5 Tips to Help Seniors Stay Active
To some, senior living means slowing down and shifting to a more sedentary lifestyle. However, as you age, staying physically active becomes more important than ever. Regular exercise helps adults remain healthy and reduces the risk of chronic conditions like dementia, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. Here are a few ways your senior loved ones can boost their fitness levels.
How to Keep Seniors Active
1. Dance Classes
Dancing is a fun way to work out while socializing with friends and meeting new people, which is especially important for elderly adults living alone. Many fitness facilities, dance studios, and community centers offer a diverse selection of dance classes for students of all ages and skill levels. Whether it’s salsa, ballroom, or line dancing, seniors will get the chance to learn new moves that they can practice at home.
2. Walks
Even daily 30-minute walks can provide the physical activity necessary to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Your loved one can alternate between the neighborhood, parks, nature trails, and arboretums to keep routes interesting. This is a good opportunity for seniors to reconnect with nature and get some much-needed sun and fresh air. If your loved one needs assistance walking, senior living caregivers can help guide them and provide stability.
3. Water Aerobics
Water-based exercises boast a wide range of health benefits for seniors. Working out in water is much easier on muscles and joints, which are more susceptible to injury as you age. Engaging in activities like water aerobics can help improve mood and overall mental health, enhance joint mobility and reduce pain in patients with arthritis, and improve health-related quality of life.
4. Chair Exercises
For seniors who are stuck at home and unable to engage in moderate-intensity workouts, seated exercises can provide light physical activity. Chair yoga may help improve joint flexibility and function, lower stress, and decrease joint pain. Seniors with limited mobility can maintain muscle strength from doing leg raises, light stretching, and lifting light weights.
5. Fitness Games
Fitness-centered games offer an engaging physical and social activity for the whole family. It may take time for some seniors to learn the system and game mechanics, but if you or your children play often, you can show them how it works when you visit. This opens ample opportunities for family bonding while helping everyone get some exercise.
If your elderly loved one needs some assistance staying active, reach out to Harmony In-Home Healthcare Inc. in St. Louis, MO. As a locally owned and operated home health agency, their team is dedicated to giving your loved one the care and assistance they need to continue living comfortably and independently. Their highly qualified team offers various personalized senior living services, such as meal preparation, hygiene assistance, household chores, and companionship. Visit their website to learn more about their services. To request in-home senior care, call (314) 752-4444.
