Making Walking a Part of a Healthy Lifestyle for Your Senior

Staying physically active is an important part of health for everyone, but it can be particularly important for an older adult.
Many seniors struggle with mobility issues and other limitations that keep them from being as active as they should be. This can further diminish their health and negatively impact mental and emotional well-being and quality of life. As a family caregiver, it is extremely important to help your parent find accessible and enjoyable ways to stay active as part of a healthy lifestyle. One of the easiest, most accessible, and also most beneficial is simply walking.

Elderly Care in Southampton NY: Healthy Lifestyle for Your Senior

Walking is often taken for granted, but it can be an extremely beneficial way to stay active and maintain a healthy lifestyle. For your elderly adult, it can be a great way to start being active, gradually increase activity after an illness or injury, or maintain activity even while dealing with challenges and limitations.

Use these tips to make walking a part of a healthy lifestyle for your senior:

-Talk to their doctor before getting started to make sure your senior is healthy enough to be active and to get recommendations and guidance for how much walking is good for them.

-Make sure your parent has the proper gear, including footwear that is well-fitted, supportive, and comfortable.

-Even though walking is a gentle form of exercise, it is still important to stay properly hydrated. Encourage your senior to drink plenty of water before, during, and after every walk to avoid dehydration.

-Don’t try too much, too fast. If you were just getting started, plan for short walks, remembering that as far as you walk with your parent, you have to walk that distance back so you don’t want to become overly tired.

-Find ways to integrate more walking into their regular daily life that goes beyond just planning for walks. This can mean parking a few extra spaces back in parking lots, entering a mall or department store through the door opposite of the departments you need to visit, using stairs as much as possible, and planning for active quality time together such as visiting gardens or zoos together.

If your elderly loved one is dealing with mobility issues such as balance problems, arthritis, loss of flexibility, dizziness, and more, you may worry that they are unable to live an active and healthy lifestyle.

Fortunately, the personalized services of an elderly care provider can help your parent to manage these issues while still staying active. This can protect your parent’s health and safety, while also encouraging more independence and a better quality of life. An elderly home care services provider can help your parent manage their mobility issues in a wide range of ways, including helping them navigate their home, supporting participation in tasks throughout their home such as doing laundry, encourage them to get out of the house more often, and helping them to participate in activities and exercises they enjoy, such as regular walks.

If you or an aging loved one is considering hiring Elderly Care in Southampton, NY, call the caring staff at Artful Home Care today at 631-685-5001.

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