Has your senior been slowing down as she’s aged? That’s not unusual at all, but too little physical activity can be really bad for her overall well-being. These ideas can help you and your elderly family member to put together a plan that helps her to not only get more active, but to enjoy doing so as much as possible.
Have Some Dance Parties
When you want your elderly family member to be more physically active, there’s nothing like putting on some music and having a great time moving to the music. This is a lot of fun, first of all, but it’s also something that literally anyone can do. Even if your senior is not incredibly mobile, she can still dance in her chair. Over time, she can start to become stronger and build her stamina. And the right playlist can be super motivational.
Make Sure She Has Ways to Be Social
Often when seniors slow down in one area, they’re slowing down in others, too. One such example could be that your elderly family member isn’t being as socially involved as she used to be. Withdrawing from social engagements can cause her to withdraw from being more active in other ways as well. Having senior home care providers stopping in to spend time with your elderly family member can help her to want to be more active in general.
Find Games She Enjoys
Lots of games involve getting up and being more active, even some video games. Explore a bit with your senior and see if you can find games that she enjoys. If you already know of some that she loves, make it a point to play those games more often. It’s also a good idea to let home care providers know what games your senior enjoys so that they can suggest them, too.
Prioritize Rest
Another factor that is easy to forget when it comes to being more active is that your senior needs more rest. If she’s not getting quality sleep and plenty of rest right now, her body may be exhausted and not really up for moving more. Finding ways to ensure that your senior is getting the rest and the sleep that she needs is an important beginning step.
Help Her Establish Routines that Support Moving More
It also helps to have routines that make it easier for your senior to be more active. Senior home care providers can help your elderly family member to put together routines that move her through all of the activities she wants to get into each day. Once those routines are in place, it’s about refining them to make sure that they truly support your senior’s daily needs.
If your elderly family member hasn’t been moving much for a long time or she’s concerned about exercising, talk with her doctor about what she should do. That gives your elderly family member a solid framework that she can follow and her doctor can support her as she gradually becomes more active.
Source
https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/older_adults/index.htm
If you or an aging loved one is considering senior home care in Broadview, MT, call the caring staff at SYNERGY Home Care of Billings today. 406-839-2390
