Can Regular Exercise Help Your Elderly Loved One Live a Healthier Life?

By Kevin Edwards | May 19, 2020 |

If you are working to help your senior loved one live a healthier life, there are many different things that you can do. You can help them out by getting the healthy foods from the store, hiring senior care providers to help them out, or helping them to implement a regular exercise routine.

Senior Care Prairie Village KS - Can Regular Exercise Help Your Elderly Loved One Live a Healthier Life? — Senior Care Prairie Village KS – Can Regular Exercise Help Your Elderly Loved One Live a Healthier Life?

Research shows that regular exercise can help elderly adults to maintain or even improve their mental and physical health as they get older. According to the CDC, elderly adults should be getting a minimum of 2 ½ hours of aerobic activity throughout the week over the course of 2 days or more. These should be moderate-intensity workouts.

Maintaining Weight

As someone gets older, their metabolism is going to slow down. This can cause excess weight gain. In addition, a slower metabolism makes it tougher to maintain a healthy weight, as well. If you can encourage your elderly loved one to exercise regularly, this can help to boost their metabolism, strengthen their muscles, and help them burn off more calories. When all these things happen, your elderly loved one can not only lose weight but they can maintain a healthy weight, too.

Better Balance and Mobility

When the aging process occurs, the body is going to weaken. This can sometimes lead elderly adults to become less independent, requiring more and more supervision from loved ones or caregivers. With this being said, regular exercise can help to strengthen your elderly loved one’s muscles. When this happens, they could have improved balance, coordination, flexibility, and mobility.

Improved Sleep Quality

Does your elderly loved one have a tough time falling asleep at an appropriate time? Some people who have this issue will get prescribed medication to help them sleep. However, research shows that regular exercise can help someone to get better quality sleep and to fall asleep at an appropriate time each night.

Better Mood

Does it seem like your elderly loved one is in a bad mood? Are they constantly yelling at their caregivers or family members? If so, it is important to know that regular exercise can help to stabilize moods. In some cases, a person’s mood will instantly be improved.

Slow Down or Prevent Disease

Do you want to help your elderly loved one prevent diseases such as cancer, diabetes, or heart disease? Maybe they already have one of these diseases and you want to help them slow down the progression of it. You can do these things if you encourage and get your elderly loved one to exercise regularly.

Regular exercise can help your senior to live a healthier lifestyle. There are many different exercises your loved one can do to reap these benefits. Just keep in mind that moderate-intensity aerobic exercises are recommended at least 2 ½ hours each week.

Sources: https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/older_adults/

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/study-physical-activity-impacts-overall-quality-sleep

https://www.apa.org/monitor/2011/12/exercise

https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002080.htm

If you or an aging loved-one are considering Senior Care Services in the Prairie Village KS area, please contact the caring staff at Elder Care of Kansas City, today. Proudly serving Jackson, Clay, Platte and Cass Counties in Missouri as well as Johnson and Wyandotte Counties in Kansas for over 30 years. Call us at 816-333-3322.

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Kevin Edwards

Owner at Elder Care of Kansas City

Kevin’s life and the lives of his immediate family have been impacted by caregivers – either as a patient or a caregiver - for as long as he can remember.He watched his mother take care of his grandmother until her death at the age of 97.Five years later, his father passed from a neurological disorder that was subsequently confirmed as Lewy Body Dementia.In 2007, his wife, Lori, was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.The symptoms of Lori’s disease required Kevin to hire a caregiver during the periods of her relapses.

Prior to purchasing Elder Care, Kevin spent over 20 years in the health insurance industry.In his most recent position, he was in a financial operations role with Humana where he worked with doctors, nurses and other health professionals developing programs to keep Humana members healthy.Their focus on primary care and medication adherence improved the lives of thousands of seniors in Kansas City and the surrounding area.

Kevin and his wife, Lori, have three children.Kevin has Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Missouri.