Seniors who stay active tend to age well. While physical activity offers key health benefits, social activity is just as important. Both contribute to an older person’s sense of well-being, including physical and emotional health. Here’s more on the importance of keeping seniors active.

What is the importance of keeping seniors physically active?

Exercising on a regular basis may not come as easily for older adults due to a decline in their physical strength, balance, and flexibility. However, staying physically active is crucial to warding off diseases and health conditions, maintaining a healthy weight, and elevating mood.

The health benefits are immediate when a senior engages in even a single vigorous exercise session or exercise class. Seniors experience improved sleep quality, less anxiety, and lower blood pressure levels. These immediate benefits of exercise are as vital as the long-term benefits.

Brain health is a long-term benefit of regular exercise; seniors reduce their risk of developing cognitive decline and depression. Physically active seniors enjoy better cardiovascular health, as exercise lowers their risk of heart disease and other conditions, like stroke and type 2 diabetes.

Exercise lowers the risk of eight cancers, including breast, colon, bladder, and lung. Seniors who commit to an exercise routine reduce their risk of weight gain. Their bone health improves and with better coordination and balance, they reduce their risk of falls.

What is the importance of keeping seniors socially active?

Regularly socializing helps seniors reduce their risk of cognitive decline, as it keeps them mentally and intellectually stimulated. Research shows that aging adults who stay socially active experience up to 70 percent less cognitive decline. The emotional health benefits also include feeling less lonely.

Staying socially active impacts physical health, too. For instance, seniors who are social also tend to be physically active. Socializing encourages the elderly to practice healthy behaviors, such as eating nutritiously. Seniors also build a robust social support system that helps them in times of need.

How do seniors stay physically active?

Older adults, no matter what their ability level, can participate in physical activities in numerous ways. Seniors might join a local recreational program catering to other adults of the same age or level of mobility. These programs provide not only exercise but fun and social opportunities.

The community might hold activities for aging residents. Examples include indoor sports leagues, mall walking groups, or dance lessons at the local senior center. Mid-impact exercise programs include Zumba and Pilates while low-impact ones include Aqua Zumba and cardio exercises in shallow water.

Seniors can stay active at home, too. Do yard work or garden to give the muscles a workout. In the comfort of home, perform balance exercises, like walking heel to toe. Squats, lunges, and using hand weights twice a week are excellent muscle-strengthening exercises.

Walking around the block accompanied by a companion caregiver is an accessible way to boost physical health. Plus, running into neighbors and chatting delivers social health benefits. Grandparents can push their grandkids in the park swing, build a fort, or play hide-and-seek to move their bodies.

How do seniors stay socially active?

Staying connected with others can also be done through a variety of means. Seniors are encouraged to join a club, whether a book club, knitting group, gardening circle, or card club. They meet new people and strengthen friendships with those who share similar interests.

Join a fitness class to not only enjoy its physical health benefits but to have the chance to be among other seniors working toward the same exercise goals. Belonging to a group class can be motivating and help the elderly stay committed to their exercise routine.

Seniors connect with others by participating in their faith community. Attend faith services in-person to connect with those who share similar beliefs. For older adults who are immobile or homebound, watching religious services with others online brings the elderly together.

Maintain family ties to stay socially active. Savor meals together, play games on family nights, or watch movies. Take the grandkids to the park. Seniors might gather the grandchildren in a circle and have a ball telling stories from the depths of their imagination or based on true accounts.

Companion caregivers are equally significant. These friendly professionals are the key to staying social when seniors reside far from family, suffer from immobility, or live alone. Caregivers develop strong bonds with their aging care recipients, keeping them socially active and stimulated.

Keeping seniors active, both physically and socially, allows them to stay independent far longer. Interacting with the community or with caregivers promotes feelings of well-being. A robust fitness level helps the elderly perform the activities of daily living with ease.

Your aging loved one deserves the best of both worlds: physical and social health. Assisting Hands Home Care promotes seniors’ overall well-being through dependable in-home care services, with professional caregivers meeting non-medical care needs in the comfort of home. Proudly serving Palm Bay, Barefoot Bay, Melbourne, Rockledge, Viera, and surrounding areas throughout Brevard County, Florida.

Senior home care includes healthy meal preparation, light housekeeping to keep the home environment clean and comfortable, grocery shopping, and medication reminders. We provide safe transportation and escort to local areas, such as the medical clinic, pharmacy, and senior center.

Aside from offering compassionate, hands-on support with daily activities, our caregivers provide pleasant senior companionship. We engage with seniors socially by taking them on outings, holding conversations, playing board and card games, and encouraging them to participate in leisure activities.

Senior home care from our reputable agency is trusted by families and their elderly loved ones, as our professionals are licensed, insured, and bonded. Care options are flexible and include respite care, overnight care, and 24-hour care. We can customize the ideal care plan for the senior.

When you aim to promote the physical and social health of a senior, choose Assisting Hands Home Care. We share the same goal: to improve the quality of life of the elderly. Call us at (321) 455-5778 to schedule a free in-home consult today to learn about our services.