La Jolla Senior Care News

Five Simple Exercises for Someone with COPD

Elderly Care in La Costa CA: Exercise and COPD actually go together a lot better than you might think.
elderly woman doing tai chi
Elderly Care in La Costa Ca: COPD Tips

November is National COPD Month, which makes this a great time to look into what types of exercise are best for your senior if she has COPD. Always make sure that you clear any plans for exercising with your senior’s doctor. That way you can make sure that she’s getting the right amount and type of exercise for her.

Walking

Walking is a really simple exercise that just about everyone can do. It doesn’t take any specialized equipment to start a walking plan. Your elderly family member might enjoy either walking on a treadmill or out in nature. Both will get her some results.

Yoga

Yoga is all about stretching, balancing, and breathing and all of those are skills that your elderly family member needs now that she’s dealing with COPD. While a class can be a really great way to ensure that she’s getting individualized help, yoga DVDs or streaming videos are equally helpful. this is a great way to get some exercise if your senior doesn’t like exercising in front of other people.

Tai Chi

Tai chi is actually an ancient Chinese martial art. It’s done very slowly, which helps with balance. Like yoga, much of tai chi focuses on breathing, so it’s a great exercise for your senior. You might be able to find tai chi classes nearby, but they’re not everywhere. You might have better luck with streaming videos.

Riding a Bike

Riding a bike is another way to work on balance issues, especially if your senior rides an actual bicycle around her neighborhood. Stationary bikes can do just as much for her, though. Biking helps to work her larger muscles and can improve circulation.

Lifting Light Weights

Lifting smaller, lighter weights is a good way for your elderly family member to build her muscle tone and to get moving a bit. Getting her blood flowing can also help her with her breathing, which is a crucial part of managing COPD. Lighter weights are less likely to wear your elderly family member out, which is definitely something that you want to avoid if possible.

If your elderly family member isn’t always stable on her feet or comfortable with the idea of exercise, it might be a good idea to hire elderly care providers as exercise buddies. They can help to make sure that she’s safe while she’s exercising. You’ll feel better knowing that your aging adult is feeling more secure and getting the exercise that she needs to strengthen her body.

 

For more information about hiring  Elderly care in La Costa, CA, call the friendly caregivers at La Jolla Nurses Homecare who can help your aging parents remain in their own homes, at 858-454-9339. We are a home care agency providing quality and affordable senior care in La Jolla, CA, and the surrounding communities.

Brittnei Salerno

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