For aging adults, mobility issues can prevent them from having a healthy and active lifestyle. If you're providing senior care to a loved one, you should encourage them to maintain their physical capabilities, as this will improve their mood and quality of life. Here are several tips to help them accomplish this goal.

How Can Seniors Improve Their Movement?

1. Increase Activity

For seniors with limited mobility, starting an exercise routine can be challenging and potentially stressful. However, physical activity increases both mobility and longevity, potentially adding extra years to their life. To encourage them, find low-stress physical activities that they enjoy, such as gardening, walking, or swimming. For those with minimal movement, start by asking them to help you cook dinner, dust the house, or walk around the yard. This will get their blood pumping and stretch their muscles.

2. Maintain a Healthy Diet

While excess weight can impede mobility for anyone, this is particularly true for seniors. The added weight stresses their knees and joints, resulting in discomfort when walking or participating in physical activities.

Furthermore, this increases their risk of developing walking disabilities, limiting their movement even more. To help your loved one maintain their weight, encourage a diet of healthy, nutrient-dense foods. For example, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats have vitamins and minerals to support the bones without adding too many calories. If they love to snack, swap out sugary items with nutritious, filling options, such as mixed nuts.

3. Improve Balance

Falls are one of the leading causes of injuries in elderly Americans, occurring in one in four seniors every year. This risk is heightened if a senior has limited mobility, as they will experience reduced muscle and bone strength, weakening their balance.

However, you can help your loved one improve their balance with low impact exercises like yoga or tai chi. These stretches will boost their muscle mass and flexibility so that slips are less common. Then, practice senior-friendly activities, including one-foot stands, marching in place, and hip rotations.

When your loved one needs expert senior care to help them improve mobility and live safely, contact West Vue Inc in West Plains, MO. They have two convenient locations, offering an independent living community, as well as assisted living and nursing home options, allowing residents to age in place through all aspects of their lives. Call (417) 256-1292 to ask about availability or schedule a tour. Visit the website for more information about their senior care services.