Companion Care at Home Helps Motivate Your Senior to Exercise
Companion Care at Home in West University Place, TX
Research has shown time and time again how beneficial staying active is for the aging senior. Besides staying physically fit and allowing your senior to be more active, regular exercise can benefit in numerous other areas of his life.
Benefits of Regular Exercise to Seniors
The key to getting the most benefits from exercising is being regular about it. Going out once a week for a long walk is nice, but making a point to try to get at least 30 minutes of exercise five times a week is better. It helps the muscles build up their strength and maintain it, rather than having to rebuild once a week. Besides stronger muscles, the other health benefits of regular exercise are plentiful and Companion Care at Home can help.
-
Reduced pain levels.
Those with chronic pain often find their pain levels reduced during and after exercise.
Improved anxiety and depression symptoms. Getting out and moving around can help alleviate some of the symptoms of mood disorders.
-
Better cognitive abilities.
Regular exercise gets blood flowing and helps areas of the brain to function better such as memory, problem-solving, and decision making.
-
Lowered disease risks.
Exercise can help reduce the risk of your loved one developing diseases such as cancer, diabetes, stroke, and heart disease.
Motivating Your Senior to Exercise
For some, exercise comes naturally, and they can’t imagine a day when they don’t get out and participate in some type of activity. But for others, exercise can appear overwhelming, confusing, and frustrating. For them, they’d rather avoid any type of planned exercise.
If your senior loved one falls in the second category, then one of your roles as his caregiver is to gently encourage him to begin a new habit of regular exercise. After explaining all of the benefits, he might finally be ready to start on this exercise journey, but there will be obstacles along the way and he might want to quit. As he comes across these roadblocks, he might try to tell you why he can’t exercise anymore. Here are four common reasons people use to quit and how you can help.
- “I can’t fit it into my schedule.” The good news is your loved one can exercise a little at a time, even three 10-minute exercise sessions are beneficial. Help your loved one find those moments in his day to exercise.
- “It’s boring.” The key to consistency is to love what he’s doing, so help him find a type of exercise that piques his interest. And if he loves one activity but then gets bored with it in six months, that simply means he needs to try a new one.
- “I’m lonely.” Some people don’t want to be on their own while they exercise. Having a friend or a companion care at home provider walk with him can keep him motivated. A companion care at home provider can also help with transportation if that is needed as well. Exercising with a companion care at home provider can boost his socialization health as well as his physical health.
- “I missed a day/week/month so now I can’t start again.” Remind your loved one that he can always restart his exercise program. If he had to stop for medical reasons, talk to his doctor about the best way to restart.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Companion Care at Home in West University Place, TX, contact the caring staff at Personal Caregiving Services at 832-564-0338. Providing Care in Houston, Bellaire, West University Place, Katy, Sugar Land, and the surrounding areas.
- 5 Reasons Why Your Senior Parent Needs In-Home Care Now - November 20, 2024
- The Essential Support Team for Seniors: Building a Circle of Care - November 6, 2024
- Companion Care at Home Helps Motivate Your Senior to Exercise - October 22, 2024