So many people assume that once you hit a certain age, you don’t have to take care of your body anymore. However, even if seniors can’t engage in competitive sports after a certain age, it doesn’t mean it’s not important for them to take care of themselves and stay healthy. If you want to find some of the best exercise ideas for seniors, ask your Ft Myers Senior Care Provider or read on. No matter how uninspired the senior in your life may be, these tips will help them get back on their feet.
Start With Stretches
Before you start encouraging your parent to go on a mile-long run, start with the easy stuff. When it comes to seniors and exercise, it pays to be as gentle as possible. That doesn’t just mean doing warm-ups and easing into the process. Ideally, stretches can be a form of exercise that people of any age can easily integrate into their routine. Starting with a few simple yoga poses can go a long way with aiding digestion and keeping aging limbs limber.
Keep It Simple
Many people who are just starting out with exercise often assume it pays to go hard or go home. However, a wiser tactic is to keep things slow and gentle at the start. This goes double for seniors, who might have pre-existing health issues or feel intimidated by certain forms of high-impact exercise. Encourage seniors to start out with long walks, a few laps in the pool, or an aqua aerobics class to ease into long-term exercise.
Make It a Routine
Even the most dedicated fitness buffs need a way to integrate their exercise schedule into their day in a way that makes sense. For seniors, it’s no different. The best way to create an exercise routine that’s actually going to stick is to make sure it doesn’t feel like a chore. This is especially important for seniors with limited mobility who don’t have access to a car or reliable public transportation. Because it’s hard to get to the gym every day, it’s always a better idea to set up a few at-home exercises for strength training that can be easily completed at the start or end of each day. That way, getting in some exercise won’t feel like an intrusion or another stressful task to be completed.
Make It Social
For seniors and younger adults, it can be difficult to get motivated enough to head to the gym or the pool on a regular basis. Something that makes it a lot easier is turning a mundane exercise routine into a fun social activity. Seniors can invite friends along for long walks, low-impact hikes, or even aerobics classes to make fitness feel a bit more fun. Getting fit can also be a great family activity, especially if your senior loves to swim. What’s better than a day at the pool or at the beach with the entire family? If you want to make exercise a more organic part of your senior’s life, making it a social activity can help sweeten the deal.