Maximizing Health and Mobility
It’s easy for all of us to fall into a sedentary lifestyle, particularly as we age. But did you know that for older adults, lack of physical activity is a major risk factor for disability? And that the benefits of incorporating physical activity into a senior’s lifestyle include improvements in muscle strength, appetite, and flexibility, just to name a few?
This fifth post in our seven-part blog series from the registered nurses at Nightingale Homecare serves as an encouragement to help your senior loved ones maximize their health and mobility through incorporating a wellness routine to stimulate both the mind and body. This not only includes routine wellness check-ups with your loved one’s physician, but also activities appropriate and of interest to him/her. Some examples include:
- Tai chi
- Pool exercise
- Yoga
- Senior center activities
- Healthy cooking and nutrition clubs
- Book or card clubs
Keep in mind that all seniors should be involved in activity programs that foster strength and balance as they age. Promoting activities also helps prevent the “cascade effect”. This cascade is created when a senior experiences a fall – then becomes afraid to fall, limits activities to prevent falling and ultimately loses strength, balance and flexibility, thus actually increasing their risk of falling! Even stairs become a major obstacle to the elderly.
Allowing therapy specialists, medical social workers, or geriatric care managers to evaluate your loved one’s individual needs and interests, paired with available community resources to create the most individualized plan for your loved one, helps promote mental agility, companionship, physical strength, mobility, and balance, and will prevent the cascade scenario from occurring.
Nightingale’s home care team is trained to observe for warning signs, such as missed appointments, missed medication, subtle changes in routine, and symptom development to alert the patient’s physician and work to avoid emergency room visits and hospitalizations.
Our goal at Nightingale Homecare is to provide the guidance and care necessary for your loved one to remain safe and independent at home. We love nothing more than engaging in activities that promote wellness with the seniors in our care, and seeing the smiles on their faces when their lives are enriched and fulfilled! For more information contact us or call us 602-504-1555.
Look for the next blog in our registered nurse series: HEALTHY CONNECTIONS: Maintaining Quality of Life and experience success with helping your loved on age in place at home!
