With old age come several things; some pleasant and others (like gradually failing health) not so pleasant. Deteriorating coordination and physical condition puts a lot of senior citizens at risk of tripping and injuring themselves.

While it isn’t entirely possible to negate the occasional trip, there are exercises you can count on to improve balance and strength ultimately lowering the risk of falling and associated injuries.  The risk of falls in senior citizens may be attributed to several factors such as prevailing health conditions and medications, tripping hazards, and balance/posture complications. Below is a roundup of simple exercises that help prevent falls in your elderly loved ones.

Balance Training

Balance exercises help keep your elderly loved one’s body active while improving coordination, balance, and overall health. These exercises help strengthen lower back muscles, legs, and core muscles. The key concept with balance exercises is that they require seniors to actively put in the effort to remain stable. In doing so, numerous crucial muscle groups are strengthened reducing the risk of accidental falls and injury. Some simple balance exercises you might want to try include;

• Tightrope Walk: This simple exercise entails placing a length of rope between two points and walking along the rope while avoiding stepping off on either side.
• Limb stances: This balance exercise involves standing on one foot behind a chair, raising the other foot, and holding the said position for a couple of minutes. Repeat the procedure on the other foot without using the chair for support.
• Back leg exercises: this form of balance training aims to strengthen the bottom and lower back muscle groups. While standing behind a stable chair, slowly raise your left foot straight back without bending your knees. Hold the position for a few minutes then repeat the procedure on your other leg.
  Sit-To-Stand Exercises.

These exercises help improve coordination, your body’s movement mechanics, and balance; vital components in avoiding falls and injuries. The exercise involves first sitting comfortably on a sturdy chair of moderate height. Afterward, lean forward in a position where your lower back is positioned directly at the front part of the chair. Shift your weight forward and squeeze your gluts then slowly raise your body into a standing position where you feel most stable.

It is recommended to have sturdy support such as a countertop to hold onto while performing this exercise. Repeat the sit-to-stand motions several times while avoiding using your hands. Where necessary, you may through on a couple of weights for added resistance.

Weightlifting and Swimming Exercises

A lesser-known fact is, lifting weights is good for your elder loved one’s physical health. Swimming on the other hand similarly contributes to better coordination, improved cardiac health, and stamina. A combination of weightlifting and swimming exercises breaks up the monotony of conventional “old people exercises”. Both exercises help senior citizens maintain a degree of physical independence by lessening their chances of falling and injuring themselves.

Having the assistance of a caregiver can ensure that your aging loved one receives help when performing in any physical activity. You can match through Caring Home Care’s nurse registry as it will provide aid service based on specific needs.