4 Ways to Give Senior Loved Ones the Gift of Health

By Hazel Bridges of Aging Wellness
www.agingwellness.org - hazel.bridges@agingwellness.org

Source: Pexels

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Stuck on what to give the seniors in your life this holiday season? Think beyond material items and festive trinkets. This year, your gifts can help your senior loved ones live healthier lifestyles.
 
It’s true that seniors can have special considerations when it comes to working out; for example, exercise that heavily impacts the joints could be off the table. However, Caregiver notes that most seniors can experience plenty of benefits from regular exercise, like disease prevention, improved balance, and mental clarity. Vibrant Aging Solutions offers the following four gift ideas for seniors aiming to adopt healthier habits.
 
Smartwatch With Fitness Apps
 
A smartwatch is the perfect way to motivate your loved one to spend a little more time focusing on fitness. Seniors who like knowing their fitness stats and keeping track of important metrics might be interested in a smartwatch from the Apple series. These smartwatches are extremely versatile: they can do everything from suggesting monthly exercise challenges to monitoring your heart rate to texting and calling loved ones. Plus, they can tell if the user falls, and even call emergency services.
 
Of course, a fitness tracker isn’t for everyone. For those who don’t want to wear something on their wrist or prefer sticking to their smartphone or tablet, consider connecting them with a personal training program like Fit Forever or 2FitnessLovers. Or take this a step further and partner with Vibrant Aging Solutions for a personalized lifestyle collaboration program. On top of gaining expert insights, they can enjoy a wellness regimen tailored to their goals.
 
Gardening Tools
 
Gardening doesn’t just spruce up your backyard and result in a delicious harvest; it’s also a great form of low-impact exercise. Gardening is a beloved pastime for many seniors, and for those who would like to get started, a basic gardening tool set is the gift that keeps on giving.
 
You can pick up a few different tools and put them together in a neat bundle yourself, or you can purchase a ready-made kit. Make sure to include a sturdy shovel, various spades, and a watering can. Depending on where they live, it might be a few months before they can put it to good use, but if they’ve settled down in a region with a warmer year-round climate, they can start planting whenever they like.
 
Exercise Machine
 
Does your loved one have the space to store an exercise machine in their home? If so, certain exercise machines can make great gifts for seniors. Consider gifting a treadmill or recumbent bike, which are easy to use and provide great cardiovascular workouts without stressing the joints.
 
For seniors who already enjoy working out, you may even want to gift a weight machine. According to Livestrong, seniors who do not actively engage in muscle-building exercises will generally lose significant muscle mass, and machines like ab rockers or circuit weight machines can help prevent this from occurring.
 
Quality Blender and Juicer
 
When it comes to overall health, diet is just as important as exercise. One of the easiest ways for someone to sneak a few more servings of fruits and veggies into their diet is by making tasty smoothies and green juice. A high-quality blender or juicer makes a great gift for seniors.
 
With a good blender or juicer in the kitchen, increasing your protein intake, eating more greens, or simply packing in extra vitamins and minerals is simple. Plus, high-speed blenders are multipurpose: they can be used to make soups, spreads, sauces, and more. You could also include a book of delicious smoothie or juice recipes to help them get started.
 
Yes, seniors may have to take it a little easier than they did in their younger years, but age does not have to hold anyone back from physical fitness. With encouragement and support, everyone can embrace exercise and healthy living later in life, and active seniors can enjoy using gifts like these for years to come. Turn to Vibrant Aging Solutions for more information on how to meet your senior loved one’s needs.

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