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Easy ways to get moving this year
Exercise & Fitness

Easy ways to get moving this year

by Carol Marak
written by Carol Marak

New year resolutions can drive us nuts, especially the ones dealing with exercise. There’s nothing more irritating than setting goals around an activity that you’re not interested in doing. Easy ways to get moving this year
Believe me, you’re not the only person who dreads the annual January – start an exercise program as a New Year resolution. And dealing with the excuses not to follow through is exhausting.
If this rings true for you, I have happy news. You can have your cake and eat it too when it comes to being more physically active during the new year.
Because exercise has so many benefits, it’s important to follow through. I’ve researched and came up with the most innovative ways to get you moving. No two people will choose the same exercise, so find something on the list that looks interesting and fun to do, who knows, at the end of January, you may have developed a healthy habit.

  • Get out walking and enjoy the outdoors. Walk new trails or streets in your suburb, town, or farm country. How about walking through historic cemeteries, or the art district? Try “walking” to do errands instead of driving.
  • Window shop. Hit the mall and check out window displays. Bring your cell phone for a podcast or music that will make the time fly. I know malls encourage walkers by opening the doors early to beat the crowds. It’s the perfect time to check out winter sales.
  • Plant a vegetable or flower garden. Do you enjoy fresh garden vegetables? Does the thought of bright-colored tulips make you smile? Tend a garden of flowers or vegetables and get in shape by weeding, watering, and mulching.
  • Dance your way to fitness. (My favorite.) Does music make you gyrate? Get the basics with a video lesson, then two-step over to your local club to get started.
  • Live with good balance. Learn Tai Chi, my doctor says it’s great for building balance. Tai Chi, Taekwondo, yoga are Eastern practices which reduce stress and increase cognition. Try chair yoga, it’s easier to do.
  • Get outdoors with your grandkids and build a fort, go on a scavenger hunt, jump rope, or play other child games. Be sure to wear clothes that can get dirty.
  • Rent a bicycle and hit the local trails or country roads. Invite friends along. Don’t buy one until you decide whether it’s an activity you want to maintain.

These are a few exercise ideas to get you moving. Start one or two now, and stay active for the rest of your life. Here’s to better health!
Check with your doctor before you start a new health regime.
Sign up for my newsletter – send an email to Carol@Seniorcare.com and write “sign me up” in the subject line.
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Easy ways to get moving this year
Easy ways to get moving this year Easy ways to get moving this year Easy ways to get moving this year Easy ways to get moving this year Easy ways to get moving this year Easy ways to get moving this year Easy ways to get moving this year Easy ways to get moving this year

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3 Senior Activities that Improve Balance & Prevent Falls
Exercise & Fitness

3 Senior Activities that Improve Balance & Prevent Falls

by Richard Bitner
written by Richard Bitner

Falls are a major concern for seniors and elderly care providers alike. Declining strength, coordination, mobility, and visibility all increase seniors’ risk of falling. Meanwhile, poor bone strength can increase the risk of severe fractures. Together, these risk factors have made falls the number one cause of accidental death among Americans over the age of sixty-five.

The good news is that it’s possible to lower that risk. Both medical and elderly care professionals recommend a number of fall prevention strategies that can help seniors and family caregivers lower elderly adults’ risk of falling. One of the best ways to do this is to have seniors take classes that improve their sense of balance and reduce their risk of injury from falls.

Exercise Improves Balance in Seniors

In terms of fall prevention, light/moderate exercise offers a number of benefits. Improved muscular strength helps seniors stay upright and maintain their footing. Cardiovascular exercise boosts heart health, which reduces the risk of exhaustion — a common risk factor for falls. Crucially, exercise also improves seniors’ sense of balance, making it less likely that they will misjudge their footing or put their body in a position that leads to a fall.

Exercise also lowers the risk of severe injury when falls occur. Stronger muscles and quicker reaction time make it easier for seniors to catch themselves when off-balance or brace themselves to reduce the impact of a fall. Physical activity is also key to bone strength, reducing the risk and severity of fractures.

Activities to Improve Seniors’ Balance

Some types of exercise are better suited than others when seniors want to improve balance and reduce the risk of fall-related injuries. Seniors and elderly care providers should look for activities that boost core strength, leg strength, coordination, dexterity, and fine motor skills.

The three activities below are some of the best exercise for improving balance in elderly adults. Seniors can perform these activities in the comfort of home, in the backyard, or with others. You should be able to find senior-focused classes for these activities quite easily within your local community.

  1. Dancing isn’t just great fun for elderly adults — it’s also an excellent way to improve physical dexterity, strengthen leg and core muscles, and boost total-body coordination. There are a number of popular dance classes for elderly adults, including salsa, jazz, and ballroom.
  2. Tai Chi. Tai Chi started in China as a form of martial arts, but its health benefits have made it a popular form of exercise in many countries. Seniors’ Tai Chi involves slow, controlled movements that use the entire body. This helps improve coordination, muscle strength, and balance. Medical professionals and elderly care providers often recommend it for seniors due to its low risk of injury and joint stress.
  3. Yoga is well known for its lifelong benefits. While some yoga classes offer higher intensity workouts, you’ll find a slower, gentler pace in a seniors’ yoga classes. Yoga poses can improve strength, coordination, flexibility, and offer key balance benefits for elderly adults.

Additional Balance and Fall Prevention Tips

Activities that improve balance are just part of elderly fall prevention. We asked Visiting Angels CEO and President Larry Meigs for additional tips on how seniors and elderly care providers can prevent falls in and out of the home.

One of Larry’s biggest tips is medication awareness. “A large number of seniors take medications that put them at higher risk of falling. It’s important that seniors are careful with any medication that causes drowsiness or poor coordination,” he says.

He also stressed the importance of visibility in fall prevention. “Poor eyesight can be a much bigger danger than a lot of people think, so make sure your mom or dad has regular check-ins with their optometrist.”

Another big factor is limiting fall risks in living spaces. “The vast majority of falls happen at home,” Larry says. “Unfortunately, most seniors live in homes where fall risks haven’t been minimized. Slippery flooring, thow rugs, electrical cords, poorly lit areas — these are just a few of the most common culprits.”

Larry’s focus on fall prevention is part of the reason why Visiting Angels elderly care agencies offer free fall prevention assessments. During elderly care consultations, care directors perform detailed inspections of seniors’ homes and make fall prevention recommendations to help correct any areas of concern.

To book a free elderly care consultation and fall assessment for your loved one, contact Visiting Angels today at 800-365-4189. Or use our online office locator to find your local Visiting Angels elderly care agency. 3 Senior Activities that Improve Balance & Prevent Falls

3 Senior Activities that Improve Balance & Prevent Falls

3 Senior Activities that Improve Balance & Prevent Falls 3 Senior Activities that Improve Balance & Prevent Falls 3 Senior Activities that Improve Balance & Prevent Falls 3 Senior Activities that Improve Balance & Prevent Falls 3 Senior Activities that Improve Balance & Prevent Falls

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Caregiving

How Music Therapy is Changing Lives at the End of Life

by Silverado
written by Silverado

What is life without music? Even towards the end of one’s journey, life can still hold meaning and joy, and for some, music helps provide them with just that. Often as powerful as any drug or medication, music’s versatility allows for each patient to enjoy it in their own unique, individualized way.

When a patient initially begins hospice, music therapy is often provided as an optional element of their care. Should they opt for music therapy, a brief discussion is conducted to explain the goals and what to expect, as well as an assessment of the patient’s music history. Gaining insight into the type of connection they have to music helps formulate the optimal plan for the individual. For example, the patient may have favorite songs tied to positive memories, so the therapist might hold sessions where they play those songs and sing along to them.

The benefits of music therapy include, but are not limited to:

  • Pain and anxiety management
  • Pre-bereavement with patients and families
  • Increased quality of life through engagement or reminiscence
  • Decreased loneliness or agitation
  • Cognitive stimulation

 

Whether it’s listening to a song that brings back warm memories or playing an instrument to express emotions they can’t quite put into words, the actual manner in which music is used in the therapy is based upon the patient and their needs and preferences. One unique and very special instance of music therapy for hospice happened recently with Sam Reese, a patient of Silverado Hospice Austin

On the occasion of his 45th anniversary with his wife, Gloria. Sam created an original love song with the help of a Social Worker, Mark Catalano. Sam provided the core themes, which Mark used to compose the lyrics. Mark was also the one to perform and record the song, a beautiful piece memorializing Sam’s undying love for Gloria.

For more information on Silverado Hospice’s music therapy program,click here.

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