Getting your senior excited about exercising might seem like a lost cause at first, but it doesn’t have to be. Your elderly family member’s doctor may have recommended exercise, so stick to those guidelines when you help her to plan out her new routine. Sticking with that exercise plan may be the trickier part.
Establish Goals from the Beginning
Goals sound intimidating, but they’re a necessary part of any plan. Having a goal gives your senior something to strive for with this new exercise plan. The goal needs to be something concrete and measurable because that’s going to allow her to know when she’s achieved it. Short-term as well as long-term goals give her a healthy mix of motivations.
Track Progress
When your senior doesn’t track how far she’s come and how close she is to her goals, she doesn’t have a way to know all of that. It’s way too easy to feel discouraged on the path to being more active. An exercise log helps her to see over time how far she’s come and what all she’s done that gets her closer to where she wants to be. She might also want to track how exercise makes her feel.
Encourage Her to Have a Partner
If your elderly family member has a friend or family member who wants to exercise, too, it might be helpful to have a partner or buddy along this journey. An exercise buddy also means that your elderly family member isn’t alone when she’s exercising, which might be an important safety consideration. Exercise can improve your elderly family member’s balance, but if she’s not balancing well now, she’ll need to work up to that stage.
Find Ways to Keep Exercise Fun and Easy
You really need to help your senior to keep exercise as fun and as easy as possible. If it isn’t both, she’s not going to want to keep going. Simple activities that she truly enjoys are the best option and if you remove as many obstacles as possible, that’s going to give her the best head start. Some people enjoy mixing activities up, so consider that as well.
If your elderly family member finds some of these ideas tedious, she might find it helpful to have someone else taking over those tasks. Senior care providers can help her keep track of an exercise journal, for instance. They can also help to ensure she’s safe while she’s exercising.
If you or a family member are in need of hiring Home Care Services in Pembroke Pines, FL, call the caring professionals at Star Multi Care today at (954) 870-4770. Providing service in Boca Raton, West Palm Beach, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, Weston, Southwest Ranches, Pembroke Pines, Cooper City, Lighthouse Point, and Wilton Manors.
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