How Balance Exercises Improve Senior Care

How Balance Exercises Improve Senior Care

senior balance exercisesAs our loved ones age, their chances of being injured by a fall or some sort of accident increase. It’s estimated that as many as 45 percent of seniors fall each year, and falls are one of the leading reasons seniors end up in the hospital. One reason is that balance decreases with age, due to a variety of factors – poorer vision, weaker muscles, bent posture, slower reaction time, health issues and even prescription drug side-effects like dizziness.

To reduce the chance of falling, it’s critical that the senior care community creates a safe physical environment for your loved one. Balance exercises can also be a big help in improving their safety.  Ask the senior living activity director to start a balance exercise class, if one isn’t already offered. There are also balance exercises that seniors can do in the privacy of their own residence, as long as they learn proper and safe techniques.

Before getting started, here are a few important senior safety guidelines:

  • Check with the doctor and make sure there aren’t any pre-existing health or medication issues that would make it too hard to do these exercises.
  • Especially frail or unstable seniors need to be supervised by a senior care staff member when they exercise.
  • Start exercises near a chair or table for safety.
  •  Get out of the chair slowly and avoid twisting motions.
  • Don’t close your eyes during exercise!
  • Proceed slowly and don’t try to do too much too soon. That’s how injuries happen!

Here are some balance exercises especially good for seniors:

Single-limb stand

This is a good balance exercise to start with, because it helps seniors figure out their center of gravity over their ankles, which is the goal, to maintain a center position over the ankles. Hold on with both hands to the back of a stable, solid chair and balance on one leg. Try to do this for a few seconds for each leg. Advance to a one-hand hold and ultimately, no hold at all, if possible.

Side leg raise

Stand behind the chair with your back held straight. Put your feet flat on the floor, slightly apart. Hold onto the back of the chair or table. Exhale slowly and lift your right leg about six inches off the floor to the side. Keep both legs straight and toes pointing out. Inhale and hold this position for a few seconds. Exhale and return to both feet on the floor. Alternate legs and do this several times. This exercise helps build your leg strength and your hip flexibility.

Free stand

Work on standing up and sitting down without using your hands. This helps overall balance and strength.

One foot stand

Raise one leg and stand on the alternate foot as long as you can. Alternate the legs to build balance on each side – people often find that one leg is much stronger than the other. You can do this while waiting in line at the grocery store!

Heel-to-toe walk

This is a great exercise once you have mastered the static balance exercises, because it can be done nearly anywhere. Practice this first near a chair for extra support if needed. Put one heel in front of the toes of your opposite foot each time you take a step. The heel and toes should touch or almost touch. 

There are lots of other good senior balance exercises, so check with the senior care community for ideas. What are your favorite balance exercises?

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