Elder Care Safety Pacific Beach CA

Encouraging your aging loved ones to get enough physical activity is a critical part of your elder care plan, and constantly offering new options is a great way to keep this need interesting, engaging, and enjoyable for your elderly parents, their caregiver, and you. A fantastic option for exercise that is especially popular during the summer is swimming. Aquatic activities are a great aerobic choice and the natural resistance strengthens the muscles and joints while the buoyancy supports the joints for reduced pain and greater range of motion. On June 24, encourage your seniors to get involved with this fun summertime exercise option on Swim a Lap Day.

Getting the most of swimming as exercise means taking steps to keep your aging parents healthy, safe, and having fun. Use these tips to enjoy making swimming part of your elder care plan on Swim a Lap Day and beyond:

Wear proper swim gear. What your elderly parents wear while they swim makes a major impact on their comfort and safety. Make sure that they wear proper swimwear that fits well and does not restrict their movements. If they are modest, consider coverage options designed for use in pools such as rash guard shirts and swim pants. Protect their feet from infections such as athlete’s foot and toe fungus with water shoes.
Use safety equipment. Encourage elderly adults who are not fully confident in the water to swim with safety equipment. Adult versions of water wings provide extra flotation, while items such as inner tubes, pool noodles, and even body boards provide support that help your parents stay above the water more easily. If you enroll your parents in an adult swim class or water aerobics class, or you intend to swim in a gym pool, make sure that you check the organization’s specific regulations regarding flotation devices and toys in the water.
Protect them. Many aging adults are resistant to swimming because they do not like getting water in their eyes or ears, or worry about getting an ear infection because of the water. Protect them from this discomfort and the potential health consequences with water-resistant ear plugs and small goggles that cover their nose or nose plugs.
Guard from health concerns. Most swimming pools are perfectly healthy and properly maintained with disinfecting chemicals, but swimming in any public location always has risks. Problems such as skin irritations, eye infections, diarrhea, and nausea can occur if water is not properly disinfected or if a biohazard event occurs within a short time of your elderly parents entering the water. Make sure they do not swallow any of the water and that they bathe thoroughly after swimming to protect against these issues.
Think the buddy system. Drowning can happen very quickly and it can be difficult to keep your eye on both parents while enjoying the water. If your parents have physical, mobility, or cognitive challenges, consider hiring an elderly care services provider to accompany you to the pool and help you supervise your parents so you can all swim with confidence.

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.