The older a person gets, the more important it is to encourage exercise. However, exercise can also get more difficult with age. Even though it is more difficult, it is very important because when people become more sedentary with age, they start to lose their mobility. If your parents are living in an assisted living facility for seniors, this is even more important. Use these exercises to effectively help your parents exercise more.
1. Short Walks
Walking is one of the most important exercises you can go with your loved one. They spend a lot of their time sitting and getting them up and moving can do a lot for their health in the long run. There are many benefits to walking for seniors and if you can convince them that this is a good thing to do, then you can help them enjoy these benefits. Even if they cannot go on a long walk, getting them up and moving for a short time can also help them tremendously. In fact, just 30 minutes per day is recommended and if you have to break that up into smaller increments, then you will still see the benefits for them.
2. Aerobic Exercises
Aerobic exercises are a good option for seniors who may have arthritis or other joint pain. This is a good way to get them moving but still provide a low impact exercise for them. The drawback to this is that you cannot do this without an aerobic facility. You should look into finding one close by the the assisted living home and try to take them once or twice per week for this kind of activity. You may even find some local classes for them to enjoy.
3. Stretching
Stretching is a good exercise that you can do with them without going anywhere. There are lots of good stretching exercises that you can do and you can even switch things up to keep your senior from getting bored with the exercise. These exercises will help with their range and freedom of movement.
4. Strength Training
This may sound a bit scary but it is important to keeping muscle mass. You should try to incorporate a bit of strength training into the day even if it only includes smaller weights for a short amount of time. This is important to helping them keep their mobility and strength as well.
Even if your parents cannot do a lot, it is still important to help them do as much exercise as they can. These are easy ways for you to help them become more active and even prolong their life. If you are looking for an assisted living facility in Colorado, Oregon, or Idaho, be sure to contact us today for more information.
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