Helping a Senior Who Resolves to Be More Active
Getting more physical activity is a New Year’s resolution that could benefit everyone, and if you are a family caregiver for an elderly adult who wants to get healthier, this can be an ideal goal for both of you. Helping a senior be a more physically active can help to support better mobility, stronger bones and joints, improved physical health, more energy, and an overall higher quality of life. As their caregiver, you can make a tremendous difference in their ability to make and pursue health goals, and help them to do so safely and in a healthy way.
Some ways you can help a senior who resolves to be more active in the New Year include:
Talk to their doctor about any physical challenges and the limitations they might have, and how these could impact their ability to be physically active. The doctor can give recommendations for how much physical activity they can safely perform when they get started, and specific types of exercise that would be safe and beneficial for them.
Find resources in your seniors area that can help them to stay more active and fun and engaging ways. Contact local community centers and fitness centers to find out if they offer classes specifically tailored toward older adults. Yoga, dance classes, and water aerobics are all fantastic choices for getting your parent more active while also encouraging them to enjoy themselves.
Gift them with tools and equipment they can use for their more active lifestyle. Workout clothing, shoes, a personalized water bottle, a pedometer, or fitness tracker can all represent your dedication to helping your parent and encouraging them along the way. Having these items can also act as extra motivation to keep them going so they can make use of the gift you gave them.
Find more ways to be active with your senior. When there is someone else who is involved in an activity or who is depending on them to participate, your senior is more likely to enjoy the activity and want to do it on a regular basis. Find classes you are both interested in to do together, explore new walking paths or hiking trails, start swimming at the gym, or even invest in new workout DVDs to do together.
Elderly care is not about taking control of your parent’s life or stopping them from living the lifestyle they want. Instead, bringing in an elderly home care services provider can actually be a powerful way to help your parent experience a more fulfilling life and feel more independent as they age in place.
Often senior adults must rely on their family caregiver to handle tasks such as running errands, transportation to doctor’s appointment, and helping keep their home environment clean and healthy. This can leave your parent feeling as though they have lost their autonomy.
An elderly home care services provider, however, can reduce this feeling and give the control back to your loved one. Transportation allows your parent to make their own schedule, run their own errands, and enjoy more activities and engagement in the world around them. Assistance with running errands allows your parent to make choices and express their own needs. Physical support and fulfillment of tasks allows your parent to participate in activities of daily living as much as appropriate for them and also enjoy a clean and healthy home environment on a regular basis even when they are unable to take on these tasks.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Elderly Care Services in Salisbury NC, please contact the caring staff at TenderHearted Home Care today. (704) 612-4132.
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