Getting more active physically is something your senior might have been talking about for a while. But how can you go about helping her to do this in the best way possible?
Get Your Senior the Information She Needs
Talk to your senior’s doctor about exercise, about the amounts and types of exercise she needs, and how exercise is specifically going to benefit your senior. Make sure that you share all of that with your elderly family member, as well. All of that is going to help her to keep making the right decisions for her in terms of being more active and improving her strength and overall health.
Slow Is Better than Fast
Lots of people make the mistake of just jumping right into a new exercise program. But that’s not the way to go, especially for your senior. Your goal here is to help her to become more active so that she can maintain that level of activity. That means that she needs to take things slowly and let her body adjust. That’s going to benefit her far more than forging ahead too quickly.
Explore a Variety of Different Exercises
There’s no one right way for your senior to exercise. In fact, she might need to explore a bit before she finds the activities that she enjoys. Encourage your elderly family member to try out a variety of different types of activities. In the end, what matters is that she’s willing to move more. As she’s exploring different activities and options, she’s going to be moving more. That’s a win. And when she finds the exercise that she loves, that’s an even bigger win.
Keep the End Goal in Mind
Ultimately, what will help the most for both you and your senior is to keep the end goal in mind. This isn’t about making her miserable or making her do something she doesn’t want to do. Talk to your senior about how you can help her to enjoy being a little more active, even if that means helping her to find an exercise buddy. Senior care providers can be great companions in general, but especially while your senior is exercising. They can watch for signs of trouble and offer a friendly and encouraging word at the same time.
As your senior starts to experience the benefits of being more active, she’ll get more excited about moving more. The trick is to help her enjoy the process.
If you or an aging loved one is considering senior care in Columbus, MT, please contact the caring staff at SYNERGY HomeCare Billings today at 406-839-2390.
