Tips to Keep Your Loved One with Alzheimer’s Active
Even as your loved one battles Alzheimer’s, it’s still important to help him to stay active and eat well. Both will help him stay in better physical health and will even help him sleep better at night. Keeping physical can become a challenge as your loved one’s condition progresses, but with a little creativity and a lot of patience, you can help your loved one get moving each day. Having an Alzheimer’s home care provider help with your loved one’s physical fitness can be a great resource so that you don’t have to do it all yourself. You will also find that an Alzheimer’s home care provider will have some great tips and suggestions to help your loved one stay active.
Here are some ways to encourage your loved one to be more active.
Start the day off with a walk. Having the routine of a morning walk can be a great way to make sure your loved one gets some exercise each day. Mornings are often easier times for Alzheimer’s patients to partake in activities with less stress and agitation.
Help get the activity started. Your loved one may not want to start any type of activity on his own. He may need someone like yourself or his Alzheimer’s home care provider to begin the activity and then he’ll follow along. Using calming words such as “Right now, we’re going to …” and then gentle guidance can help your loved one start an activity.
Keep activities short. Instead of planning a 30-minute walk around the neighborhood, your loved one might do better with three 10-minute walks. With some repeated attempts, you’ll find what works best for your loved one.
Being active doesn’t necessarily mean your loved one has to have a strict exercise plan. You might find activities around the home and yard that can help him to stay active without feeling forced, especially if he was never a big fan of planned exercise in the past. Have your loved one help you with chores like carrying laundry up the stairs or pulling weeds from the garden. These will keep your loved one active and will help him feel like he’s contributing to the overall good of his home.
Incorporate music. Music can add a bit of energy and fun to just about any activity. When doing household chores, putting his favorite music on the radio can help him enjoy the chores (and you, too!). If going for a walk has too many distractions, headphones with calming music may make a walk down a busy street more enjoyable.
Take a break if needed. If one morning, your loved one refuses to go for a walk, don’t force it. Try distraction and then come back to it later, even if it must wait until the next day. Patience and flexibility can be the keys to helping your loved one enjoy being active.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Alzheimer’s Home Care Services in Gray GA please contact the caring staff at Angels of Mercy Private Homecare Services, Inc. today at 478-745-5111.
Angels of Mercy Private Homecare Services is a Trusted Home Care Agency serving Macon, Warner Robins, Perry, Gray, Milledgeville, Forsyth, Cochran, Jeffersonville, Eastman, Fort Valley, and the surrounding areas.
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