Why Living a Sedentary Lifestyle Can Harm Your Senior Loved One

Have you noticed your loved one slowing down and becoming increasingly sedentary? It’s not uncommon for seniors to experience a lack of motivation …

· 3 min read
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Have you noticed your loved one slowing down and becoming increasingly sedentary? It’s not uncommon for seniors to experience a lack of motivation to get up and get moving. However, it can become dangerous to your loved one’s health when he or she fails to move on a regular basis. Here are just a few ways sedentary lifestyles can harm your senior loved one:

  • Staying still for too long may cause bone loss to be increased. Seniors already are extremely vulnerable to bone loss as they age, but a sedentary lifestyle can cause this process to speed up. By moving a little bit each day, their bones will be strong and will remain as strong as possible for their age.
  • Lean muscle tissue can be lost, which can allow them to lose their ability to perform daily tasks. Things such as getting dressed, bathing or combing their hair may soon become challenging to them if they are not able to get up and perform these tasks daily.
  • Depression and moodiness may increase. Exercise and moving daily has been proven to lift people’s spirits and increase their happiness. If your loved one sits too long and does not move daily, he or she may experience depression.

Incorporating even a few minutes of moving every day can help your senior loved one stay healthy and happy. If you believe that he or she should be cleared by a doctor before they engage in any sort of physical activity, it is important to do so.  Please consult the necessary medical doctors to get a better idea of an exercise or wellness program for your loved one. Although exercise and an active lifestyle can improve your loved one’s mental health, it is important to recognize that their depression or moodiness may be due to another underlying condition. We advise that you see your loved one’s doctor if you are concerned about their depression or moodiness. We hope these facts can help you and your loved one live a happy, healthy and active life.

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