Gaining and losing weight happens naturally through the course of your lifetime. A few extra pounds may not be a big deal when you’re younger. As you age, though, this excess can place stress on the joints and potentially cause life-threatening health issues. If you provide care for a senior loved one, you can help them get healthier and maintain a better weight. Here are some tips:
Exercise Together
Many seniors are afraid of being active because they are concerned they may injure themselves. The National Institutes of Health noted that over 1.6 million older individuals in the U.S. end up in the emergency room due to falls, so it’s clear this fear is warranted.
Find Senior Living Near Me
“Many seniors are afraid of being active alone.”
To ease your loved one’s anxiety, exercise with them. First, talk to the person’s doctor to learn what physical activities may encourage weight loss.
Some older people have a minimal range of motion, so isometric exercises, or slow, light stretches, are helpful yet not too strenuous. For the more agile senior, try going to a local community center to enjoy time in the hot tub. Heat lubricates the joints and can alleviate pain from arthritis or other conditions. Then, head to the pool for water aerobics. Due to the reduced gravitational forces, it’s much easier for seniors to move in the water than on land. Having you there will make working out more fun, and your senior loved one will be more likely to get active when they can count on your company.
Cook with Them
If you know a senior living independently, visit them at home and cook together. It’s not all that fun to make meals for one, but with you there, making dinner or breakfast can be more enjoyable. Bring tasty ingredients like fresh produce and whole grains, so you’ll both eat a good meal. If the senior resides in memory care or assisted living, you can meet them at the community to visit the dining room. Many assisted living communities like Edgewood offer three healthy meals a day. Items like roast beef, tasty sandwiches, grilled chicken, and fruit salad are both flavorful and provide beneficial nutrients to help your loved one shed some extra weight and feel better.
Assisted living community dining rooms offer healthy dishes for senior residents.
Be Encouraging
Some seniors could benefit from trying a diet. Many older individuals enjoy indulging in decadent desserts because the sweet taste buds are some of the last to lose their senses. However, keeping a candy bowl on hand and baking tasty pastries may not be a great idea when minimizing their waistline. Bring the senior to their doctor and discuss possible dietary changes to promote weight loss. The physician should offer a few ideas of items to cut out, like processed foods and saturated fats, or may send you to a dietitian or nutritionist. Some senior living communities even have these professionals on-site to guide residents.
When someone tries to lose weight, encouragement can be a massive factor in their success. Check-in with your loved one to see how they are feeling. Let the person know you are thinking of them and offer to help however you can. That may mean driving them to the grocery store to buy healthy snacks and avoiding the candy aisle. Or, maybe the senior will ask you to come over and join them for a walk to burn some calories and enjoy spending time together. Your presence can make all the difference in the senior’s weight loss journey.
