Your senior might want to be a little more active, but that’s easier said than done, especially if she’s been spending a lot of time not moving as much as she used to. Always be sure to talk to your senior’s doctor about how she should be moving and what movements are safest for her.
Incorporate Movements Where Sitting Usually Happens
Lots of daily activities, like watching TV, are typically activities that happen while sitting. If you can incorporate a little bit of movement, even if it’s leg lifts and ankle circles, that can be a huge help for your senior. Consider things like standing during commercials and stretching together. Even smaller movements count.
Build on Movements Your Senior Makes Now
Your senior likely still makes more movements than she realizes, even if she sits for most of the day. You can build on those to help her to move a little bit more. By gradually increasing those movements, like stretching once more per day than she already does, you can help her to build her stamina. As your elderly family member is able to add movements, she can start to see the progress she’s making.
Getting up a Little More Often Can Help
Increasing movements helps, but so can getting up a little more often. This is incredibly helpful if your elderly family member has been sitting a lot lately and doesn’t really feel like moving. Try doing things like walking around the room at a slow pace with her when a commercial comes on during her favorite show. This isn’t about wearing your senior out, it’s more about helping her to build her stamina.
Look for Other Ways to Incorporate Movement
The benefit of starting out slowly and adding movements as your senior is able to is that her stamina improves little by little. Talk to her doctor about how she can build on that progress and add even more movement to her lifestyle. She doesn’t have to go all out. This is about helping her to hold onto a little of the muscle tone that she still has.
If your senior doesn’t like calling this exercise, call it movement or moving and leave it at that. Home care providers can help her to move a little bit more, too, so that’s an option if you’re not able to be there with your senior as much as you want to be.
IF YOU OR AN AGING LOVED ONE IS CONSIDERING HOMECARE IN SMITHFIELD, NC, PLEASE CONTACT THE CARING STAFF AT SENIORS HELPING SENIORS TODAY. CALL (919) 761-5346.