4 Benefits Of Walking Just 15 Minutes A Day For Seniors
It’s common knowledge that everyone, including seniors, should be moving more. Exercise has a slew of health benefits that everyone can benefit from. But for seniors getting exercise can be tricky. Often seniors have mobility challenges and health issues that make exercise difficult. However, walking just 15 minutes per day can give seniors many of the benefits of regular exercise without the physical strain of intense exercise. Just a quick 15 minute walk through the neighborhood or on a treadmill can give seniors benefits like:
Boosted Brain Health
Home Care Indian Trail, NC: Benefits of Walking
A quick walk is great for brain health. People who walk at least 15 minutes each day have better ability to solve problems, more creativity, and better ability to think spatially. For seniors these brain boosting benefits are a great reason to take a short walk every day. Even seniors who have dementia can get the brain benefits of a daily walk outside. But seniors who have dementia or Alzheimer’s might need to have a home care provider with them on their walks so that the home care provider can ensure your senior loved one doesn’t get lost or confused during the walk.
Better Circulation
Many seniors struggle to maintain good circulation. Good circulation is essential for health because that’s how the body gets rid of waste and maintains good heart, lung, and brain functions. Seniors who are sedentary may have edema or swelling in the ankles or legs because they don’t have good circulation. A 15 minute walk each day will strengthen veins and help the body pump blood from the feet back through the rest of the body which will improve circulation and blood oxygen levels.
Lower Risk Of Heart Attack And Stroke
Studies show that regular walks will lower the risk of having a heart attack or a stroke. It doesn’t matter if your senior loved one only walks for 15 minutes the heart benefits are the same as if they took a longer walk. The key to getting the most benefits from walking is to walk consistently. If your senior loved one has a home care provider that home care provider should be encouraging them to take walks of at least 15 minutes per day. Even in that short about of time seniors can lower the chances that they will have a heart attack or a stroke.
Weight Loss
Seniors who need to lose weight don’t need to wear themselves out exercising in order to lose that extra weight. Seniors who choose a healthy diet and incorporate at least 15 minutes of walking per day will notice that they start to lose weight pretty quickly. Walking at a good pace seniors can cover a mile in 15 minutes which is a very healthy distance to walk. Adding more miles can help seniors lose weight over time but starting with just a one mile 15 minute walk per day can be enough to help your senior loved one lose those extra pounds.
If you or an aging loved one are considering in home care in Indian Trail, NC, please call the professional staff at Caring at Heart today at (704) 379-7510. Serving Charlotte, Statesville, Ballantyne, Mooresville, Huntersville, Matthews, Concord, Gastonia, Pineville and Indian Trail
Source:
https://www.rmhp.org/blog/2018/march/6-things-that-happen-when-you-take-a-15-minute-walk-every-day
https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/need-a-quick-brain-boost-take-a-walk
Knowing in her heart that families deserved better, she started Caring At Heart in 2008 with two key goals in mind: To provide clients and their families with an experience that was personable, easy, and reassuring and to create a working environment that employees were excited and proud to be a part of.
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