Avoiding Exercise Is a Risk for Your Senior

By Andy Niska | December 13, 2018 |

Exercise may not be the most fun thing that your elderly family member has ever done, but if she keeps avoiding it she can experience some significant side effects. Adding tiny bits of activity here and there throughout her day can turn these problems around.

Elder Care in Spokane Valley WA: Avoiding Exercise Is a Risk for Your Senior

She May not Be Able to Age in Place.

The biggest problem your senior might encounter when it comes to avoiding exercise is that she may not be able to continue to live independently. For most aging adults, this is a crucial goal. Your elderly family member needs to be able to do certain things on her own in order to keep living in her own home on her own terms.

Health Issues can Get out of Hand.

So many of your senior’s current health issues can be controlled or managed by just a little bit of exercise. Make sure that you talk with her doctor to determine how much exercise is right for her. Exercising too much can be just as dangerous as exercising too little. Her doctor can also help her to keep track of how well the exercise she’s doing is helping her health issues.

Her Energy Levels can Plummet.

If your elderly family member is already experiencing trouble with low energy, she may be surprised to find that exercise can help. Although it seems as though exercise burns energy, it actually helps the body to manage energy resources a little bit better. She’ll also sleep better, which can also help her energy levels to rise.

She Might Become More Anxious.

Exercise is a simple and highly effective way to manage anxiety and other mood issues. Your elderly family member doesn’t have to exercise a lot in order to get these benefits, either. Just a little bit of extra movement each day can help her to experience a significant difference in her overall mood.

Her Bones can Weaken.

Exercise strengthens bones as well as muscles, which is crucial if your elderly family member is susceptible to osteoporosis. Weight-bearing exercise, like walking, is simple and it has a big impact on strengthening bones. Make sure that your elderly family member starts out slowly and gradually builds up to longer and more intense walks.

If your elderly family member is finally willing to exercise a little more often, it might be time to enlist the help of elder care providers. They can help her to feel more secure and safe while exercising and if she needs prompting, they can help her to remember when it’s time to get moving a little bit.

If you or an aging loved one are considering elder care in Spokane Valley, WA, please contact the friendly staff at Love at Home Senior Care, today. Call (509) 204-4088

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Andy Niska

Owner at Love In Home Senior Care

Andy has over 20+ years experience in the medical community and has a true compassion for seniors. With a degree in Health Care Administration, he developed a background in a variety of health care services that only comes from first hand experience. While working as a manager of a large clinic and as an account executive for medical suppliers. Andy has built valuable relationships with the medical community.

His role in Love In Home Senior Care is to educate people on what care choice is the best fit for the senior and their family while attempting to make this decision as stress-free as possible for everyone involved.

This decision making process should be smooth and stress free for everyone, including all family members and their loved ones. Having access to people with experience (like the team at Love In Home Senior Care) to assist you along the way can help this process. With an extensive background in health care, Andy has the experience needed to guide and direct your loved one to the choice that is the best fit.