Most people prefer to remain at home when the weather gets cold. This can be especially true for seniors, who might find the cold painful and be concerned about slipping on ice. While it's crucial to take precautions, it's also important to encourage activity in the colder months. Below are a few senior care professional approved ways for older people to get the exercise they need during winter.

Safe Ways Older People Can Get Exercise

1. Clean Up

On particularly icy or chilly days, it might not be safe to go outside. However, this shouldn't prevent you from moving around. Walking around the house every hour or two or finally tackling that decluttering project offers a healthy way to get physical activity without leaving your warm home. Senior care providers should look for low-impact forms of exercise that get the blood moving and suggest them to loved ones.

2. Join a Group

While the desire to stay home is understandable, it also increases isolation, which can exacerbate loneliness and depression. Socialization is important to mental health and will help you stay active. Review the activities offered at your local rec center and note any that interest you. This will help you meet peers and engage in an activity you love or pick up a new hobby.

3. Sign Up for the Local Gym

A gym provides a warm, safe place to work out as often as you’d like. Additionally, it offers opportunities to socialize, even in the form of a quick chat with the front desk personnel. Many gyms have extremely affordable memberships, which will be helpful for seniors on a budget. If you're concerned about hurting yourself, work with a personal trainer to learn techniques that protect joints and strengthen muscles.

For additional tips or professional senior care services, speak with the professionals at Hillcrest Assisted Living in Columbia, MO. For over 30 years, this facility has provided comfortable living arrangements to local seniors and treated them like family. They also offer medical care, so you know you will be taken care of when you need it. To learn more about their senior care options, visit them online, and call (573) 696-3201 to schedule a tour.