Elder Care in Jupiter Island, FL
Exercise is so beneficial for your elderly loved one, particularly if she has issues with her balance. By doing these exercises more often, she can improve her balance and hopefully avoid falling. Falls are a huge source of injury for elderly loved ones, so anything that can help her avoid a fall is a good idea. Here are a few exercises to try that may improve balance and help avoid a devastating fall:Heel to Toe Walking Have your elderly loved one stand and make sure that she has plenty of room in order to maneuver. Have her place one foot directly in front of the other so that the heel touches her toes. Try alternating feet for as long as your loved one can do this. Stand beside her to help her if she starts to lose her balance. One way to make the exercise a little more challenging is to have your loved one look at a spot across the room rather than at her feet. As her balance improves and as she grows stronger, she'll be able to take more than a few steps.
Standing Like a Flamingo The name of this exercise is pretty self-explanatory and it's also easy to do. Have your loved one stand near a chair or stand near her to help her keep her balance. Gradually have your loved one lift one leg and stand on the other for as long as she can. At first, it might only be for a few seconds. Gradually, she'll be able to stand on one leg for longer periods of time. Alternate legs so that your loved one is able to work on both legs. As with the heel to toe walking, as your loved one continues practicing, she'll be able to do more repetitions.
Walking on a Pretend Balance Beam Walking on a balance beam or a tightrope is an excellent test of balance. By using a pretend balance beam, you take the danger out of the equation. If you want to add a little more realism to the exercise, you can put down a length of yarn to simulate a balance beam. Help your loved one to walk along the string without veering from the line. As she gets more practice, try increasing the distance. Your loved one might be resistant to these exercises at first, but as her balance improves, she'll find them easier to do. Try asking your loved one's senior care providers if there are additional exercises you can add.
If you or an aging loved one are considering elder care in Jupiter Island, FL, contact the caring staff at BrightStar Care of Jupiter. Call today (561) 741-1200.