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5 Obstacles to Exercising that You Can Help Your Elderly Loved One Overcome

Elder Care in Pacific Beach CA

Elder Care in Pacific Beach CA

Elder Care in Pacific Beach CA If your loved one has been reluctant to exercise, you may feel as though there’s nothing that you can do. Here are some ways to work around some of the bigger obstacles that you might face.

Declining Levels of Strength

As your loved one ages, she does lose a little bit of her strength. The problem is that the less that she uses her muscles, the faster her strength declines. Your loved one doesn’t have to start lifting heavy weights in order to build up her strength, though. As long as her doctor says that it’s okay to exercise, your loved one can use lighter weights when weightlifting or simply start activities that help her to build up her endurance, like walking.

Joint Conditions that Make Moving Difficult

Arthritis and other joint conditions can make moving very difficult and very painful for your elderly loved one. The first step is to talk to your loved one’s doctor about what can help to make exercise and regular daily movements easier for her. Some people with joint problems find that gentle movements can actually help to warm up the joints and ease pain. Assistive devices can help too, such as canes or walkers.

Surgery that Hinders Exercise

If your loved one has had a surgical procedure, it can seriously limit the types of exercise that she can or that she wants to do. Work with your loved one’s doctor to determine how much and what types of movements are safe for her after surgery. In some cases, your loved one’s doctor may recommend physical therapy to help with her healing.

A Lifetime of No Exercise

Some people have never done any sort of formal exercise at any point in their lives, so they feel silly doing stretches or other exercises now. The key here is to work exercise and movement into your loved one’s regular daily activities. Climbing stairs rather than taking an escalator or parking a little farther away from the store is a good way to start. Add activity slowly so that your loved one is building stamina as the activity levels increase.

Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is a tremendous obstacle to exercising more. Definitely start out by talking to your loved one’s doctor about recommended exercises that can help to relieve pain rather than causing additional pain. Physical therapy may be another option for your loved one to ensure that she’s not overdoing it and is moving her body properly.

If you’re not able to be there during your loved one’s regular exercise sessions, make sure that you leave her elderly care providers detailed notes so that they can help her properly.

La Jolla Nurses Homecare can help your aging parents remain in their own homes, call 858-454-9339. We are a home care agency providing quality and affordable senior care in La Costa, CA, and the surrounding communities."}” data-sheets-userformat=”{"2":767,"3":{"1":0},"4":{"1":2,"2":10667209},"5":{"1":[{"1":2,"2":0,"5":{"1":2,"2":0}},{"1":0,"2":0,"3":3},{"1":1,"2":0,"4":1}]},"6":{"1":[{"1":2,"2":0,"5":{"1":2,"2":0}},{"1":0,"2":0,"3":3},{"1":1,"2":0,"4":1}]},"7":{"1":[{"1":2,"2":0,"5":{"1":2,"2":0}},{"1":0,"2":0,"3":3},{"1":1,"2":0,"4":1}]},"8":{"1":[{"1":2,"2":0,"5":{"1":2,"2":0}},{"1":0,"2":0,"3":3},{"1":1,"2":0,"4":1}]},"9":2,"10":2,"12":0}”>For more information about how the caregivers at La Jolla Nurses Homecare can help your aging parents remain in their own homes, call 858-454-9339. We are a home care agency providing quality and affordable elder care in Pacific Beach, CA, and the surrounding communities.

Brittnei Salerno

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