As they age, many seniors often lose strength in their arms. However, there are measures they can take to prevent this. Here are five fun activities seniors can do to build their arm strength.
1. Flexes & Rotations
Ask your loved one to make a fist 10 times and then rotate the wrist forward in 10 small circles. Get your loved one to move his or her arms further apart while making the circles. See how far your loved one can spread his or her arms without stopping and then finish by rotating the shoulders in small circles.
2. Swimming in the Air
When it’s too cold to go swimming outside, your loved one can always enjoy swimming in the air. Have your loved one cup his or her hands, with the right hand out in front and the left hand at the shoulder. Next, ask your loved one to change hands as if he or she were doing the front crawl.
A professional caregiver can help your loved one exercise safely in the comfort of home. At-home care experts are available to provide high-quality care to seniors on an as-needed basis. From assistance with mobility and exercise to providing transportation to the doctor’s office and social events, there are a variety of ways professional caregivers can help your aging loved one continue to live independently.
3. Reaching for the Stars
For this exercise, your loved one can sit on the edge of a chair. Encourage your loved one to reach straight above the head with his or her left hand while pretending to grasp a star. Your loved one should “pull” the star down and then reach out with the other hand. To make this activity more fun, ask your loved one to sing “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.”
4. Flapping
Ask your loved one to sit with the elbows by the sides and then place the palms together in front at chest height. Encourage your loved one to see how quickly he or she can bend and unbend the elbows.
If you have a senior loved one who needs help maintaining a high quality of life while aging in place, reach out to Assisting Hands Home Care, a leading provider of home care Frederick families can trust. Our caregivers help seniors focus on healthy lifestyle habits such as eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and maintaining strong social ties, and we offer mentally stimulating activities that can boost cognitive health and delay the onset of dementia.
5. Seated Jumping Jacks
Get your loved one to stick both hands straight up in the air, then have him or her bring the hands together above the head as if doing a jumping jack. See how many your loved one can do in 30 seconds.
Some seniors need assistance with a variety of daily activities, including getting regular exercise. Frederick respite care professionals can assist seniors with a wide array of daily tasks, offering family caregivers the chance to focus on other personal responsibilities or take a break to prevent burnout. Whether it’s for a few hours a day or a few days a week, home care is the perfect solution for family caregivers who are feeling overwhelmed. If you need professional care for your loved one, Assisting Hands Home Care is just a phone call away. Reach out to one of our Care Managers today.
