It is natural for your muscles and joints to weaken as you age. However, the extent to which your strength, flexibility, and circulation deteriorates is dependent on the care you give your bodies. Stretching is vitally important for seniors and their home care aides to keep in mind.
Below are Best Home Care’s top 5 benefits that stretching has for seniors:
- Increased Strength
- Stretching boosts strength and can help raise energy levels.
- Maintained Flexibility
- Stretching can help prevent simple tasks like bending down to tie your shoe from becoming tiring chores that require help from a home care attendant.
- Improved Circulation
- Stretching promotes stronger blood flow circulation and stops discomfort from muscle cramps after sitting for a long time in an elderly care home.
- Improved Posture
- Stretching strengthens your core and can help seniors sit up straight.
- Reduced Risk for Injury
- Seniors can recover faster from the inevitable stumble with regular stretching. This also helps them avoid increases in the cost of home care.
It is easy to forget to plan a little extra time to stretch, but it is an essential part of keeping seniors receiving elderly home care services healthy. Try incorporating these 5 moves from Best Home Care into your routine by setting aside a designated time each day. Start with 5 to 10 reps for each stretch and increase that number once you feel ready and your home care specialists agree.
- Shoulder Roll
- Sit with your feet flat on the floor. Roll your shoulders up, back, down, and forward in a circular motion.
- Ankle Circle
- Sit with your feet flat on the ground. Lift one leg off the floor and roll your ankle in a circular motion. Try a clockwise and a counterclockwise motion. Repeat with the other ankle.
- Straight Arm Raise
- Lie on your back with knees bent and arms at your sides. Lift one arm off the floor to an upright position. Repeat with the other arm.
- Knee to Chest
- Lie on your back with knees bent and arms at your sides. Lift one knee toward your chest and return to the floor. Repeat with the other knee.
- Hip Flex
- Begin on your hands and knees with your back straight like a table top. Slowly move your hips back before returning to the starting position.
Remember to keep breathing while stretching and to stop if any stretch causes pain. To learn more about stretching for seniors contact Best Home Care!
