Exercise is essential no matter how old you are. Indeed, the NHS recommends that older adults complete at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week. This can be difficult though – especially if your grandparents aren’t in the habit of exercising. Below, we explore how you can help your grandparents get started with exercising.
Benefits
There are all sorts of benefits to exercise, making it a truly worthwhile use of your time. For a start, it can boost your mental health: studies have shown that frequent exercise can lower depression and anxiety while boosting self-esteem. On top of this, exercise can help lower the risk of diseases such as heart disease and diabetes – especially among elderly people. Regular physical exercise can also help boost cognitive function, provide opportunities for social engagement and decrease the risk of falls as you get older. Ultimately, as long as you exercise responsibly and within your limits, you should enjoy a huge array of benefits.
Forms of Exercise
While you might have your own sports that you like to play to keep fit, different forms of exercise work better for your grandparents. For a start, there are tailored workouts online that cater specifically to older adults. At the same time, you could consider encouraging them to carry out a less abrasive form of exercise, such as swimming. Other options, such as yoga, can also help older adults remain fit and flexible as they age.
How to Help them if they Sustain an Injury
Sometimes an injury can get in the way of exercising, but there are ways to support your grandparents through this. To start with, you should provide emotional support: you can do this by chatting to them and listening as they recover. At the same time, you can help your grandparents stick to their medical appointments and encourage them not to rush their recovery. Plus, if they suffered an accident that wasn’t their fault, then you could help them make a personal injury claim, with the hope of earning the compensation they deserve to help them focus on their recovery.
Convincing your grandparents to take up exercise can be difficult. But by showing them the benefits and helping them pick out some exercise they’d feel comfortable with, you can help them work towards a healthier lifestyle.
