Senior Exercise

Have you ever woken up from a dream feeling completely disoriented? The dream seemed so real, and it takes a moment to regain your bearings. For someone with dementia, this disorientation is a part of everyday life. One highly effective way to help is to provide as much stability as possible, and one of the best ways to accomplish this is by sticking to a daily routine for someone with dementia.

How Can a Routine Help Someone With Dementia?

Short-term memory loss makes it challenging for someone with Alzheimer’s to learn and remember new things. A familiar routine helps build self-confidence, reinforce a sense of independence, and reduce anxiety.

To establish the most comfortable routine for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease, try the following:

Follow their lead. Retain any routines the person already has built: a morning shower before … Read More »

Identifying the signs of substance misuse in older adults is the first step towards getting them help.

It’s not unusual for Dad to enjoy a glass or two of wine with dinner, but lately, you’ve noticed that he’s gravitating towards stronger drinks more frequently, and earlier in the day. He might say it helps with sleep or eases the aches of arthritis, but is there more to be concerned about?

Learn about Parkinson’s Wellness Recovery to see if it might be helpful for someone you love.

For individuals living with Parkinson’s disease, the challenges of managing balance, mobility, and overall movement can be profound. As the disease progresses, these difficulties may increase, leading many to assume that less physical activity might be beneficial. However, this assumption is counter to what medical experts and extensive research suggest. In fact, increasing physical activity is strongly encouraged because of its numerous documented benefits in managing Parkinson’s symptoms. In fact, it’s believed to be on par with the adherence to prescribed medications for its role in effective disease management.

Improving health and wellbeing for seniors is easier with these tips.

Though New Year’s Day is still months away, who says resolutions should only be made at the start of the year? There is no time like the present to start a new habit or goal, especially when it comes to improving health and wellbeing for seniors.

We have six strategies you can implement today. Pick one to begin, or jump right into all of them to attain the greatest benefit:

Make an appointment for a physical. Rather than waiting for an injury or illness to call the doctor, a yearly check-up is a great way for seniors to stay on top of their health and potentially prevent issues before they occur.
Get physical. With the physician’s approval and recommendations, kick off a new exercise routine – together! Working out … Read More »

ry implementing a daily routine for seniors who are struggling with physical or cognitive functioning problems.

Life can be full of uncertainties. For seniors who are feeling less in control of particular areas of life, such as losing cognitive or physical functioning, concentrating on what can be controlled is empowering. An excellent way to help is by establishing a daily routine for seniors, personalized to a senior’s particular interests and needs.

Keep in mind that the older adult’s routine is certainly not meant to be a rigid regimen to be adhered to, but simply the basis for predictability and structure. With the older adult’s input and direction, settle on a preferred framework for every day. A sample daily routine may look like this:

Wake up at 7:30 a.m.
Handle personal hygiene needs and get dressed
Enjoy breakfast on the porch while … Read More »

Help someone you love discover the incredible benefits of gardening for older adults.

The cool dampness of rich soil. The warmth of the sun’s rays. The joyful trills of songbirds. Gardening has the capacity to engage so many of our senses, and offers a great deal of positive benefits to seniors. Regardless of ability level or any space restrictions, there is always a way to help those you love reap the many benefits of gardening for older adults through the joys of planting outdoors or indoors, watching new growth appear, and harvesting.

Discover how to help seniors after a fall to regain the confidence they need to stay active while preventing a second fall.

While comedians and circus clowns may stir audiences to laughter over such stunts as slipping on a banana peel, there’s nothing funny about falling when it comes to seniors, who are at an elevated risk for serious injuries which could lead to a long rehabilitation process. Not just that, but there’s a lesser known complication that typically comes from a senior’s fall: a fear of falling again which is extreme enough to impact quality of life and health. Knowing how to help seniors after a fall to feel safe and secure again is crucial.

As the saying goes, “Once bitten, twice shy.” It is natural – and sensible – for a loved one who has fallen … Read More »

Improve heart health with this one simple lifestyle change!

In our younger years, physical activity was a given. Our days were filled with participating in sports programs, recess on the playground, and games of tag with friends. All of this naturally gave our heart the workout it needed to stay healthy. But as we grow older, a more sedentary lifestyle can settle in – having serious repercussions on our hearts, including stiffness, a decreased efficiency in oxygen production, and an elevated risk of heart disease and failure. Is there anything we can do to improve heart health and possibly even restore its functioning to what it was when we were younger?

Hired Hands Homecare provides tips for aging well.

A quick Google search for the word “aging” produces topics such as “coping with aging,” “what you can do about aging,” as well as “the cure to aging.” The pessimistic connotations to aging are, regrettably, so embedded in our society that it is estimated that by 2027, the aging care industry will be worth $83.2 billion. While it’s very easy to get caught up in the issues that may be realized in aging well – health concerns, the passing of family and friends, and cognitive issues – what’s getting lost in the shuffle are the remarkable benefits of growing older. 

Senior workouts may be even more beneficial than medication.

If you made a New Year’s resolution to exercise more this year, hopefully you’re continuing to stick with it! As it turns out, adding more physical activity to your daily routine is one resolution we should all be keeping – and this is even more important for older adults, many of whom take multiple medications for a variety of conditions.

Research is showing that, surprisingly, doctor-approved senior workouts can be as effective as many typically-prescribed medications in treating or preventing some of the leading causes of death. In the study, scientists compared how effective various medications and exercise routines were in reducing deaths among those who had been diagnosed with several common and serious health conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes. The results consistently indicated that both … Read More »