared
Almost any activity is more fun if it is done with company. That’s why joggers like to jog in pairs or in a group. Add conversation to exercise, and the time passes more quickly and enjoyably.
For this reason, it might be easier to get mom or dad exercising if you join him or her. Offer to take a walk around the block or to pull an exercise band together or to do a little dance, if he or she likes dancing.
You can also do wall push-ups and squats together and chair yoga. On days when you don’t have time to exercise with your mother or father, consider hiring professional senior care. Senior care aides can encourage exercise by doing light workouts with your senior.
In conclusion, many seniors need to move around more for heart health and to prevent muscle deterioration. But, if a senior has gotten really out of shape, starting an exercise regime slow and in short sessions may be the ticket. Once a senior has more confidence about working out, his workouts can last longer and be more intense.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Senior Care in Chester, PA please contact the caring staff at True Direct Home Health Care today.
Sources
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/3-easy-ways-to-get-active-right-now-2021020121851
https://www.seniorlifestyle.com/resources/blog/7-best-exercises-for-seniors-and-a-few-to-avoid/
Doc, as he is called by everyone - staff, patients and clients - first experienced home health care and hospice care while as a colleg student at King's College as he cared for his mother every day while she first battled COPD and then lung cancer. It was during this time that he came to understand that caring for a patient was more than just clinical expertise.
"Admittedly, my strongest attribute is my communication skills and the simple fact that I love to help people. Even the smallest thing you can do for someone really can mean so much to them long term. In fact, it could change them forever. That's what providing quality personal home health care should be all about."
In his spare time, he cooks for homeless shelters and children's music and arts events. He also is highly involved in his local youth sports soccer academy as a coach and Board member.
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