As a person’s body ages, there will be physical challenges to overcome. For example, an individual might not have the same level of strength as they once did in their 20s or 30s.
For that reason, seniors should prioritize staying fit and healthy as they get older. Keeping their body functioning on the right foods, drinks, and levels of exercise will stand them in good stead as they approach their golden years.
You’re probably reading this blog post today because your aging parents might not be taking their health and wellbeing as seriously as they should, or perhaps they want to know the best ways of staying fit and active as they get older.
The following inspirational ideas will help them onto the path of healthier living:
1. Nursing Home Activities
If one or both of your aging parents are in a nursing home, it’s worth encouraging them to participate in activities provided at their place of residence.
Each week they will likely have an abundance of group activities they can join with other residents. Some of those activities will involve some physical exercise, such as aerobics. Talk to your parents and determine which activities they will enjoy the most to keep them fit and healthy.
Note that if they feel lethargic or unwilling to participate in anything, and there’s no medical reason for it, that could be a sign that things aren’t good at their nursing home. In extreme cases, you may even need to talk to a nursing home abuse attorney.
2. Yoga
One of the great things about yoga is that it offers many benefits to people of all ages. There are different types of yoga, and irrespective of the ones your parents choose, one thing’s for sure: it will help them keep fit.
Yoga exercises are gentle, and they enable people doing them to lead healthier and more positive lives. There are bound to be some yoga classes in your area that your parents can join.
3. Walking
The thing about walking is that it’s a physical activity most people do each day without even thinking about it. Walking is a legitimate form of physical exercise and one that lets people enjoy it within any time period.
For example, some people might go for a quick five-minute walk around the block, while others may prefer to walk a few miles on a warm and sunny day.
Walking is also an activity that doesn’t cost anything, nor does it require participants to invest in any exercise equipment.
4. Swimming
Another enjoyable form of exercise that seniors can do as little or as much of is swimming. Whether it’s water aerobics or simply doing a few laps in a pool, swimming is undeniably a gentle and soothing way to exercise.
It’s also an excellent way to help ease injuries, including sports injuries, via hydrotherapy techniques. Your parents can go swimming alone or as part of a group of people enjoying water-based activities each week.
5. Traveling
Walking around is an excellent way to keep fit and healthy. But, it can get boring after a while if you walk to the same destinations regularly. One way to avoid that problem is by traveling to new places, such as holiday destinations.
Traveling doesn’t just help seniors keep fit by walking to all kinds of interesting new places; it also keeps their minds sharp by having a change of scenery and immersing themselves in new scenarios and situations.
6. Supplements
Keeping fit and healthy isn’t only about getting exercise in various ways. It also means keeping an eye on vitamin and nutrient levels in the body and boosting those that are running low.
Supplements, such as those prescribed by doctors or purchased in drugstores, help ensure all important vitamin and nutrient levels don’t get dangerously low and cause an array of medical conditions.
If your parents aren’t eating well, or perhaps they neglect to have regular meals, supplements can help boost levels of anything their bodies are lacking.
7. Balanced Diet
One final way to ensure your aging parents look after their bodies is by ensuring they consume a healthy, balanced diet. Your parents should eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, avoid processed foods or those with a high-fat content, and opt for things like lean meat.
It might be worth suggesting they have a meal plan or calendar so they can prepare healthy meals each day and avoid the temptation to eat junk food if they can’t think of what to cook.