Tips for Helping a Homebound Elder Get More Active

Elder Care Mooresville NC

Physical activity is critical at all stages in life, and that includes later adulthood. While some people think of the elderly years as a time when people should slow down and not do as much, this perception can actually lead to serious complications and consequences for your elderly loved one. Living a sedentary lifestyle can increase your parent’s risk of many problems, including falls, injuries, cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, joint problems, mental health issues, and more. Helping them to stay more active as they age can reduce these risks and help your parent stay healthier throughout their later years.

It can seem particularly challenging to help an elder who is not able to leave the home get and stay more active. Many forms of exercise require getting outside or joining a group or organization. Fortunately there are many options for physical activity that are ideal even for elders whose challenges and limitations keep them relegated to the house. Helping them to recognize these options and select the ones that are right for them can encourage your parent to make physical activity a more regular part of their daily care routine.

Try these tips to help your homebound elder get more active:

• Encourage them to help with housework. Your parent might not be able to take on all of the tasks of the home that they once did, but that does not mean that they cannot be involved at all. Even if you need to handle most of the work yourself, encourage your parent to go along with you. Have them walk with you throughout the home as much as they can, encourage them to help with basic elements of the tasks such as folding some of the laundry or putting away some of the dishes as their physical needs allow, or even have them go to the closet or pantry to find items for you as much as they can.

• Exercise machines. Gone are the days when all exercise machines were large, complicated, and bulky. The market now has many small, versatile options that are perfect even for those people who do not have full physical capacity or who do not leave the home. Look for machines that are small, compact, and enable your parent to perform exercises that are simple but still challenging.

• Dance. Dancing is one of the most beneficial and accessible forms of exercise that exists. Dancing burns calories, gets the heart pumping, and works muscles throughout the body. It also gets the mind sharp and active. Your parent does not need any particular skill or clothing to get the benefits of dancing. Simply put on a favorite song and start moving with them.

If you have been looking for ways to encourage your elderly parent to get and stay more active as they age in place, starting elder care for them might be the ideal solution. Regardless of the challenges and limitations that your aging parent is facing, an elder home care services provider can help them to identify the specific benefits that they might be able to get from being more active. They can then encourage them to find the types of activities that they enjoy and that are right for them so that they can enjoy more physical activity in their daily lives and the benefits that that activity can bring. The highly personalized services of this care provider are designed not just to offer physical support but mental and emotional support as well.

This means that your elderly loved one will not only stay safer and healthier as they pursue a more physically active lifestyle, but that they will remain more motivated and confident throughout their later years as well. If your elderly adult has become housebound due to the challenges and issues that they are facing, this help can be particularly beneficial. Companionship, encouragement, and physical assistance can encourage even a senior who has not been able to leave their home to find ways to keep their body healthy, strong, and resilient.

If you or an aging loved one are considering Elder Care Services in Mooresville NC, please contact the caring staff at Tender Hearted Home Care today. (704) 612-4132.