While it’s important for anyone of any age group to exercise, it’s especially critical for older adults to keep fit and active. However, one challenge that many elderly face is the lack of motivation to get started, despite having sufficient time in their day to fit in an exercise routine. Thankfully, there are many effective ways of motivating seniors to exercise, which you can find out more about in this article.
Buddy Up and Hold Each Other Accountable
When you have someone to hold you accountable, you are more likely to persist in an exercise routine. Do you or your loved one have a friend or family member who can exercise with them? This can be anyone from their partner or spouse, a neighbor, or a friend who visits regularly.
Find an Activity You Enjoy Doing
If you don’t enjoy what you are doing, you will soon find that your motivation starts to ebb away. There’s no reason that exercising has to be boring: You can easily find an activity to suit your needs and that you actually look forward to doing. Enjoy spending time in nature? Hiking or even brisk walking will suit you perfectly. In addition, something as simple as gardening or chasing after the grandkids can also provide you with the physical activity you need.
Stick to a Routine
It can be easy to find excuses not to fit an exercise regime into your day. To avoid this, stick to an established routine, where you exercise at the same time on each allocated day. You may wish to start with three days a week and gradually increase the frequency as you go along.
Be Realistic
Another way to keep the elderly motivated to exercise is to keep expectations realistic. Obviously, an exercise regime that works for young adults will not be feasible for the elders, particularly if they struggle with mobility limitations or have knee pains. Lower-intensity workouts will be needed, and some examples of activities that put less pressure on the joints include swimming and water aerobics. When in doubt, you may wish to consult your or your loved one’s physician for a recommendation on the kinds of exercises that are best.
Keep Fit, Active, and Engaged When You Move In to Hidden Meadows On The Ridge
Hidden Meadows On The Ridge is a dedicated senior living community that offers personal care services and memory care on a stylish and modern campus. Some of our amenities include a beautiful bird aviary, outdoor walking paths, a games room, and so much more. With something always going on in our community, you can be sure of finding plenty of opportunities to keep fit, active, and engaged, both physically or mentally. Our senior-centered health & fitness program focuses on all aspects of health, and you can choose from a wide range of exercise classes to take part in or even opt to receive personalized instruction – it’s all up to you.
