Physical exercise is essential for health, yet many seniors have no interest in staying active. If your elderly loved one doesn’t see any point to exercising, it may take a little more effort to get him or her involved. Here are a few ways you can encourage your parent to start working out more often.
Volunteer to Exercise Together
People of all ages are more likely to exercise when they have someone doing it with them. A workout buddy provides motivation and also makes exercising more fun. One of the simplest ways to get seniors exercising is to ask them to do things like walk around the park together. It can be especially effective if you phrase your request like you want your loved one to do you a favor and keep you company.
Older adults who require assistance with exercise can benefit from professional in-home care. If your senior loved one needs hourly or live-in care, Naples Assisting Hands Home Care can help. Our caregivers can assist with exercise and mobility, prepare nutritious meals, provide timely medication reminders, and help with a wide array of other important daily tasks.
Find Entertaining Ways to Exercise
A lot of seniors resist working out because they feel they don’t want to spend their golden years plodding around a track or mindlessly lifting weights. If your loved one has this mindset, try to come up with ways to exercise that he or she will find more interesting.
Some seniors can be convinced to exercise with fun activities like hiking in nature, swimming in a community pool, or taking a dancing class. Others may be more interested in exercising with machines that let them row or bike while watching their favorite television shows.
Talk about the Benefits of Exercising
Some seniors resist exercise because they think it’s only useful to young people who want to stay in shape or run marathons. Discussing the benefits of exercise may be motivating for the elderly. Talk about how exercise reduces heart attack risk, prevents obesity, and manages diabetes. You can also mention that exercising increases balance, coordination, and strength so your loved one can remain independent and mobile.
During this talk, try to avoid sounding bossy or controlling. Instead, focus on how much you care about your loved one and how much you would like him or her to maintain better health.
Exercising on a regular basis isn’t the only way older adults can boost their health. Seniors who want to remain healthy as they age can benefit in a variety of ways when they receive professional home care service. Assisting Hands Home Care Naples is here to help your loved one accomplish daily tasks, prevent illness, and focus on living a healthier and more fulfilling life.
Start with Gentle Exercise
Many seniors try to go too hard in the first few exercise sessions. They get exhausted, overwhelmed, and possibly injured, so they end up losing the motivation to exercise. A better method of getting seniors into exercise is doing gentle exercise on a frequent basis. Something like twenty minutes of light cardio three times a week can be a good starting goal.
A home caregiver can provide the encouragement and support your loved one needs to stay motivated to live a healthier lifestyle. Home care agencies can be a great boon to seniors. With the help of the caregivers at Assisting Hands Home Care, your aging loved one can lead a happier and healthier life. Our caregivers encourage seniors to eat nutritious foods, exercise and socialize regularly, and focus on other lifestyle factors that increase life expectancy. To learn about our high-quality in-home care options, give us a call today.
