One of the biggest challenges facing older people is physical mobility. As the body grows older, there is the tendency for muscles to become weaker because after years of service, death of cells and stalled growth of new ones, hurt movement capabilities.
Other reasons that cause mobility problems in old age are bone diseases like osteoporosis in women, arthritis, and many others. This prompts many elders to require at home senior care most of the time. However, just because you’re getting older, it doesn’t mean you have to stay slouched on the couch, inactive and immobile.
There are things you can do to stimulate mobility capabilities in your body, and with the help of your caretaker, get back on your feet again. This should, of course, be done with consistent and diligent efforts towards achieving a certain level of fitness and health, which may not always be possible at home. That being said, the responsibility of taking such initiatives can be made much more doable in senior care and hospitality communities, like the one you can find at https://nexdine.com/ or a similar portal. The journey towards a healthy old age is comprehensive, and there are many things you will need to do to achieve it. Here are some of the most effective tips you could follow:
Work
The brain is responsible for most of the things our bodies do, including facilitating movement. Research has shown that people who work even in old age, after formal retirement tend to be more productive and mobile than those who don’t. Therefore, if you want to keep and maintain a mobile lifestyle, finding a job or some voluntary work that requires movement is a great way of keeping yourself, and you mind active. You can also do work around your home. Gardening for example, is an activity that will not only make your home appealing to visitors, but it will also enable you to exercise at your own pace. The bigger picture of engaging in these activities will keep you mobile.
Exercise
The human body is a combination of components, which need therapy or training to function. This explains the reason why your body will refuse to walk immediately after you have a stroke or paralysis. In old age, lack of activity will make your joints rigid with movements that are more painful. However, with exercise, the chances of this happening are close to nil or slow. More so, if you focus your attention to exercises that encourage whole body movements like cardio exercises, you will have a better chance of being mobile compared to when you sit idle.
Eat healthy
The other less considered, yet effective way to keep mobile is good nutrition. Research has shown than different foods work to keep joints flexible and mobile. Proteins and vitamins in particular, play a crucial role in joints and enzyme function which makes the body more mobile friendly or flexible. Therefore, if you want to maintain your mobility as you age, it’s essential to have a healthy and balanced diet. Unfortunately, many seniors who don’t have the ability to cook and live alone may not be getting all of the nutrients they need. In such cases, it may be beneficial for them to move to a senior living facility like Carlton Senior Living (carltonseniorliving.com/community/davis/), which can provide them with nutritious meals and the companionship of other seniors.
Get movement aids
The number of accidents related to mobility among senior citizens is rising fast. Stairs can be one area of the home which can be difficult to climb. Some of the recommendations made by experts include the use of mobility aids like stair lifts in the home of the elderly to keep the number of accidents, which happen low. Other mobility aids that could help include scooters and canes, all of which have been discovered to be effective as far as mobility in the home is concerned.