According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 3.2 million deaths are attributed to the lack of physical activity. Exercising is extremely important for people of every age group. However, physical activity is especially required for senior citizens, as it can reduce the risk of several cardiovascular diseases.
With age, the human body tends to become stiffer over time. The muscles surrounding the heart, the arteries, and joints turn rigid, thus resulting in an increasing amount of pain during movement. Moreover, age can further have an impact on weight as well. With time, the body’s metabolism rate slows down, which leads to an increase in body mass.
Keeping this in mind, seniors are required to integrate a little bit of physical activity into their daily routines. It is important to choose an exercise plan that does not result in an injury or cause any further damage. Therefore, before starting with a workout plan, consulting with a medical practitioner is important.
If you are looking to prepare a workout plan for your loved one, you can go through the following exercises. These workout plans are safe, easy to perform, and effective for individuals over the age of sixty.
The weight shifting exercise improves the balance of senior citizens. Balance regulation exercises can help elders by facilitating the burn of calories, while also reducing the risk of falls. In fact, a piece of Harvard research discovered that exercise plans featuring balance training reduced the risk of falls by approximately forty percent. This shows that balance training is extremely important for seniors.
To perform the weight shifting exercise, you can teach the ensuing steps:
Tiptoe training is another beneficial exercise for senior citizens. It serves the purpose of regulating balance, as well as strengthening the feet, calves, and legs. Tiptoe training can also help with relieving back pain, as it arranges the body in its naturally intended posture. To carry out tiptoe training, you can take the following steps into consideration:
Even if your loved one is unable to stand for long durations, they can still perform physical activity. One of the most effective sitting exercises for senior citizens is knee lifts. Knee lifts engage the thighs, as well as the lower abdomen. To perform this exercise, you can direct your loved one to follow the ensuing steps:
Another exercise that can be carried out while sitting is toe taps. Toe taps strengthen the lower body, particularly the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, hip flexors, and calves. Toe Taps can also strengthen the core, which can ultimately reduce back pain, improve the balance, and provide better flexibility to the trunk. Generally, the exercise can take around thirty seconds to a minute, which means that it will not wear your loved one out.
Toe taps are extremely beneficial for the older population, as it can increase the heart rate and burn calories. As a result, they can reduce the risk of encountering cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, as this exercise targets the lower body, it can enhance the ability to climb the flights of stairs.
To perform toe taps, the ensuing steps can be followed:
Forming the habit of stretching is extremely important, especially for senior citizens. Stretching works on improving the range of motion, which further enables the elder population to painlessly perform the tasks of daily living. For instance, after integrating stretching in the workout plan, seniors can perform activities with ease, such as reaching a higher shelf of the closet.
To attain tension relief in the upper back, the following operations can be performed:
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