Staying active means staying alert. Exercise is known to not only look after our physical health but emotional well-being too. And yet, it is so easy for good exercise habits to drop away especially when we feel aches and pains or we don’t feel well enough to participate.
As a home carer, you will want your companion to remain active, simply because the benefits far outweigh the negatives. But how do you encourage exercise in the elderly – especially if your companion is not particularly interested?
Make exercise a regular part of the day and week
Encouraging elderly people to exercise isn’t much different to how we need to stay motivated to remain active – routine.
As soon as something becomes a habit, we tend to do it without thinking or without seeing it as problematic. According the No Place Like Home Report, the majority of elderly people wanting to stay in their own homes in preference and so for home carers, encouraging them to exercise will be part of ensuring they get the most from life.
Regular exercise such as a short walk every day is essential but also making an effort to attend a group class once a week can be useful too. There are all kinds of options from going to the gym – many hold specific sessions for older people – to dance classes and more.
Try something new
It’s really important that exercise matches the current fitness level of the person you are caring for. Some people are more active than others but exercise should always be enjoyable and not a chore.
Which is why trying something new can be a great way to encourage your companion to stay active. From yoga to Pilates to working out at the gym to enjoying open-air sessions to park runs, there are so many new and exciting challenges to try.
Do something they enjoy
Unfortunately, many of us still have bad memories of being made to do certain kinds of exercise or for the older generation in particular, that some activities are not for women and some exercise routines suit men better.
We largely know that a lot of this is simply not true. Having said that, it is important that you encourage your companion to do something that they enjoy, as well as challenging themselves.
Dancing is great for stability, strength and balance. Look for sessions such as chair exercise sessions specifically for older people with mobility issues as well as other activity sessions that promise exercise and socialising too.
Staying active is important
Staying active in body and mind is important at any age. Encouraging your companion to stay active is part of being a live-in home carer. If you’re interested in being a home carer and what is expected of the role you can find out more at The Live In Care Hub (www.liveincarehub.co.uk). For some carers, it takes a while for their companion to come round to the idea of exercising, especially if they have not done much before, but you and they are sure to reap the benefits.
