At Home Exercises for the Elderly: Keeping Your Senior in Shape

When it comes to home care, Always Best Care Burlington-Greensboro professionals know that there are many different facets of responsibility. Home care professionals are tasked with ensuring that seniors have a safe, clean living environment, that they dress daily, engage in personal hygiene activity, have access to healthy, nutritious meals, etc. One particularly important aspect of eldercare, though, is the provision of assistance with regard to exercise.

Seniors often cannot go for a jog or lift weights in the gym, but they do need to stay as active as possible in order to retain the highest degree of overall wellbeing. Keeping active can help seniors retain muscle and bone mass, which can assist in preventing injuries and staving off mobility issues. Below are some of the ways in which you can encourage your elderly loved one to exercise.

• Go for a daily walk. If your senior is fit and able, try walking at a brisk pace. If not, take it as slow as they need to. Aim for a 30 minute walk each day. 
• If your loved one is into gardening, encourage them to get out and tend to their plants. Gardening is a surprisingly great form of exercise, and if your senior needs assistance it offers a wonderful opportunity for you and other family members to spend quality time with your elderly loved one. 
• Follow the recommendations of your senior's doctor with regard to physical therapy. Oftentimes, appointments with physical therapists can lead to improved flexibility, mobility, and overall wellbeing. This is a particularly great option if your loved one has an injury or illness that has impacted their physical activity. 
• Have your senior try a yoga class. Yoga is a wonderful choice because it encourages flexibility and strength and allows for the modification of difficult moves, meaning that it is a fantastic form of exercise for individuals of all levels. 

Ultimately, you should strive to help your senior get at least 30 minutes of physical activity in each day—and more if possible. You certainly don't want your loved one to overdo it, but daily exercise can greatly improve their health and quality of life.