If your senior’s doctor agrees that exercise would be a good idea for her, you might want to talk to your elderly family member about walking. Walking is one of the easiest and most effective exercises your senior could take up. The big key is consistency for her to get the most out of her new walking routine. Elder care aides could help her keep to her commitment and ensure her safety.
Walking Strengthens Bones
Walking uses the big muscles in your senior’s legs and core. It also keeps joints moving and lubricated. But more than that, it is weight-bearing exercise, which means that it can help your senior to keep her bones strong as well. This is vital if your senior’s bones are getting weak or if she’s at risk for developing osteoporosis.
Walking Helps to Control Weight
Whether your senior needs to lose a few pounds or she simply wants to maintain her weight, walking is an easy choice. Walking helps to burn calories that seriously add up over time. As your senior walks more, she may also find that her body starts to want healthier foods, too. Both of these changes combined could mean that it’s easier than ever before for your senior to get to and to maintain her goal weight.
Walking Keeps Her Heart Strong
Because it’s aerobic exercise, walking is excellent for your senior’s heart. As your senior walks more, her heart and lungs become stronger. Walking can also lower your senior’s risk of developing other health issues, like high cholesterol and diabetes.
Walking Boosts Mood
Exercise of all types, including walking, helps to release endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine. That alone can help to boost mood. But simply being more active can be enough to boost your senior’s mood, too. Part of that can come from being outside in fresh air more often or just from moving her body more.
Walking Can Help Your Senior to Sleep Better
Even a little bit of exercise can burn off excess energy and help your senior to sleep better. That’s huge if she has issues with getting to sleep at night or with staying asleep overnight. When she does sleep, she’s likely to rest better, which means that she feels more energized when she wakes up in the morning.
Elder Care Aide Can be a Walking Buddy
Having a walking buddy is a good idea, especially if your elderly family member has been more sedentary recently. Whether your senior walks with a friend or with an elder care provider, it’s important that she’s able to walk as safely as possible.