Alicia Seaver is Vice President of Memory Care Operations for EPOCH Senior Living and a Certified Memory Impairment Specialist. Every month, she addresses a specific issue related to memory and memory care. If you’re interested in hearing about a particular topic, please send a note to [email protected].
Q: I am trying to find ways to keep my mom active despite her dementia. What are some ways I can boost my loved one’s health and cognitive well-being while keeping her memory loss in mind?
A: Keeping your loved one with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of memory loss active is a great idea. Think about how much better you feel after a good run or walk, and consider how wonderful swimming feels on aching joints. Even a good session of yoga can help you become more relaxed. The same is true for those with memory loss.
You’ve already taken the first step to providing your loved one with a healthier lifestyle through exercise simply by seeking ways to safely get your loved one to participate. With the right techniques, research shows that exercise and regular physical activity will not only help to reduce their risk of chronic diseases but also provide them with a range of other health benefits.
This is the exact reason why memory care communities like Bridges ® by EPOCH incorporate wellness into the daily routines of older adults living with dementia. Discover some exercises that work well for seniors that our teams incorporate into daily fitness routines. Plus, learn more about the benefits of physical activity for those with memory loss.
Exercises That Are Perfect for Those with Dementia
While your loved one may not always be able to participate in the exercises they once loved, there are plenty of ways to adapt them to ensure they can still get regular exercise. Get active with some of these top exercises you can try with your loved one today.
Dancing
If your loved one enjoyed dancing in their younger years, put on your dancing shoes and get ready to move and groove. Be sure to clear the floor of tripping hazards; then, put on some of the tunes they’ve always loved, and enjoy a bit of music therapy as you dance the night away and reminisce about beloved memories.
Balance Exercises
Balance exercises, such as yoga, barre classes and tai chi, might be the perfect option for you and your loved one to enjoy together. Suppose your loved one can no longer practice yoga in the traditional sense. In cases like these, chair yoga may be the perfect option for safety. You can find many exercise videos and yoga tutorials online.
Even walking can be a great way to enhance balance and independence; just be sure to watch out for tripping hazards along the way.
Gardening
If your loved one with memory loss once had a passion for gardening, this is the ideal activity to continue! Raised garden beds or window planters remove the need to bend over or kneel, decreasing the risk of falls while ensuring they continue this active hobby.
Strength Training
Strength training may not be the first thing that comes to mind for your loved one, but it is a valuable part of an exercise program. When done safely, it can help seniors maintain muscle mass and promotes healthy bones and mobility. Try seated exercises using low weight dumbbells or resistance bands.
Before starting any exercise, be sure to consult with your loved one’s physician. Remember to start slowly and gradually increase the amount of time you exercise each day and week. Any amount of exercise will be beneficial to your loved one’s health and wellness – and yours!
Five Advantages of Exercise for Seniors with Memory Loss
1. Decreased Risk of Disease
Regular physical activity is one of the best ways to fight disease and boost the immune system. Physical exercise can lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, may help reduce the risk of cancers and improves heart health.
2. Enhanced Cognitive Function
Did you know that it’s possible for exercise to enhance cognitive function and may prevent rapid cognitive decline? While studies have shown that physical activity can improve brain function, the consistency and magnitude of the effects continue to be debated and evaluated in controlled trials. We’ve always known exercise is good for our physical health – but it’s exciting to know preliminary research also indicates it is good for our cognitive health, too!
3. Improved Mood
Exercise provides an uptick in serotonin, which in turn improves mood, lessens depression and makes us feel happier and healthier. This can be a powerful benefit for those with memory loss who also have depressive symptoms.
4. Better Sleep
When completed at the right time, exercise may improve your sleep! It can reduce the time it takes for individuals to fall asleep or the amount of time that a person lies awake in bed at night. The key is to not exercise too late at night; be sure to give your loved one enough time to wind down before bedtime.
5. Maintained Independence
Exercise can help those with dementia maintain physical independence by helping to enhance their strength and balance. Seniors who exercise regularly have been shown in studies to have a lower fall risk.
Enhancing Quality of Life
Bridges® by EPOCH memory care communities have been developed from the ground up to anticipate, meet and exceed the needs of our residents and their families. Our team of remarkable people, the exceptional care and services we offer, and the purposeful design of our buildings all combine to create the most rewarding, secure and nurturing lifestyle possible for our residents.
Bridges® communities are located in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, in the following towns: Norwalk, CT; Stamford, CT; Trumbull, CT; Andover, MA; Hingham, MA; Lexington, MA; Mashpee, MA; Pembroke, MA; Sudbury, MA; Westford, MA; Westwood, MA; and Nashua, NH.
Bridges® by EPOCH is New England’s largest stand-alone memory care assisted living provider.