Managing weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels is vital for an aging adult with diabetes, and exercise can help. Creating a consistent workout routine can encourage your senior loved one to stay physically active and boost his or her quality of life. Below you’ll find exercise tips your aging parent with diabetes can use to manage the disease.
1. Choose Low-Impact Activities
Aerobics is one of the best types of exercises for the elderly. The movements are low impact but can have a significant effect when it comes to weight management and mindfulness. Cycling, swimming, walking, and dancing are some aerobic activities your loved one can do to increase lipid levels and decrease insulin resistance. Yoga is another excellent choice for a senior with diabetes. The exercise can help your loved one relax, reduce blood glucose levels, and manage various symptoms associated with the disease.
2. Wear the Proper Clothing
Wearing clothing and accessories that don’t fit properly could increase the risk of mobility challenges, poor circulation, and foot problems for seniors with diabetes. Your loved one should wear shirts and pants that are loose enough for him or her to move freely. Tight-fitting clothing can restrict blood circulation.
For optimal health, it’s essential for seniors with diabetes to adopt healthy habits, including regular exercise. Maintaining a high quality of life can be challenging for some seniors, but professional caregivers can help them attain this goal. Families can trust home care service experts to help their elderly loved ones focus on lifestyle choices that increase the chances of living longer and healthier lives.
3. Drink Plenty of Fluids
Dehydration can cause seniors with diabetes to feel more tired when working out, increasing their heart rate and body temperature. Failing to drink enough water while exercising can also weaken mental function. Encouraging your loved one to drink plenty of fluids, particularly water, could dilute the amount of sugar in his or her bloodstream, which reduces blood glucose levels.
4. Inspect the Feet
Numbness and swelling can occur when seniors work out and put more pressure on their feet, which is why you should monitor your parent’s feet regularly. Inspecting your loved one’s feet before and after exercising can reduce the risk of amputation and other problems. If you notice unusual marks or excessive swelling, your loved one must stop working out, and you should report these findings to his or her primary care physician immediately.
If your loved one lives alone, you may not be able to monitor his or her lifestyle habits closely, but a trained professional caregiver can do this and much more. Living with serious health conditions can make it challenging for seniors to age in place. However, they can maintain a higher quality of life with the help of professional live-in care. Montgomery seniors can benefit from assistance with meal prep, bathing, transportation to the doctor’s office, medication reminders, and much more.
5. Eat Healthy Carbohydrates
The medication seniors with diabetes take can impact their exercise routines. For instance, your loved one may try to avoid carbohydrates when managing his or her weight and blood sugar levels. However, exercising while taking various diabetic medications, such as glyburide, can cause blood sugar levels to decrease significantly. By eating more healthy carbohydrates, your loved one can adjust his or her blood sugar and reduce the risk of fatigue, dizziness, and other problems. Fruits like raisins, apples, and bananas are good carbohydrates your loved one can eat before and after exercising.
6. Speak with the Doctor Ahead of Time
Before creating a workout plan for your loved one, get a list of exercises to help with diabetes and prevent other health problems. You can get these recommendations from your loved one’s nurse or doctor or another medical professional. Speaking with your parent’s family physician can reduce the risk of choosing physical activities that lead to injuries, increased heart problems, and mental issues.
Even seniors who face serious health challenges such as diabetes can live in safety and comfort at home with the help of trained professional caregivers. Montgomery home care professionals can be a wonderful boon to seniors. Whether they require around-the-clock supervision or just need assistance with exercise and household tasks a few days a week, seniors can enjoy a higher quality of life with the help of trusted in-home caregivers. Trust Home Care Assistance to provide high-quality compassionate, professional in-home care for your loved one. Call one of our friendly Care Managers today at (334) 593-3988.