You might have finally convinced your aging adult that it's time to start exercising, but you need a plan. She needs to be as safe as possible while she's exercising and that means that you need to do some groundwork first.
Safety Is the Most Important
No matter what else is going on with your aging adult's exercise plan, her overall safety is the most important factor. Talk with her doctor first to ensure that exercise is okay for her and figure out what she can reasonably do. From there, you might want to consider hiring home care providers who can help her to stick with her routine and stay safe as well. They can ensure that she's not overdoing it and that she's got someone there with her while she's being active.
Covering the Major Types of Exercise
There are four major categories of exercise that cover flexibility, balance, strength training, and cardio. Ideally you're going to want your senior's exercise plan to hit all four of those major types of exercise. If she's open to trying a variety of different activities that's going to be much easier to do. Some ideas to consider can include water aerobics, walking, resistance band training, and yoga.
Consistency Is Important
Consistency is what is really going to help exercise to pay off for your aging family member. If she's exercising intermittently, she might start to see some results and then lose them again when her exercise routine tapers off again. She doesn't have to do a lot of exercise. Just a little bit each day can give her the consistency that she's looking for without wearing her out.
Watch for Signs of Trouble
One of the biggest conversations to have with your senior's doctor is the one about what you should watch out for in terms of problems. Your senior's individual health issues are going to ultimately dictate what types of problems she might encounter. For instance, if she has COPD, she might experience shortness of breath much more rapidly. Learn what the big red stop signs are for her so that you can help her to stay safe while still exercising.
No matter what types of health issues your senior is facing she can make some improvements. Even a little bit of exercise can be enough for her to see results. Remember that she doesn’t have to push herself too much in order to start seeing some serious benefits.
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