How Much Physical Activity Should Your Senior Be Getting?
Being as physically active as possible might need to be a bigger part of your senior’s overall plan for wellness. That’s especially true if her doctor agrees that she should be moving more. But just how much more is really right for your senior to move? That might depend on some other variables.
There’s the Official Recommendation
The official recommendation from a variety of health professionals is for people, even aging adults, to get at least 150 minutes per week of exercise. That equates to around 30 minutes per day. If your elderly family member is able to be much more physically active, then moderate-intensity exercise can bring that total down to 75 minutes.
But Unofficially, Moving More Is Better
Realistically, though, moving more at all than she is now can be good for your senior. Once your senior talks with her doctor and gets a definitive recommendation, all she really needs to do is to gradually increase her activity levels. Moving just a little bit more can be fine. It might be easier for her to do this with company, either from caregivers or from friends and family members.
She Can Add to Her Activity Levels Over Time
Once your senior is more active in general, she can increase her activity levels. There are lots of ways to do this. She can spend more time being active or she can make the exercise that she does more intense. Doing activities that help her to build muscle are good options, because losing muscle tone and strength are big issues for aging adults.
It’s About What Feels Okay and Is Safe
Ultimately, this is about what feels and is safe for your senior and her needs. It’s also about what helps her to feel healthy and content. If your elderly family member wants to exercise and has mobility concerns, it may make sense to have assistance from 24-hour home care providers available. 24-hour home care providers offer stability and companionship that your senior can rely on as she works to help her body to be stronger and more physically active.
The right levels of physical activity are truly individual. There are general recommendations, but there are also specific variables that really impact how active your senior is able to be. Paying attention to all of these factors helps you and your elderly family member to make sure that she’s safe and healthy, no matter how active she is.