Getting The Elderly to Remain Active
With warmer weather approaching we are all excited to come out of hibernation. Perhaps it’s a commitment to run a mile in the park or commuting to work by bike. We hope that these activities will come into fruition as the flowers and trees begin to blossom. The nice weather inspires us get slim by being active. According to the CDC an average adult needs 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (i.e., brisk walking) per a week. The CDC suggest for even greater health benefits, older adults should increase activity to 300 minutes.
However, getting the elderly to remain active can prove to be a big challenge for caregivers. U.S. News & World Report ran a study on how many seniors were homebound in 2011 and found it was 5.6% of that demographic. With over 50 million seniors in the US, that’s approximately 2.8 million seniors which find themselves constricted to a home. Often seniors find it harder when everyone else is getting outdoors and they have to remain inside. The restriction could be due to the lack of mobility, illness, or incontinence.
With all these challenges caregivers must see it that they remain active and get outside. Assisted living facilities in Northeast Ohio combat this challenge by having courtyards accessible from various social points. Steven Berkowitz, a nurse at the Gateway Family House recommends having the outdoor lounge area back to back with the indoor lounge. This makes it an easy decision for residents to get outside on a beautiful day.
Here are some tips on how to get homebound seniors to remain active:
- Have them create an indoor garden in the kitchen. Many home folks grow parsley, mint, tomatoes, and other herbs in their home. This will give the senior reason to get up and move around. It also has been proven that growing plants makes a person feel accomplished.
- Make sure that a schedule for visitors is implemented which conforms to the patient schedule. The last thing you want is for them to be pressured to answer the door when they are unavailable. Visitors should always make sure to call before and be flexible.
- For older men hobbies are very popular. One can find a motor boat or airplane at a local hobby shop. Often you can see older groups of men controlling these vessels around the dawn hours at a pound of brook.
- Our favorite tip is to invite a grandchild over to perform a craft with grandma or grandpa. This is a great for the generations to interact and to learn how to appreciate each other.
What should the family do if the patient is not really interested in doing anything?
We had a client who was desperate to get their loved one to perform some daily activity. Every time an idea was presented it was declined with the patient being uninterested. What we recommended was to separate the activity from the caregiver. The patient can deny a son or daughter but it’s a bit more difficult to refuse a third party.
Sound Inspirations Music Therapy offers an in home solution for music and song being brought directly to the home. Reach out to a local senior advisor to find out what in home activities are offered in your neighborhood. Ask your loved ones spouse or close acquaintance if there is anything which they love or enjoy. Then go ahead and do the leg work to figure out how to get that party to come to the home of the client.
When trying to get someone older to be active consult with the patients doctor on which activities are suitable for their health condition. Next time join mom or dad on a well visit and have an open conversation about keeping active. Even once the caregiver has confirmed the choice activity always listen to the patient. Something may be bothering them which may not be detected by a non medical professional. It’s common for older adults to have osteoporosis and they can easy get a bone breakage.
At the Senior Comfort Guide we are always seeking for unique services for our senior community in Northeast Ohio. Next time you here of a service like music therapy in Ohio, mention to them about the Senior Comfort Guide. We enjoy spreading this free resource for senior services.
