When possible, walking is one of the best exercises for just about everyone. Not only does walking keep the body moving, but it’s a great form of entertainment because walking can take place just about anywhere. You don’t need a treadmill to walk on, just some ground beneath your feet and a place to go (even if it’s around the block). Home care services can help seniors walk safely.
Why Walking is Great Exercise for Seniors
Walking is good for many seniors for a variety of reasons (but if you’re unsure if your elderly loved one should be out walking, check with her doctor before she begins).
- It’s inexpensive: Generally, all a person needs for a nice walk is a decent pair of shoes. We’ve all known how to walk since we were toddlers, so there’s no expert training needed and no complicated equipment. While some people choose to pay for a gym membership in order to get their steps in, many can head to public locations – whether indoors or outdoors – and walk all they want freely.
- It can be done at any intensity: From a casual stroll through a garden to power walking around a walking track, your loved one can go at her own pace.
- It’s low impact: While accidents or sports injuries can happen with any activity, walking is generally considered one of the safest ways for most people to get out and move, especially with the assistance of home care providers.
Tips for Staying Safe While Walking
Despite the ease of walking and the general lack of danger, there are still steps your loved one should take to keep safe when she decides to go out for a walk.
- If she’s walking alone, always let at least one person know where she’s going and when.
- Check the weather before heading out. If your loved one is walking outside, even if it’s a clear and nice day, she should check the weather forecast before heading out to make sure no inclement weather is coming her way.
- Know where she’s walking. Your loved one will be safer if she only walks at locations that she is familiar with. While exploring new places while walking is also fun, your loved one may get lost or find herself in an area that is not safe for walking.
- Walk on smooth surfaces. A paved, flat walking path is best to prevent falls from occurring during a walk.
- Don’t multitask while walking. Encourage your loved one to stay off her phone or do any other activity that takes her eyes and mind off of where she’s walking. Those distractions can easily lead to trip-ups that may cause injury to your loved one.
The Best Safety Tip: Home Care Services
If you’re still concerned about your elderly loved one walking, especially alone, one option for safer walking situations can be to have someone join her on her walks, like a friend, family member, or home care provider. Home care doesn’t only have to be in the home; their staff can assist your loved one on outings so that she has the support needed to do the things she wants safely.
A home care provider may help her by providing transportation to the safe location where she wants to walk, or a home care provider may even join her for a walk around the neighborhood, providing companionship and ensuring her walk is both enjoyable and safe.
If you or an aging loved one is considering hiring Home Care in Oroville, CA, contact the friendly staff at Home Care Professionals today.
Call (866)-940-4855
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