Being active in winter can be challenging for your loved one as the cold weather can create various risks for them. When a person ages, not only do they lose body heat more quickly, but they also make it more difficult to know how cold their body is getting. Outdoor exercise also presents fall hazards, particularly with icy and snowy pavements.
It’s important that you provide winter activities for elderly people that promote regular physical activity for their health and wellbeing. There are plenty of activities that your loved one can do to stay active in the winter months, whether that’s doing indoor or outdoor activities.
If you are wondering what activities you can do to keep your loved one active during the cold weather, we’ve listed five activities that will keep them active.
Yoga
When it comes to indoor winter activities to stay active, yoga is a great way of getting exercise in, particularly if the weather outside is hazardous for your loved one. There are plenty of ways that they can get started with, whether that’s through online or in-person classes or through books and YouTube videos.
Compared to other forms of exercise, yoga is more gentle on the joints, making it an excellent activity for your loved one to do. There are many benefits of doing yoga, from improving balance, reducing anxiety to increasing flexibility and maintaining a healthy weight.
If your loved one has dementia and is interested in doing yoga, they may need support doing the poses. That is where our dementia care service can come in as a specialist dementia carer will not only provide transport to and from the gym, but also high quality care from the comfort of their own home.
Walking
In terms of exercises you can do in the winter, walking is definitely worth implementing into your loved one’s exercise routine. With walking, you don’t need to spend lots of money on a gym membership. All you need is a pair of good shoes and some company (family members or friends) to make your walks fun and sociable.
While walking outdoors in parks and the local neighbourhood is great, it’s worth paying close attention to the weather conditions. It’s worth factoring in some indoor areas that your loved one can get their exercise in, which could include the library to community centres and the local shopping centre.
As the days get cold and dark, it’s important that your loved one stays safe, particularly with walking outside. We recommend walking in well-lit areas, as well as going out with someone. That’s where our social companionship service can be useful as they will have a carer to accompany you on your walks, as well as other activities to do during the winter.
Swimming
Swimming is another great activity for your loved one to do, particularly as it’s a low impact exercise that puts minimal stress on their body. There are many benefits that come with swimming, which includes improving flexibility and balance, thus lessening the risk of them having falls.
When you are taking your loved one to the pool, it’s worth thinking about how strong a swimmer they are. If the individual is a strong swimmer, then you may want to swim continuous lengths with them. Alternatively, if they don’t want to swim up and down the pool, you could play catch with them with a ball in the pool.
You should plan in advance before you go to the pool so that they get the most out of the swimming session you’ve planned.
Going To The Gym
Going to the local gym is a great way for your loved one to stay fit during the winter. If they’ve never been to a gym before, then it’s worth getting them signed up to an introductory session with a personal trainer. Many gyms do offer introductory sessions, where a personal trainer will demonstrate how to use the gym equipment safely.
If your loved one regularly goes to the gym, then there are a few tips to bear in mind. It’s worth working out at a pace that suits them, as well as weights that they can lift comfortably. For added peace of mind, it may be worth going with a friend so that they can consider your safety, as well as spot you when lifting weights.
You should also consider the time of day your loved one is going to the gym. If you and your loved one feel self-conscious about working out at busy times, then it’s worth asking the manager what are the quietest times of the day to go to the gym.
Video Games
Video games can provide a great way to stay active, particularly if they’re unable to exercise outside. There are plenty of games consoles available that promote exercise, such as the Nintendo Wii and Nintendo Switch, which have a variety of games available to make exercising fun.
It’s worth considering choosing video games that are based upon your loved one’s hobbies and interests that they would normally pursue in the summer. For example, if they’re interested in fishing or golf, then you could buy games that are centred around those two sports.
Keeping Your Loved One Active During The Winter With Sova Healthcare
Maintaining an active lifestyle during the winter can help ensure that your loved one not only gets plenty of exercise in, but also makes them feel good, mentally and physically. We hope these five activities we’ve included have given you some ideas for being active in winter.
When keeping your loved one active during the winter months, you may be wondering how Sova’s home and specialist carers can carry those activities out for them? For any questions regarding winter activities, please contact one of our advisors today.