How to Motivate Aging Adults to Get Over the Fear of Exercising

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Seniors should exercise on a regular basis to maintain good health. However, many family caregivers have difficulty motivating their loved ones to exercise. Here are a few things you can do to help your senior loved one conquer his or her fear of exercising. 

Address the Fear of Passing Out

With age, bone density, muscle strength, and energy may begin to decrease. However, regular exercise can boost muscles, flexibility, and energy levels. The lack of strength and energy could prevent your loved one from working out because he or she is afraid of passing out. You can motivate your loved one by going over the health benefits of exercising and explaining that this activity can boost his or her overall health. The more your loved one works out, the stronger and more flexible his or her bones may become. 

Seniors can face a variety of challenges as they age, many of which can be mitigated with the help of professional in-home caregivers who provide high-quality at-home care. Trust Home Care Assistance to help your elderly loved one age in place safely and comfortably.

Encourage Exercising at Home

The fear of exercising may stem from embarrassment due to lack of mobility or being overweight. Your loved one may shy away from joining a local gym out of fear that others will mock him or her. You could work out with your loved one or hire a trainer to help with exercising at home. This could motivate your loved one to get fit and eventually go to the gym. 

Start at a Beginner’s Level

Many seniors are afraid to exercise because they believe it’s too difficult to do. The fear of not achieving their goals prevents seniors from doing certain things, including physical activity. Your loved one may put off exercising because he or she is afraid to fail. Assure your loved one that he or she isn’t in a competition and can exercise at his or her own pace. 

Older adults may need assistance with exercising or managing everyday tasks. Some seniors only require help with a few daily tasks so they can maintain their independence. However, those living with serious illnesses may need more extensive assistance. Luckily, there is professional live-in care Lincoln, CA, seniors can rely on. Home can be a safer and more comfortable place for your loved one to live with the help of an expertly trained and dedicated live-in caregiver.

Clear Pathways & Rooms

Many seniors associate exercise with slips and falls. You can help your loved one get over this fear by making sure the pathways and floors in the rooms where he or she exercises are always clear. This may reduce the risk of slipping and falling. 

Not every senior has the same care needs, which means they don’t all need the same type of homecare services. Lincoln families can rely on Home Care Assistance to provide individualized care plans to meet their elderly loved ones’ unique care needs. Our holistic Balanced Care Method was designed to help seniors focus on healthy lifestyle habits such as eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and maintaining strong social ties, and our Cognitive Therapeutics Method offers mentally stimulating activities that can boost cognitive health and delay the onset of dementia. Trust Home Care Assistance to provide high-quality compassionate professional care for your loved one. If your loved one needs help with the challenges of aging, call one of our compassionate Care Managers today at (916) 226-3737.

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