There are many senior citizens who don’t exercise regularly. Some of them physically can’t find an exercise program that works for them. Others may be bored with exercising or just not have the motivation to exercise regularly. Are you trying to find ways to keep your elderly loved one motivated enough to exercise? If so, there are some tips that you can use to increase their motivation to exercise. When you can’t be there, rely on home care to keep your senior moving safely throughout the day.
Finding Simple, Fun Ways to Add Exercise into the Daily Schedule
One of the best ways to motivate anyone to exercise is to make things simple and fun. For example, if all your elderly loved one has to do to exercise is do a few planks throughout the day while they watch a commercial on television, they may be more motivated to do that than to run a 5k. In addition, if you can make things fun for your elderly loved one when it comes to exercise, that can make a huge difference in their motivation level, too. For instance, if a home care provider turns music on for your elderly loved one to dance or move around to while they are doing laundry, that is much more fun than doing laundry in silence. That allows them more physical activity while doing this task, too.
Fit Exercise Into the Day
Another way to keep or get your elderly loved one motivated to exercise daily is to find ways that it can fit into their day easily. If exercising sessions are too long or too complicated, your elderly loved one (just like many other senior citizens and even younger adults) aren’t likely to stick with it. Some of the best ways to fit exercise into the day include:
- Going for a morning walk
- Holding a plank while watching television
- Dancing around the house while doing chores
- Doing jumping jacks while waiting for their favorite show to come back on
- Taking a walk outdoors in the afternoon with a home care provider or family caregiver
These are all easy ways for your elderly loved one to fit exercise into their day.
Other Ways to Get Your Elderly Loved One Motivated to Workout
Hopefully, the tips above can get your elderly loved one to workout more regularly. However, even if they don’t, there are some other simple, but effective, ways to get them moving more, as well. Some of these ideas include:
- Taking the stairs instead of elevators
- Walking with someone later in the evening
- Walking down the road to see a friend instead of driving
- Park further out in the parking lot instead of close to the front doors
- Join a fitness center
These are some of the other ways that you can get your elderly loved one moving more often.
Conclusion
Has your elderly loved one been a bit too inactive lately? Do they need regular motivation to exercise? If so, don’t hesitate to share these tips with them today. Hopefully, at least a few of these ideas will encourage them to stick with a fitness or exercise program.
Sources
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/staying-motivated-exercise-tips-older-adults
If you are considering home care in Memorial, TX, for an aging loved one, please call the caring staff at At Your Side Home Care. We will answer all of your senior care questions. Call today: (832) 271-1600.
Our Certified Nurse Aides, 24-Hour Live-in Assistants and Home Health Aides are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We also provide the security and confidence of 24-hour Telephone Assistance, so fast, reliable help is always available when it's needed. To learn more about our homecare services see our homecare services page.
Different people need different levels of homecare. To meet the requirements of our clients, At Your Side Homecare maintains consistent staffing levels of caring professionals. Homecare service is available for as little as a few hours a week, or as many as 24 hours a day, seven days a week
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