Exercise is as essential for the health and general wellness of the elderly as it’s for any of us—if not more. No doubt, doing regular physical activity can dramatically improve your loved one’s quality of life.
Exercise classes can be your senior relative’s fountain of youth. They can invigorate them like an elixir that keeps them agile, flexible, and full of vitality, enabling them to embrace new adventures with renewed energy.
But what are some of the most important benefits of exercise classes for the health of your elderly loved one?
Better Cardiovascular Health
Exercise plays a crucial role in promoting better cardiovascular health for the elderly. By incorporating exercise sessions into their routine each day, they can help reduce your loved one’s risk of heart disease, and enhance their overall heart health, apart from other specific advantages which include:
- Lowered Blood Pressure: Physical activity improves the elasticity of blood vessels, letting them expand and contract better. This improves the blood flow and puts less strain on the heart, reducing your loved one’s blood pressure level, which is a common risk factor for heart attack or disease.
- Enhanced Blood Lipid Profile: Exercise positively influences the level of lipids (fats) in the blood. It increases the levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), often referred to as “good” cholesterol, which helps remove low-density lipoprotein (LDL), known as “bad” cholesterol. This balance contributes to a healthier lipid profile and reduces the risk of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) for your senior.
- Reduced Risk of Blood Clots: Physical activity improves your loved one’s blood circulation and prevents the formation of blood clots. By keeping the blood flowing smoothly, exercise reduces the risk of clotting, which can lead to serious conditions like deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or stroke.
- Increased Cardiorespiratory Endurance: Aerobic, or cardio exercises improve your senior’s body’s ability to take in oxygen and deliver it to the muscles. This results in increased cardiorespiratory endurance, which lets your elderly relative perform daily activities with less effort and fatigue.
- Improved Heart Function: Regular exercise strengthens your loved one’s heart muscle, making it more efficient in pumping blood throughout the body. As your senior engages in aerobic activities like brisk walking, cycling, or swimming, their heart works harder for a little while, leading to improved cardiovascular fitness and a stronger heart over time.
- Weight Management: Regular exercise, combined with a healthy diet, helps your senior maintain healthy body weight or achieve weight loss if needed. Maintaining a healthy weight reduces the strain on your relative’s cardiovascular system and the risk of conditions like high blood pressure and heart disease.
- Stress Reduction: Exercise is a powerful stress reliever. Physical activity releases endorphins, the body’s natural mood-enhancing chemicals, which help lower stress and anxiety. Reducing stress levels benefits cardiovascular health, as chronic stress can contribute to elevated blood pressure and other heart-related issues.
Improves Bone Density and Muscle Strength
As we age, there is a natural decline in bone density, which can increase the risk of osteoporosis and fractures. However, exercise can help counteract this process and promote healthy bones.
For example, weight-bearing exercises, such as walking, jogging, dancing, or climbing stairs, put healthy stress on the bones and stimulate them to retain calcium and other minerals, which helps counter the natural decline in bone density.
Moreover, the impact generated by physical activities stimulates the bone-building cells, called osteoblasts, resulting in increased bone density.
On the other hand, keeping muscle strength is crucial for the elderly because having stronger muscles contributes to better balance, mobility, and overall physical function. Regular exercise helps preserve and improve muscle strength, providing numerous benefits.
For example, regular exercise stimulates the release of growth factors and hormones that support muscle growth and repair. As we mentioned earlier, it also improves blood circulation, delivering essential nutrients and oxygen to the muscles, which aids in their development and recovery.
Specifically, strength training exercises, including lifting moderate weights or using resistance bands, are particularly effective in building muscle strength. These exercises create microscopic damage to muscle fibers, prompting the body to repair and rebuild them stronger than before.
It’s important to note that starting an exercise routine should be done gradually and under the guidance of a healthcare professional or a qualified fitness instructor. They can ensure that the exercises are appropriate for the individual’s current fitness level and consider any pre-existing conditions or limitations.
Foster Social Interactions
Loneliness and isolation are prevalent in older adults as decreased physical mobility, or cognitive decline can cause them to withdraw from others.
Community-based programs or senior exercise classes online, or offline create opportunities for social connections; older adults can find a close-knit support network and a sense of belonging.
A quick search on the website of a local community center or government resources can lead you to a program that fits their needs. These exercise classes encompass a wide range of activities, from yoga and pilates to cardio and chair exercises, catering to different fitness levels and abilities.
Engaging in these fun and enjoyable activities not only improves physical health but also promotes social interaction and overall wellness.
Amy’s Eden Caregivers Can Help Your Aging Loved One Keep an Active and Healthy Lifestyle
We know you want your elderly loved one to retain their youth, energy, and health forever. We know it because, at Amy’s Eden, we feel the same way about all the seniors we lovingly tend to.
That’s why we heartily devote ourselves to providing the best caregiving service in the Reno and Carson City area, and one of the best in Nevada, which, of course, includes helping your loved one to stay active and motivate them to enjoy the benefits of physical activity.
Our caregivers are experts in interacting with the elderly and helping them lead their best lives and enjoy their golden years healthily and actively.
They are also capable and devoted companions ready to help your senior with their every need, whether it is by spending quality time with them, helping them do their chores, or assisting them with basic needs like cooking, dressing, or bathing.
We guarantee that all your loved one’s needs will be thoroughly covered when you count on us for their in-home care needs, or if you and your senior decide to make one of our assisted living residencies their second home.
Reach out to us. We will be excited to help your elderly loved one enjoy their wisdom years to the fullest.
Learn more: The Best Exercise Videos for Seniors in 2023 and 9 Ways Caregivers Can Support
