How to Get Your Elderly Loved One to Exercise

Staying physically active is essential to maintaining overall health across all age groups. Most adults struggle to remain active as they age. A sedentary lifestyle may increase the risk of developing serious health conditions such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and memory loss.

You may be having trouble getting your elderly mom or dad to exercise. Here are five tips you can use to motivate your loved one to stay fit through workouts.

Hire a Personal Trainer

Exercise can boost your loved one’s immunity, improve cognitive function and keep them lean and fit. An excellent way to get your loved one to work out is to search for a personal fitness instructor for them.

You can start with the local gyms around you. Ensure that the instructor has undergone a personal trainer course with a specialization in senior fitness. A trained professional can authoritatively recommend a workout program that minimizes the risk of injury.

Enrol Your Loved One in a Senior Fitness Class

Group classes are perfect in ensuring that your mom achieves the recommended daily or weekly physical activity. Most fitness centres have special programs tailored for the elderly. The gyms may also have equipment suitable for use for senior clients.

Besides, your loved one may take the opportunity to bond with other class members of the same age. The meet-ups can help your elderly loved one socialize and reduce boredom. Ensure that a trained instructor runs the senior fitness program.

Offer to Exercise with Them

If your loved one is hesitant about working out with strangers, you can volunteer to exercise with them. Your family members may be open to participating in an activity if other people are doing it too. You can start with simple exercise such as a walk to the park.

You can also download a video-recorded workout suitable for seniors and follow the routine together with them. Participating can provide you with an opportunity to bond with your loved ones while ensuring that they do not hurt themselves during the exercise.

Start Small

You may need to be open to the possibility of an initial rejection from your elderly loved one. You can start small and easy exercises that they can handle. You can focus maybe on two 30-minute sessions every week and gradually increase the frequency.

Present the workout as fun. Your loved one may look for ways to avoid working out if the exercises turn out to be a gruelling chore. You can work with your parents to set out their fitness goals and slowly work towards them.

Get Your Loved One’s Physician on Board

You can also enlist the help of your loved one’s geriatric manager or physician to nudge your parent to a fitter lifestyle. The doctor can carry out pre-screening checks and provide recommendations for exercises that your loved one can participate in.

Most older adults trust their doctor’s word. The physician encouraging your loved one to exercise may be the final push that gets them to the senior-friendly gym.

Conclusion

Physical workouts and exercises are essential in keeping elderly adults fitter, healthier, and with a sharper mind. You can use the tips above as a guideline to motivate your loved one to consider exercising.

Pin it!