Exercise Is Essential to Your Dad’s Well-Being
Your dad’s physical and mental health requires more than doctor’s check-ups and a healthy diet. He needs to exercise regularly. Take a closer look at why exercise is essential to his well-being.
The Benefits of Exercise
Home Care in Broomall, PA: Seniors and Exercise
When you exercise, you get the blood flowing throughout the body. It provides oxygen to all of the organs. It also helps boost blood chemicals that help ease stress and tension and make you feel happier.
It’s especially helpful to get outside and feel the sun, breathe fresh air, and enjoy the sounds of nature. All of this reduces the chances of chronic anxiety, lowers your blood pressure, and helps strengthen the heart.
Exercise that’s performed regularly can help with weight loss. Losing weight lowers the risk of diabetes and chronic conditions like arthritis and high blood pressure. It can help reduce bad cholesterol levels.
How Much Exercise Does He Need?
Current advice is to get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week. Your dad could get this much by taking a brisk walk for half an hour every day. But, his health and mobility may change this. Always ask his doctor for guidance.
Your dad’s balance and stamina may impact his willingness to exercise. He may have arthritis and resist moving around. To get him past these common hurdles, make sure someone is able to accompany him. If he’s not alone, he will be more likely to take a walk.
Exercise Programs That Improve Balance
Your dad needs to improve his balance. Yoga and Tai Chi are two programs to consider. They help tone muscles and improve balance while helping to reduce stress, too.
Get him to go outside for a walk in nature. Look for parks that have paved trails or boardwalks. If he’s walking around in the sun and fresh air while watching birds and wildlife, he’ll want to keep going.
Great Exercises When His Mobility Is Limited
When your dad does experience severe arthritis pain, how do you get him to exercise? It hurts him to stand up, so he refuses to participate.
Move to a pool. His buoyancy in the water will alleviate the pain in his joints. Plus, the water adds resistance, which works his muscles. He’ll gain strength while cooling off in the pool.
Look at chair exercise routines. He can work his leg, back, and arm muscles from a chair. As he gains strength, he can move to a mix of chair exercises and exercises he completes while standing up.
Would your dad exercise more if he had a caregiver around? The odds are high that companionship services and home care assistance will help him stay motivated and mobile. Talk to a home care assistance specialist about having caregivers help your dad with ambulation, exercise routines, and companionship.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Home Care in Broomall, PA please contact the caring staff at True Direct Home Health Care today.
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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