Strength training isn’t just for the young. For older adults, strength training maintains the bone and muscle health necessary for everyday activities such as putting away groceries, cleaning the house, and playing with grandchildren. Even better, strength training not only helps seniors maintain physical mobility and bone density, but it can also reduce the risk or address the symptoms of chronic conditions such as arthritis, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes. With so many benefits, it’s no wonder why more and more seniors are incorporating resistance training into their daily routines.
If you have concerns about your loved one’s ability to exercise safely, consider hiring a trained professional caregiver to provide assistance. Home care professionals can be a wonderful boon to seniors. Whether they require around-the-clock supervision or just need assistance with exercise and household tasks a few days a week, seniors can enjoy a higher quality of life with the help of trusted in-home caregivers.
If your aging loved one is interested in changing up his or her regular exercises, check out the following resistance training strategies.
Start Resistance Training Sessions
Seniors should do two or three strength-training sessions of approximately 15 to 30 minutes in duration each week on nonconsecutive days. To avoid injury, seniors need to warm up first with gentle stretches and 10 minutes of moderately intense cardiovascular exercise, such as walking, stationary cycling, or swimming.
Each exercise should be performed in sets of 8 to 12 repetitions. If your loved one can do two full sets of an exercise without resting in the middle of a set, increase resistance by adding a small amount of weight or resistance bands to ensure an effective workout. Use a sturdy chair for seated exercises and to help with balance during standing exercises.
If you usually help your loved one exercise but need a break now and then, hiring a home caregiver to take over on occasion is a great option. For some families, caring for a senior loved one can be overwhelming at times. Luckily, they can rely on professional respite care. Clearwater, FL, Home Care Assistance is a trusted name in respite and hourly care. Our caregivers are available around the clock to assist seniors with bathing, transportation, medication reminders, exercise, and much more, allowing families the time they need to focus on other important responsibilities or just take a break.
Choose the Right Exercises
Seniors need to do balanced workouts using all major muscle groups in both pushing and pulling directions. Overhead presses, bicep curls, and seated rows work the upper body, while side bends and twists develop core strength. Seated leg-straightening exercises, standing calf raises, back leg raises, and knee curls build lower body strength. Before starting new exercise programs, seniors and their caregivers should meet with healthcare providers to discuss activity restrictions and recommendations.
Assistance with exercising safely is just one of the benefits seniors receive when families enlist the help of trained professional caregivers. Clearwater in-home care experts are available to provide high-quality care to seniors on an as-needed basis. From assistance with mobility and exercise to providing transportation to the doctor’s office and social events, there are a variety of ways professional caregivers can help your aging loved one continue to live independently. Trust Home Care Assistance to provide high-quality compassionate professional care for your loved one. If your loved one needs help with the challenges of aging, call one of our compassionate Care Managers today at (727) 330-7862.