We lose muscle tone, energy, and flexibility as we age. Our loved ones with Alzheimer's Disease are especially susceptible to these changes when they occur. Encouraging your loved one to exercise, specifically, can help decrease the symptoms common to dementia and depression, the most evident characteristics of the disease.
Exercising may have both physical and psychological benefits that can be met with routine activities designed to meet their particular needs. The perfect activity should be social, fun, and gentle on the joints. Swimming and water exercises are very effective in maintaining their cognitive strength and quality of life.
How Does Swimming Benefit Those With Alzheimer's Disease?
Swimming is excellent for Alzheimer's Disease because it works out the heart and, in turn, increases blood flow to the brain. Swimming basically affects every system in your body, increasing and maintaining whole-body health. Physically healthy people have less of a chance of developing Alzheimer's and those benefits don't end with a diagnosis.
Swimming for an hour, a couple of times a week, may improve:
- Cognitive strength and ability to grow
- Judgment and reason
- Memory retainment and retrieval
- Flexibility in the limbs, spine, and neck
- General muscle strength
- Prevention of cardiovascular disease
- Prevention of the development of type 2 diabetes
- Decreases symptoms of depression
- Reduction of anxiety and intrusive thoughts
- Length and depth of sleep
Alzheimer's Disease decreases the quality of a person's memory, physical health, and cognitive abilities. We all want the best for the seniors in our lives and encouraging exercise benefits everyone. Turning swimming into a fun routine they can look forward to is a great gift.
How Can I Turn Swimming Into a Routine?
Swimming doesn't necessarily mean swimming laps or treading water in the pool, though those are excellent options. Water aerobics is high-energy, low-impact, and a great social outlet. You can find classes at any private gym or local YMCA that involve dancing, yoga, and aerobics.
This disease progresses differently in everyone and the class should match the ability and temperament of your loved one, personally. Our seniors with Alzheimer's will need accompaniment to the class and, perhaps, even help in the water to keep them on track. You want to take care of your loved one, but you also have responsibilities outside their care that need attention.
You can't be there all the time without neglecting important aspects of your life. An in-home companion by your loved one's side can help you go throughout your day without worry or concern. The time that you do spend with your loved one will change. It will no longer be about what you need to physically get done for them, but what you can do together, as a family.
A local program on Alzheimer's, such as the Senior Gems Strategy For Care can provide you with all of the information that you need to help your loved one with the disease, and their In-Home Senior Companions can help you find a class, establish a supportive exercise routine, and even accompany your family member in the pool for encouragement and safety.
A companion can help your loved one with, for example, transportation, medication reminders, aid in movement, and chores around the house. They can accompany your loved one to doctor's appointments, cook their meals, and easily become a trusted friend and ally.
Contact Senior Helpers of Palo Alto
Senior Helpers of Palo Alto serves the communities of Palo Alto, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, and Menlo Park right here in California. Our in-home senior care professionals offer safe and routine assistance to the older members of our community and help keep them where they belong, in their comfortable and familiar homes. Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and even end-of-life care plans are all personalized to each individual and our companions are prepared to support your family as if they were their own.
Contact us for Free Home Assessment and we will work with you to create a supportive and compassionate plan to secure the safety of your loved one in need of care.
Alzheimer's disease: Can exercise prevent memory loss? - Mayo Clinic
What is Alzheimer's Disease? | CDC
Palo Alto Family YMCA | YMCA Silicon Valley (ymcasv.org)
Alzheimer's Disease and Exercise: Safety Tips, Activities, and More (webmd.com)