Heart Week is May 2nd – 8th and is held every year to raise awareness about the importance of heart health. With one Australian suffering from a heart attack or stroke every four minutes and heart disease still the leading cause of death, it is a timely reminder that regular exercise is a key factor in reducing heart disease.
The first step anyone can take to get moving is getting started. The good news is that you do not need to do it alone and having a home care agency such as Home Care Assistance can help you or your loved one. From incorporating physical activity into your daily routine with light exercise and outdoor activity through to travel assistance to senior exercise classes and/ or physiotherapy appointments.
At Home Care Assistance our Balanced Care Method™ is a holistic approach to healthy longevity based on an evidence-based program. Our Care Workers are trained in this methodology to focus on physical exercise, healthy nutrition, cognitive stimulation, social engagement, and a purposeful and calm lifestyle with in-home care. With only a third of our life span determined by our genetics, and two-thirds determined by lifestyle factors, it’s never too late to get moving and change the heart disease statistics.
What are the benefits of moving?
Physical activity is essential to healthy ageing as it helps prevent or delay risk of disease. Not only are you less likely to have a heart attack or develop heart disease as the result of regular physical activity, but you are also likely to experience the following benefits:
- Strengthen muscle tone and bone density
- Improve balance and mobility, thus reducing risk of falls
- Improve digestive functioning
- Physically and mentally feel lighter
- Improve blood pressure and cholesterol
- Prevent risk of diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, and Alzheimer’s Disease
How much physical activity do you need?
Whilst the benefits are clear, the hardest part is often getting started. More than half of all Australians aren’t active enough so remember that incorporating just some physical activity into your or your loved one’s everyday life is always better than if you do nothing at all.
Older Australians aged 65 years and older are advised by the Australian Physical Activity Guidelines, to do at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days. There are many effective ways to exercise in the comfort and safety of your home from using a chair to sit and complete exercises to standing and holding onto furniture to going for a walk. There are many ways to improve your cardiovascular fitness just within your own home and garden.
Chronic health conditions may impact your ability to meet the above recommendations but just be as active as your abilities and health conditions allow you to be. Speak to your Home Care Assistance Care Worker as they are here to help you with in-home care, as we know exercising is always easier when supported by a companion or professional.
Tips on how to start exercising
- Always start small and slow and gradually build up over time.
- Make exercising enjoyable by trying new things and finding the activities you like.
- Wear comfortable shoes and clothing to promote activity. Take every opportunity to move your body every day. Incorporate balance and flexibility exercises into your routine.
- Consider physiotherapy especially when recovering from an injury or if you’re nervous to start increasing your mobility. Your Home Care Assistance Care Worker can help organise physiotherapy and transport you to and from your appointments. Click here to read our Physiotherapy article.
- Exercise with friends, consider attending a local exercise class, or council leisure centre for seniors in:
- Water aerobics
- Tai Chi
- Yoga
- Walking
- Cycling
Remember to prioritise being active as it can make your life, or that of a loved one, better and you’ll enjoy the benefits for the rest of your life. Simply moving more every day is one of the best habits you can have. Don’t feel disheartened if you are feeling anxious about incorporating physical activity into your lifestyle. At Home Care Assistance we are experts in helping improve the lifestyle of those ageing in place, by incorporating physical activity to reduce you or your loved one’s risk of heart disease.
So, what are you waiting for? Let’s get moving today and positively help change Australia’s statistics on heart disease!
References:
https://www.heartfoundation.org.au
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As a leading age care provider, Home Care Assistance offers tailored in-home care services for older Australians, enabling them to live happier and healthier lives in the comfort of their own homes.
We offer private and government subsidised Care Packages and have office locations that are a registered NDIS provider. Our Care Workers undergo extensive training in order to deliver unmatched in-home aged care services where people can continue ageing in place. We are proud ambassadors of the My Aged Care government funded aged care program, enabling Australians to successfully navigate the process and gain approval for in-home care support packages. Home Care Assistance offers hourly care, specialised care, Alzheimer’s and Dementia care, hospital to home care, and 24 hour in home care.