Many seniors complain about their knees hurting due to arthritis pain. A great way for family caregivers to help their senior loved ones avoid this problem is by encouraging them to do knee exercises. In addition to easing knee pain, these exercises can build lean muscle mass, reduce blood pressure, increase insulin resistance, and lower total cholesterol. When seniors do the knee exercises below, they may discover their lower backs hurt less as well.
Glute-Hip Marches
While standing behind a straight chair, your loved one should grab hold of the chair for balance while bending his or her right knee up as far as it will go. Your loved one should exhale while lifting his or her leg and inhale when putting the leg back down. Repeat 10 times with each leg. As this becomes easier, try to get your loved one to let go of the chair and add ankle weights.
If your aging loved one needs help performing exercises, consider hiring a professional caregiver. 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.
Lower Back & Upper Back Stretches
Have your loved one stand with his or her back against the wall and feet shoulder-width apart a short distance away from the wall. Now, have your parent slide down the wall as far as he or she is comfortable. Your loved one should hold the sitting position for a few seconds and then slide back up the wall. Your parent can try to increase the intensity of this exercise until he or she can do 10 repetitions.
Chair Exercises
Have your loved one sit in a chair with his or her feet flat on the floor. Now, have your loved one lift his or her right leg in front, exhaling while doing so. Your loved one should try to hold the position for as long as possible before slowly putting the leg back on the floor, inhaling at the same time. Encourage your parent to work up to 10 repetitions with each leg.
Some seniors need assistance with exercising safely, and family caregivers may not always be there to help. For some families, caring for a senior loved one can be overwhelming at times. Luckily, they can rely on professional in-home care. Arlington, VA, Assisting Hands Home Care is a trusted name in respite and hourly care. Our caregivers are available around the clock to assist seniors with bathing, transportation, medication reminders, exercise, and much more, allowing families the time they need to focus on other important responsibilities or just take a break.
Partial Squats
Encourage your loved one to stand behind a sturdy straight-back chair. While holding on to the chair with both hands, your loved one should bend at the knees while inhaling and then return to an upright position. Encourage working up to 10 repetitions.
Positive Straight Leg Raises
Have your loved one lie on the floor with his or her right leg bent up at a 45-degree angle. Now, encourage your loved one to raise the left leg as high as the right knee. Have your loved one hold the lift as long as possible and return it slowly to the floor. Repeat on the other side. Encourage your parent to work up to 10 repetitions.
Living with arthritis can make it difficult to age in place without assistance. Seniors can face a variety of challenges as they age, many of which can be mitigated with the help of professional in-home caregivers who provide high-quality elder care. Arlington families trust Assisting Hands Home Care to help their elderly loved ones age in place safely and comfortably. We will work with you to create a customized home care plan that’s suited for your loved one’s unique needs. Call the Assisting Hands Home Care team at (703) 988-1800 today.
