As a family caregiver, you need to encourage healthy habits in your elderly parent. Physical activities should be just as routine as healthy eating and sleeping habits. Below are some of the ways you can promote physical fitness in a senior loved one and help him or her age gracefully.
Explain the Benefits of Healthy Living
If seniors understand how being physically active enhances their wellbeing, they might be more willing to exercise regularly. Explain the benefits of maintaining a good workout routine to your loved one, or you can have his or her doctor go over the health advantages.
Some of the top benefits include a boost to the immune system, better heart health, stronger muscles, and increased mental health. Let your parent know that staying fit could increase his or her odds of living independently.
Find Fun Activities
Exercising seems like a chore to many seniors because the activities aren’t to their liking. Family caregivers can change that by choosing exercises that are fun and beneficial. For example, if your loved one enjoys playing baseball or another sport, encourage joining a local team. Playing the game will be fun, and it can also boost bone health and increase cardiovascular endurance. Most sports only require sporadic activity, so you need to promote other healthy activities for your loved one, such as dancing, aerobics, swimming, and gym workouts.
If your loved one needs help exercising safely, hiring a home caregiver may be an ideal solution. Home care service professionals can be a wonderful boon to seniors. Whether they require around-the-clock supervision or just need assistance with exercise and household tasks a few days a week, seniors can enjoy a higher quality of life with the help of trusted in-home caregivers.
Make Exercising a Social Activity
Plan days to go walking with your loved one, or help him or her find exercise groups to join. Having someone to work out with can keep seniors motivated and help them achieve their goals.
Make sure to research senior-friendly exercise groups within the neighborhood and encourage your loved one to attend the classes to interact with others. While doing physical workouts, your loved one could develop friendships that boost his or her mental and emotional health. Having friends who understand the importance of staying fit could motivate your loved one to remain in good shape.
If you usually help your loved one exercise but need a break now and then, hiring a respite caregiver to take over on occasion is a great option. Orlando respite care professionals can assist seniors with a wide array of daily tasks, offering family caregivers the chance to focus on other personal responsibilities or take a break to prevent burnout. Whether it’s for a few hours a day or a few days a week, home care is the perfect solution for family caregivers who are feeling overwhelmed.
Manage Stress
Unmanaged stress can cause tightness in the muscles, which could lead to stomach pain, migraines, and other various types of discomfort. Engaging in physical activity can control stress and avoid stress-related issues.
You can promote healthy living by teaching your parent to understand anxiety and ways to alleviate it effectively. Since exercise is one of the best ways to combat stress, your loved one should have plans in place to handle stressful situations.
If your loved one is overwhelmed at home, he or she should go for a walk or work on gardening projects in the backyard. Provide a list of fun and easy exercises to do in times of distress. Having a list of positive stress management methods could keep your loved one physically and mentally fit.
Assistance with getting physically fit is just one of the benefits seniors receive when families enlist the help of trained professional caregivers. The type of home care Orlando seniors need can vary. Some need assistance a few hours a day, while others require more extensive around-the-clock assistance. At Assisting Hands Home Care, we tailor our care plans based on each senior’s individual care needs, and the plans can be adjusted at any time. We are a trusted provider of respite and 24-hour care, and we also offer specialized Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s, and stroke care for seniors. To hire a professionally trained caregiver for your parent, give us a call today.
