5 Surprising Tips For Helping Seniors Stay Active

If you have an elderly relative whose health is a concern, there is little you can do for them that is better than just simply keeping them active. Maintaining an appropriately active lifestyle is crucial to maintaining health and reducing risk of chronic physical and mental health problems. Here are some things you might not consider in terms of relatives or just helping seniors stay active and fit.

Tip 1: Talk to Their Doctor about Exercise

Although exercise is, in general, good for seniors, it can still pose risks. These risks increase if seniors undertake exercises that are not appropriate for their condition. Your relative’s doctor can suggest a range of activities that are appropriate.

 

Tip 2: Get Them Outside

It’s tempting to take your relative to some place indoors to exercise that may seem safer, such as a mall, community pool, or local gym, but at least some of their exercise should be taken in the great outdoors. Many seniors tend to spend an increasing proportion of their time inside. This deprives them of the many benefits of being outside, which includes mood improvement, exposure to fresh air, and changes of scenery that stimulate cognitive activity.

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Tip 3: Get Them New Dentures

It may seem surprising, but having properly fitting dentures can help seniors avoid a fall. Researchers looked at the frequency and severity of falls among seniors who either had enough teeth to give them proper occlusion or those that had new, properly fitting dentures and found that these seniors were less likely to fall. The ability to clench the jaw improved stability both when standing and when walking.

With added stability and confidence, seniors can get more exercise, which will help reduce their fall risk even further.

Tip 4: Balance the Benefits

The National Institute on Aging’s (NIA) guide to exercise focuses on four exercise goals:

  • Endurance
  • Strength
  • Balance
  • Flexibility

The NIA encourages seniors to get all four types of exercise to help promote health. Mixing up the types of exercise will also help reduce boredom for your relative, and will reduce the risk of strain from too much repetitive activity.

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Tip 5: Do It Together

According to a recent study, exercise is an important tool for combating depression in seniors. This is partly due to the energy and endorphins people get from exercise, but also partly due to being in the company of others. Making exercise more social will increase the positive impact of exercise.

Tip 6: Don’t Push Too Hard

With all the benefits of exercise, it can be easy to become too strong an advocate for exercise. Although in the short term you may be able to bully your relative into getting more exercise, they may not get the full benefit. In fact, pushing too hard can make your relative feel they aren’t in control of their own life, which may worsen depression, and may make them give up exercise before experiencing the benefits.

Plant a seed in the head of your relative, and nurture it, but don’t try to force it to grow. One day you may be surprised to learn that they’ve started without you.

 

Dr. Matthew B. Candelaria (PhD, U of Kansas 2006) is a freelance writer who writes on many subjects related to aging and seniors, including nursing home care and law, quality of life, and oral health.

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