Senior Health: Physical Activity Helps Seniors Manage Chronic Conditions

Edmonton Respite Care  |  March 13, 2024

What Every Senior in Edmonton, AB  Needs to Know About Managing the Conditions of Chronic Illness

Help Seniors Manage Chronic Conditions | Encouraging seniors to adopt an active lifestyle is crucial in combating chronic diseases. These conditions not only strain finances but also contribute significantly to disability and loss of independence. 

Nearly 92% of seniors grapple with at least one chronic condition, with 77% managing at least two. 

However, the silver lining is that three out of four leading causes of yearly deaths—heart disease, cancer, and type II diabetes—can be managed, alleviated, or even cured with physician-prescribed exercise.

Help Seniors Manage Chronic Conditions with Exercise

Yet, for seniors dealing with chronic illnesses, staying physically active can prove challenging. Often, the onset of a chronic condition leads to decreased activity, exacerbating the ailment or paving the way for new health issues. 

This creates a vicious cycle, spiralling towards greater loss of function and independence. Breaking this cycle necessitates the involvement of trained medical professionals who can assess seniors’ physical capabilities and prescribe tailored activity routines.

The transformative effects of incorporating exercise into seniors’ lifestyles are profound. Physical activity also yields substantial benefits for seniors with cardiovascular disease, such as lowering blood pressure, heart rate, cholesterol levels, and overall body weight, enhancing senior well-being.

Studies demonstrate that engaging in moderate exercise for 30 minutes a day, five days a week can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease-related mortality by 20% or more

Similar positive outcomes extend to seniors managing type II diabetes. Regular exercise helps to regulate blood glucose, lipid, and blood pressure levels, with high-intensity exercise proving especially beneficial. Even brief sessions of high-intensity exercises for 10 minutes, three times a day, five to seven days a week, can significantly improve blood glucose and weight management for diabetics.

Moreover, embracing an active lifestyle reduces the risk of prostate, colon, and breast cancers, as well as minimizes the likelihood of cancer recurrence. Cancer patients and survivors experience enhanced survival rates and overall well-being through regular exercise as part of their treatment regimen.

Support from family, friends, and caregivers plays a pivotal role in encouraging seniors with chronic conditions to stay active. Joining them in physical activities or hiring in-home caregivers can make a significant difference. Caregivers provide invaluable support by accompanying seniors on walks, aiding in prescribed exercise routines, and facilitating transportation to appointments and therapy sessions, promoting their overall health and vitality.

Comfort Keepers® in Edmonton Can Help with In-Home Elderly Care!

If you are concerned about the health and well-being of your aging loved ones we can help. Comfort Keepers®’ trained caregivers help provide senior clients with the highest quality of life possible to keep them happy and healthy at home. 

Companionship and Interactive Caregiving™

Our Interactive Caregiving™ provides a system of care that addresses safety, nutrition, mind, body, and activities of daily living (ADLs).

Moreover, our trained caregivers are selected with one specific quality in mind: empathy. Empathetic care is care that starts in the heart, and it allows us to meet our client’s exact needs. 

Learn more about our unique service offering by contacting the Comfort Keepers Edmonton office. If you live in Devon, Edmonton, Sherwood Park, or Stony Plain and surrounding areas, contact Comfort Keepers at 780-465-4665.

Comfort Keepers® Edmonton is an Approved Service Provider for the Client Directed Homecare Invoicing Program Offered by Alberta Health Services. Is Invoicing the Right Option for You?  Read more about the program HERE.

Comfort Keepers Edmonton is here to help you and your loved ones get the best care possible. We were awarded the “Accredited with Exemplary Standing” seal by Accreditation Canada. Our Edmonton location has achieved the highest available certification in Canada for Home Care services, clearly demonstrating Comfort Keepers’ commitment to offering safe, high-quality home care to its senior clients in Edmonton.

References

• Booth, F.W., Roberts, C.K., and Laye, M.J. (April 2012). Lack of exercise is a major cause of chronic diseases. Compr Physiol., 2(2):1143-211. doi: 10.1002/cphy.c110025. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4241367/.
• Durstine, J.L., Gordon, B., Wang, Z. and Luo, X. (2013). Chronic disease and the link to physical activity. Journal of Sport and Health Science 2, pp. 3-11. doi:10.1016/j.jshs.2012.07.009. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095254612000701.
• National Council on Aging. (n.d.). Chronic disease self-management: Fact sheet. Retrieved from http://www.ncoa.org/press-room/fact-sheets/chronic-disease.html.

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