Elderly Care in Brownsburg, IN – Tips for Including Exercise and Social Interaction in Your Senior Loved One’s Life

Keeping your aging parents active is an essential part of your elderly care plan. Regular activity plays a vital role in your parents’ physical, emotional, and mental health, and makes your responsibilities more enjoyable because you are having fun spending time together rather than feeling like you are just taking care of them.

Making activity with your aging parents part of your regular elderly care starts with evaluating their abilities and interests so you can find things to do together that they will enjoy. This is a fantastic opportunity for you to sit down with your parents and talk with them about their interests, their hobbies, and even things they always wish they had done but did not get a chance to do while they were managing careers and raising a family. You may just discover something you never knew about your parents and find an activity that excites both of you.

If your aging parents are still energetic, getting involved in volunteering lets them give back to the community, help others, and get a sense of purpose many seniors lose and they get older. Talk with them about the issues that matter to them and consider volunteering together in place such as:

• A local animal shelter walking, feeding, or just snuggling with pets awaiting adoption

• A local hospital comforting and encouraging patients

• A local school reading with children

• Habitat for Humanity helping with building a new home for a family in need

Volunteering is not for everybody, so if you cannot find a place for your seniors to volunteer, or they would prefer another type of activity, try livening up their routine with a new kind of physical activity that will keep their minds and bodies active and keep them healthy. Try some of these ideas:

• Visit a driving range

• Take a few swings at a batting cage

• Shake up the familiar old outing of bowling by trying a cosmic game. This version plays the exact same except that the balls are neon, the alleys are decorated with black light paint, and the lights are kept low for a fun twist

• Try a water aerobics class

• Take a Zumba class

• Enroll them in ballroom dancing

Having something to do every day is a great way to stay active, but planning a big adventure every week or two changes up your schedule and gives all of you something to look forward to together. In addition to trying new things throughout the week, plan bigger day trips such as:

• Visit a local amusement park. There is plenty to see as you walk around and you can enjoy playing games, watching shows, and sampling a variety of treats. If any of you are feeling brave and can handle it, hop on one of the rides for a thrill

• Plan a trip to the beach. Walk along the sand, dip your feet in the water, or have an adventure by taking a whale watching cruise

• Choose a topic related to your area and go on trips to visit historic sites and museums to learn about them

Especially if one of your parents is more active than the other, having an elderly care provider during these outings is extremely helpful. As you keep up with your more active parent, the caregiver provides assistance for the needs of the other. This ensures your parents can enjoy the outings together and you can feel confident both are safe.

The caregivers at Great Care are available to talk with you and your family about all of your home care needs. Great Care is an elder care agency providing quality and affordable elderly care in Brownsburg, IN and the surrounding areas. Call (317) 595-9933 for more information.