Exercise plays an important part in maintaining a healthy lifestyle and many of us try to incorporate it into our daily or weekly routine.
As we age it is common to see a decline in the level of exercise we carry out, which can sometimes lead to mobility issues in later life.
If you're finding it tougher to stay active in older age, expert and founder of The Live In Care Company Luca Rado, has shared some of the best exercises for the elderly that can help with mobility, balance and body strength.
Luca said: “It is important to continue to incorporate exercise into your daily routine as you age, if you are in the position to.
"Exercise has been shown to help improve physical and mental wellbeing and there is strong evidence to suggest that exercising can lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, type-2 diabetes and dementia.
"For some, exercise can become more challenging as they get older, which is why it is necessary to adapt movements to a level that suits the individual."
If you find yourself feeling stiffer but not able to exercise intensely, we recommend you give the following a go.
Stretches: Shoulder rolls
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Sit with your feet flat on the ground.
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Shrug your shoulders up toward your ears, and slowly rotate your shoulders in a circle—back, down, forward, and back to the top.
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When you reach the top, reverse the movement. Roll your shoulders forward, down, back, and to the top again.
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Perform ten repetitions in each direction.
Leg work: Standing knee flexions
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Stand gripping the back of a chair to balance yourself.
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Bend your right knee backward as high as you can.
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Return to the starting position and repeat 10 times. Continue with the left leg.
Arm work: Wall press-ups
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Stand in front of a bare wall and lift your arms up to shoulder level.
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Place your palms against the wall so that they are slightly wider than your shoulders. Your fingertips should be pointing up.
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Move your feet a couple away from the wall so that your elbows are bent as you lean at an angle into the wall.
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Bend your elbow and begin to lean your body toward the wall as far as you can go. Ensure that your back stays straight and your hips don’t sag.
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Push back to the starting position and complete as many reps as possible
Balance: One-leg stand
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Hold on to the back of a chair with both hands.
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Lift one leg off the ground, slowly.
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Maintain your balance while standing on one leg for 5 seconds.
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Return to the starting position and repeat 5 times. Try to increase the time spent standing on one leg. The goal should be to stand on one foot without holding onto the chair and hold that pose for up to a minute.
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Perform with the opposite leg.”
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