Exercises You Can Do at Home to Support Mobility
Why Maintaining Mobility is Important at Any Age
Mobility tends to worsen as we age, so it’s important for people at every stage of their lives to keep as mobile as possible. This can help to stave off the inevitable deterioration and support healthy joints and muscles. The NHS says, “Older adults should do some type of physical activity every day. It can help to improve your health and reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.” It’s essential to speak to a healthcare professional if you haven’t exercised in a while, or you have a medical condition or healthcare concerns, but otherwise even a small amount of activity will make a difference. This includes walking around your home, pottering in your garden or doing chair exercises. If you’re not confident mobilising on your own, it’s a great idea to ask a loved one to join you, or a Helping Hands carer, who will support you to build your confidence and feel more independent at home.
Getting Started with At-Home Mobility Exercises
Whether you begin by doing some armchair yoga, stretching or balance routines, many online sources can help.
Organisations such as the British Heart Foundation (BHF) have suggestions for exercising from a chair, or you can go to YouTube and type in ‘gentle exercise for seniors’ to see what videos appeal to you. As with any form of exercise, it’s important to chat with a healthcare professional to ensure it’s the right thing for you before you begin.
You don’t have to do these exercises alone either. Your loved ones or carer will encourage you to mobilise more and may even join in as well!
Gentle Exercises to Improve Flexibility and Balance
Whatever you decide you’d like to try, have a chat with friends and family to see if they have any tips for what works best for them, and remember to chat to your community nurse or GP before you embark on a new exercise routine. Most importantly, have fun!
Stretching Routines
The NHS warns that sitting down for too long increases our risk of ill-health and that adults should attempt at least 150 minutes a week of activity. Stretching is an essential part of any fitness routine, and these flexibility exercises can be done at home to help improve your health and mobility.
Balance Exercises
The NHS recommends having a wall or chair nearby if you’re attempting balance exercises. These include sideways walking, a heel-to-toe walk, one leg stand, and a simple ‘grapevine’, where you cross one foot over the other. Stepping up on the bottom stair and down again can also be beneficial.
Simple Yoga
The BHF have a whole section on chair-based yoga, which incorporates warm-up, relaxation, exercises, and a mindful cool-down. “It is recommended to always finish on a positive note,” they say. Doing this will benefit your mental wellbeing too.
Tai Chi Movements
Tai chi benefits older adults by focusing on muscle control, stability, balance, and flexibility. Simple Tai chi exercises can also be undertaken in a chair if you feel less stable on your feet. Healthline has a series of simple Tai chi exercises that can be done at home, either on your feet or in a chair.
Strength-Building Exercises You Can Do Without Equipment
You don’t need to go and purchase expensive equipment to exercise at home. Resistance can be built up and strength increased using your own body weight, or with things you’ll already have in your cupboard! Make your muscles work harder than usual through simple techniques, or use water bottles or unopened cans if you wish to bring weights into your workout.
Chair Exercises for Strength and Stability
Exercises such as sit-to-stand will strengthen your muscles and help you to get out of your chair more confidently. You’ll need a firm, upright chair (such as a dining chair), and you’ll need to sit slightly forward with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Stand up slowly, then gradually sit back down again. Repeat several times.
Leg and Core Workouts Using Body Weight
Heel lifts, where you slowly lift both your heels off the floor, will put your weight forward onto your toes and can help strengthen leg muscles. You can do this exercise standing up or sitting down. Squats, lunges, and side leg lifts will all benefit core muscles, but only undertake exercises that you can safely attempt.
Resistance Band Exercises
“Resistance bands are large elastic or fabric bands used for strength training and improving balance, flexibility and mobility in all areas of the body,” say the BHF. They are easy to use and small to store so are perfect for at-home exercising. They’ll help build muscles and bones, and can be incorporated into a variety of workouts.
Tips to Stay Motivated and Safe
It’s not always easy to stay motivated when exercising, and especially at home, there is always something to distract us! Setting goals and plotting your progress will help you see how far you’ve come, while chatting to your GP will make sure your health is benefitting. Exercising with others is also fun and you’ll keep each other safe too.
Getting Support from Home Care Professionals
Helping Hands’ carers support our customers to remain active every single day, even going to activities with them in some cases! If you want to get active again but you’re not sure how to begin, why not have a word with your carer? They’ll be happy to help you get moving again and will have plenty of ideas for how you could do so. How about dancing along to your favourite music? Or doing chair exercises together, followed by a refreshing cuppa? The possibilities are boundless when it comes to having visiting or live-in care from us, and because we have 150 local branches across England and Wales, we’re bound to have one near you. Talk to the experts today and discover why we’re the UK’s most trusted home care provider.
