Exercise does more for your health than just build muscle strength and endurance. It also stimulates your brain, making it an essential part of healthy senior living. Aside from releasing endorphins, exercise contributes to neurogenesis, the creation of new brain cells. These changes in your brain provide several benefits that are particularly important for seniors.

What Are the Benefits of Exercise for Seniors?

When you encourage your loved one to exercise as part of their home health care, you’re helping them boost their mood. Some studies have shown that starting an exercise routine can be comparable to antidepressants in relieving major depression. The new brain cells created in the hippocampus help with forming and retaining memories, which is especially relevant to patients concerned with the onset of dementia.

Exercise has even been shown to relieve the symptoms of a range of mental illnesses, including anxiety, eating disorders, mood disorders, substance abuse, and even schizophrenia. If your loved one struggles with any of these symptoms, exercise will help improve their general well-being and mental health.

What Are Some Effective Exercises?

Movement can get more difficult due to age-related health conditions, so help your loved one find an activity or routine that fits their ability and needs. Swimming and water aerobics are popular choices because the water helps support body weight and protect the joints compared to high-impact exercise like running. You can also recommend seated exercises, or increasing activities your loved one enjoys, like walking or gardening.

Once you have a plan, encourage your loved one to start small. Seniors are recommended to get about two and a half hours of moderate exercise or one hour and 15 minutes of vigorous exercise per week, but your loved one can work up to that amount.

Adding just a few minutes a day can help increase strength, endurance, and mobility, allowing them to add to their routine until they’re getting the recommended amount of exercise without strain. To set your loved one up for success, choose a time of day when they’re most energetic—in the morning for habitual early birds, for example.

If you’re looking for a senior living environment that will encourage your loved one to stay active and healthy, choose St. Charles Community in Covington, KY. This Kenton County establishment features independent cottages and apartments spread across a beautiful campus with a fitness center and beautiful outdoor walking paths. For more information about healthy senior living, call (859) 331-3224 or visit their website.