7 July
As we get older, staying active and continuing to move becomes increasingly important for a variety of health conditions, preventing general aches and pains, helping maintain a particular lifestyle, and boosting mental health. The best thing we can do for our health is to stay active and explore new ways to move our body.
In this article, Mariposa Care look at some of the best gentle exercises for seniors that can be adopted in care homes to help keep people mobile and active.
The importance of staying active
It is advised that anyone over the age of 65 should do some kind of physical activity on a daily basis. This can be light activity to help reduce the risk of heart problems, some cancers, or the risk of strokes and dementia. It is also known to be good for improving general health and wellbeing.
By maintaining a range of different exercises, it is possible to improve things like balance, strength, and mobility, which are all incredibly important for the elderly. A third of those aged 65 or over, and half of those over 80, experience a fall every year. This means maintaining strength and balance is incredibly important to help lower these risks.
It is incredibly important for care homes to create a regular programme of exercise that all residents are able to take part in. This does not need to be vigorous, but should offer something for everyone, no matter what their age or physical condition might be.
Seated exercises
A whole-body workout is ideal, but not always practical, particularly for the elderly, which is why seated exercises can be extremely useful. These should be performed in a stable chair that does not have wheels and is high enough for both feet to be flat on the floor with the knees bent at right angles.
It is possible to perform a gentle upper body twist to help with flexibility in the back, where the arms are crossed with the hands reaching towards the opposite shoulder. While keeping the hips still, the upper body can be turned to the right as far as possible and held for a count of five before returning to the starting position and repeating the exercise in the other direction.
Another really useful exercise is to lift one leg as straight as possible from a seated position, pointing the toes forward and holding for a count of two, then bringing the toes in towards you, pushing the heel away, and holding again. This can help with flexibility in the ankle and foot and reduce the risk of blood clots.
Raising straight arms out to the side with the palms facing forwards as far up as possible can be beneficial for building strength in the shoulders. Where possible, the arms should then be brought up towards the head so that they are straight upwards with the fingers pointing to the ceiling.
Side steps
Gentle side steps are a great way to help with balance issues. This can be done by standing with feet together and hands by the sides, with slightly bent knees. By slowly moving one leg, the person can step to the side whilst keeping their weight on their standing leg, before moving it to meet the first leg. This can start with very small steps and build up to larger ones as confidence and balance grow.
One-leg stand
Each person should start by facing a wall and stretching their arms in front of them so that their fingertips make contact with the wall. With feet slightly apart, they should reach for the wall in front of them and lift up the right leg at the knee, keeping the hips level and holding for a count of five. This is great for the leg muscles and developing balance, and over time, the person can gradually increase the holding time and number of lifts.
Walking heel-to-toe
Another great exercise for balance is to take small steps, heel-to-toe, as part of a regular exercise routine. For beginners, it can be useful to start standing next to a wall for help with balance.
They should stand upright with their arms by their sides and put their left heel directly in front of their right and then move the weight from the back foot to the front one and move the right foot directly in front of the left. To start with, they should try to do at least five steps in the same direction before turning and going back the other way.
Walk between rooms
Walking is incredibly important for mobility and so walking from one room to another can help to build strength without any over-exertion. It can increase blood circulation and reduce aches and pains, particularly for arthritis sufferers. This can be part of an organised exercise routine or something that is encouraged on an hourly basis to help maintain blood flow and weight management.
Neck stretches
There are a variety of neck stretches that can be done either sitting or standing. The basic neck stretch involves gently tilting the head towards one shoulder and holding for five seconds before switching to the other side, whilst for a neck rotation they should slowly turn the head to look over one shoulder, holding for five seconds and returning to the centre.
A chin tuck can also be useful and is achieved by gently tucking the chin towards the chest whilst keeping the back straight and holding for five seconds. These kinds of stretches are particularly beneficial for the elderly when it comes to improving flexibility, reducing stiffness, and easing tension in the neck muscles.
It is important to offer a range of different exercises that can cater for all abilities and target different areas of the body. There are other exercises that can also be offered for the more mobile, including gardening, swimming, walking, or even dancing. By keeping elderly people moving, it is possible to keep many different physical and mental problems at bay for longer.
