Tips for Keeping Active and Healthy Even with Low Mobility
We take many things for granted in our youth. One of which is our mobility. We don't doubt that we can get up and cross a room with ease. For aging adults, it is a different matter entirely. Age reduces one's ability to get out of a chair, let alone cross a room or navigate a flight of stairs. If your mother struggles with mobility, she may get frustrated and decide to give up trying. As her caregiver, it's up to you to encourage and offer her options for keeping active and maintaining her health. One huge benefit for you and Mom is choosing professional home care workers to aid her when you cannot be present.
7 Tips to Keep Active Even when Mobility Is an Issue
There are many health benefits to being active. For example, Dad can maintain his weight and ward off certain medical conditions, such as diabetes. Low mobility shouldn't be a reason for not exercising. Here are some suggestions to help your senior:
- Some Activities May Need to be Adjusted: Your parent may have loved jogging but can no longer do so. Perhaps he can take up water fitness like ‘aqua jogging' to keep his strength and cardio fitness levels up.
- Look for Heart-Healthy Activities: Help your loved ones keep their circulation going with heart-focused exercises. For example, Dad may have loved his 10-speed bicycle. Now, he can ride a stationary bike and get many of the same benefits.
- Don't Forget the Weights: Strength training challenges the body and helps keep muscles and bones strong. Building up strength keeps Mom from falling easily because it encourages better posture and balance. The best part is that free weights can be used standing up or sitting down, and resistance bands can be used sitting down.
- Flexibility Is Vital: Another area that needs to be addressed is Mom's flexibility. Look for stretches or yoga routines online or at the local community centre. Contrary to what many people may believe, yoga does not necessarily involve sitting down on the floor. Many stretches can be done from a chair.
- Encourage Dad to Choose Activities He Likes: Exercising that isn't fun will not be done. Take away the tediousness of things and ask Dad what activities he likes to do. Start there and build upon those as his strength increases.
- Remind Them to Start Slow and Build Up: No matter your senior's current activity level; they need to start slow. As their bodies strengthen, they can increase their activities.
- Understand That Things Will Happen: The goal is to stick to it; however, life will happen, and a streak of eight days may get interrupted. Help them understand that this will happen and encourage them to start the next day again.
Low Mobility Doesn't Have to Impede Good Health
Being active with mobility limitations is frustrating, but it is possible. Your senior will love the increased physical and mental health benefits of regular activity, even if it looks different from what they thought. To help them stay up on movement and nutrition, look for the services of a professional caregiver from Home Instead Ottawa. We focus on aiding the elderly in keeping healthy and living on their own for as long as possible. A professional CAREGiver can help with cooking nutritious meals, home chores, companionship, medication reminders and more. Contact us about a tailored plan to support you or your elderly loved one.
Call us at (613) 599-6906 to schedule a no-obligation, in-home consultation. Learn more about the compassionate, quality senior care we deliver, every day, to families in Ottawa, Kanata, Nepean, Orleans, Rockliffe, Alta Vista, New Edinburgh, Manor Park, Stittsville, Barrhaven, Manotick, Sandy Hill, Hunt Club, Vanier, Richmond, Carleton Place, Gloucester, Kemptville.