Getting up and moving can have a lot of advantages for seniors. When you move around regularly, you can help maintain strength, protect your balance, and make it easier for you to avoid dangerous falls. However, as mobility declines, many seniors find it difficult to keep moving. If you’re a senior looking for opportunities to move around more, or a caregiver looking for ways to help a senior get or stay more active at home, try some of these exercises and activities recommended by Belleville Senior Services in Belleville, NJ.
Use Exercise Machines
Do you have exercise machines at home that have been gathering dust in the corner for years? It might be time to break out your dust cloth and start using them again.
- Cycling is a great, low-impact activity for many seniors. Turn up or down the resistance on your exercise bike and try to maintain a pace that keeps your heart rate up.
- Walking on a treadmill can serve as a great daily source of exercise, especially if you need a way to get moving on rainy or cold days, when it can be harder to get out and walk the neighborhood or in a park.
- Using an elliptical machine can help you get moving while softening some of the impacts on your joints.
Take a look at what exercise machines you already have on hand and how you can integrate them into your daily schedule. If necessary, use the help of a caregiver to ensure you can get on and off safely.
Take Up Gardening
Gardening is a great way to stay active. You have weeds that need to be pulled, plants to put in the ground, and daily watering responsibilities. When you garden, you may find yourself getting up and down regularly. Many seniors find that gardening is a great way, in general, to stay active.
Go for Walks Around the Neighborhood
In good weather, going for a walk around the neighborhood is a great way to get a daily dose of exercise and boost your vitamin D thanks to the sunshine. Try taking different routes regularly to mix things up and see more of the neighborhood. You can also walk around your house or around your yard. Walking allows you to travel at your own pace and take breaks easily as needed.
Try Stretching or Senior-Friendly Yoga
Stretching is a great way to help maintain overall mobility. In many cases, seniors can improve their current mobility by integrating regular stretching into their activities. Try senior-friendly yoga or modify poses in a video to fit your needs. Over time, you may discover you have much better mobility and range of motion.
Engage in Strength-Building Exercises
There are several strength-building exercises you can do, many of which can be performed with the materials you already have on hand. For example, you may want to try leg lifts, shoulder rolls, or toe lifts. Use a can or a light weight to do bicep curls. Try doing wall push-ups to help build strength in your arms. As your strength grows, you can add in more exercises.
Play Fitness Games
There are many fitness games available that can help keep you active and encourage you to keep going. Games aren’t just for the younger generation! Wii Fit, for example, is a great option that will track your progress and encourage you to keep going. You may also want to engage in fitness challenges using a tracking watch: some trackers will allow you to share your daily step goals and progress, for example. Playing fitness games can help shake up the monotony and make it much more enjoyable.
Foster or Adopt a Pet
Pets can go a long way toward increasing overall activity and encouraging more movement. A dog, for example, will need to go on regular walks, which will encourage you to get outside. You might want to get out in the yard and throw a ball or play tug games. Your pet will need your care regardless of your mood, so having a pet can help encourage you to get moving even when you would prefer to spend your day sitting inside.
Practice Grip Exercises
As your hand strength deteriorates, it can cause a great deal of overall frustration. You may find it increasingly difficult to open your own jars or even take care of tying your own shoes. To help improve your grip, practice grip exercises. Balls, grip trainers, and even weights can help rebuild that vital hand strength or prevent it from deteriorating further, allowing you to maintain your independence longer.
Belleville Senior Services Can Help Seniors Stay Fit
If you have found yourself struggling to maintain your independence, Belleville Senior Services in Belleville, NJ, can help. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you stay more active, and learn about the domestic services and activities we provide.