How You and Your Elder Family Member Can Enjoy Exercise a Little More

Elder Care Deerfield IL - How You and Your Elder Family Member Can Enjoy Exercise a Little More

Having a recommendation to start exercising and the "all clear" from your aging adult's doctor doesn't automatically make exercise fun. Trying some of these suggestions might help at least a little bit, however. 

Find Activities that You Truly Enjoy 

The less that exercise feels like a chore to you and your aging adult, the easier it will be to stick with it. Start making some lists of activities that involve movement that your elder care recipient enjoys doing. You may find that you want to modify some of those activities or look for activities that are similar to those that she already enjoys. 

Add a Little Bit of Competition to the Mix 

Fitness tracking companies usually have a component in their app that encourages users to compete against other people who use the same tracker. The reason that this works is because it can be really effective. Find little ways to compete with your senior as you both exercise. You might find it motivates both of you. 

Find a Distraction During Exercise 

One of the worst things about hating to exercise is thinking about how much you hate exercise while you're doing it, that's why you and your elderly family member need a distraction. Turn on a movie or a favorite television show. In fact, you might save a specific favorite show to only watch while you exercise. Another option might be listening to your favorite music or even to audiobooks or podcasts. 

Make Exercise a Social Event 

Some people are much more motivated by social adventures and if that's the case for your aging adult, then it might be a good idea to contact senior centers and agencies that help the elderly to find out what opportunities exist for your care recipient to exercise with other people her own age. She might just meet some new friends. 

Add Exercise in Smaller Ways 

Another way to help motivate your senior family member is to incorporate more activities into every day that involve moving, but might not actually be exercise. Moving is the end goal, after all, and if  you and your aging adult can get some more movement into every day, that's a win. 

When you find a system that works for your elder, share it with the other people in her life such as other family members and elder care providers. They can use the information to help your family member stay more active, too. 

If you or an aging loved one are considering Elder Care Services in Deerfield IL, contact the caring staff at Gentle Home Services. Call today (800) 860-9823.

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