Exercises at Home for Older Adults

Staying physically active has many health benefits for older adults, but this can sometimes be a challenging goal to meet. This is reflected in a report published by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) that indicates nearly 27% of adults aged 65-74 and 35% of those 75 and older do not exercise. 1

If you’re in this group of older adults, you may be wondering how you can improve your physical activity level, and what benefits you can expect to see if you do. And, if getting out of the house is difficult because you can no longer drive safely, how can you make sure you’re exercising safely and effectively at home?

Thankfully, there are plenty of easy ways you can increase your physical activity safely. And, this is possible even if you have limited mobility or limited access to resources outside of your home. Let’s take a closer look at exercise and older adults, and how to incorporate it into your daily routine at home.

The benefits of exercise for older adults

The National Council on Aging (NCOA) has highlighted several benefits of exercise for older adults. 2 Some of these benefits may surprise you:

Relief from arthritis pain- older adults who struggle with arthritis may not realize that exercise has been shown to reduce joint pain, not increase it. Decreased physical activity makes muscles weaker, joints stiffer, and range of motion more difficult. 3 Stronger muscles help support joint movement.

Increases bone density- losing bone density often happens with aging. 4 Weight-bearing and resistance exercise actually helps to strengthen bones, protecting you against the risk of fractures. 5

Prevention and improvement of chronic diseases- many common health concerns older adults face are reduced or eliminated by exercise, including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and high blood pressure.

Support for your mood- exercise is a known mood booster. Evidence shows that it reduces anxiety and depression– at least in part due to the release of feel-good endorphins. 6

Helps to strengthen immunity- exercise has been shown to cause changes in your immune system that may help to fight illness. 7

Reduces the risk of falls- exercises for balance and strength training can help lower your risk of falling. 8 Older adults often fall at home, which can result in serious injury.

Getting started with exercise at home

Before you decide on the best exercise plan at home, it’s important to talk to your doctor. They can recommend the right kind of exercise based on your medical history, and advise you on what limitations, if any, you should observe. Otherwise, you may not be exercising safely.

In some cases, a good start may be getting some help from physical therapy (PT). Although physical therapists can help people recover from injuries, illness, and surgeries, they’re also experts at understanding movement and exercise. Because of this, they can help older adults prevent injury before it ever happens. 9

Your doctor can help you with a referral to PT if necessary. A physical therapist can assess you for balance and strength concerns, prescribe the best exercises to help you move well, and follow up to make sure you’re making progress.

What kind of exercise is recommended for older adults?

Aside from any specific recommendations or limits set by your doctor and physical therapist, there are general recommendations related to exercise and older adults

The CDC suggests that for adults aged 65 and older, these basic guidelines should be followed: 10

Aim for a total of at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity exercise (such as brisk walking)

Aim for a total of 75 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity exercise like running or hiking

AND

Participate in muscle-strengthening exercises twice weekly
Participate in exercises for improving balance three times per week

The amount of effort it takes to perform an activity like brisk walking can vary from person to person. It can be easy to overdo it if you’re doing the wrong kind of activity level for your abilities, so remember to work with your healthcare team as you begin working toward these goals.

Some tips for exercises at home for older adults

When planning your exercise regimen at home, it can be helpful to think about what your biggest barriers to exercise are. Do long exercise sessions feel like too much? Are you scared of falling? Choosing options that avoid these problems can help you be more successful.

The following are some helpful tips for exercises at home:

Yoga is gentle on joints- if you’re looking to improve balance, flexibility, and strength but struggle with arthritis pain, yoga provides gentle exercise that can even improve joint pain. 11 There are many videos available that you can follow at home. If standing is difficult, try chair yoga– many of these exercises can be done sitting or using a chair for support if balance is a problem for you.

Walking can be an indoor activity- although going for walks around the neighborhood is great if you can manage it, sometimes weather, uneven terrain, or mobility challenges can make outdoor walks difficult. You can trek through the house instead- use a pedometer to count your steps and make sure your path is clear of trip hazards. Put on some music to energize yourself!

Aerobic exercises aren’t only for the gym- anything that gets you moving and gets your heart rate up counts. This could be a stationary bike, or following along to an exercise DVD. Yard work like raking counts too.

Strength training can be simple- resistance bands, small 1 or 2-pound weights, situps, pushups, or squats all help build muscle. Heavier yard work like shoveling creates resistance that increases strength, too.

Break up exercise sessions into more manageable chunks- 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise is 30 minutes a day for 5 days. Try 10 minutes three times per day instead of a 30-minute session, especially if you’re just getting started and your endurance is low.

How caregivers can support exercise at home

The role of a caregiver of an older adult often focuses on activities of daily living like bathing, dressing, and meal preparation. Caregivers can play an important role in encouraging and supporting exercise at home by incorporating it into their daily routines with the older adult in their care.

Here are some strategies to consider:

If you participate in doctor’s appointments, help advocate for safe exercise at the next visit. You can even write down an approved exercise plan for reference after returning home. Talk through how you will meet these goals each day.

Help the older adult in your life remove any trip hazards or clutter from the home, or rearrange furniture to create a safe and comfortable exercise space for activities like yoga.

Offer support for walks. An older adult may feel intimidated by going for a walk alone, but an arm nearby to lean on, or someone available to help with a mobility aid and rest stops can encourage them to get outside for short treks.

Incorporate exercise into activities of daily living. Can the person participate in stretching, reaching, and picking up pieces of laundry for part of this task? What about tidying up around the house– could they do a handful of squats to pick up items?

Be a spotter! Wall pushups, standing on one foot, squats, and more all can feel safer with someone there to steady your balance, support you if you lose endurance, and cheer you on.

Consistent exercise at home is effective

With regular effort, you can begin to see the benefits of exercising at home. Along with improving strength, balance, and mobility, you may find that your blood pressure, blood sugar, and other health markers improve at your next visit to the doctor.

Remember that starting small is key. If you can only exercise for 5 minutes at a time to start, exercise for that long. As it gets easier, add a minute. It’s normal to have a bad day or even a stretch of bad days and miss your goals– the important thing is that you try again as soon as you are able.

If in-home caregivers are a part of your daily life, be sure to let them know about your exercise goals and ask them to help you reach them. If having a regular caregiver could help you with activities of daily living that include exercise, Caresify’s team of professional caregivers is ready to support you with a personalized plan of care. You can read more here, or call 888-799-5007.

Providing personalized in-home care to seniors