Pilates For Senior Health: A Look At The Benefits

If you have an aging loved one, you no doubt want to do what you can to encourage him or her to stay in top health for as long as possible. This certainly includes helping the senior in your life improve her or his diet and then make healthy food choices. Getting regular exercise is a great idea for seniors, too, as it can improve health, help with weight maintenance, and promote a healthy state of mind, too. There are many options that your senior can consider, and also as a way of promoting senior care, you might want to think about the benefits of Pilates for seniors. For seniors living at home, a caregiver from a quality home care company, such as Retire At Home in London, can help a senior in his or her Pilates exercises.  Click here for more details.

What Is Pilates?

You may have heard about Pilates in recent years as it has grown to be as popular as yoga and weight training for people of all ages. This is a form of exercise that many may at first compare to yoga, but it actually is fairly unique. Through various poses and exercises, Pilates actively works to improve strength, balance, tone of muscle, and suppleness. Some exercises are done with a basic mat, and others can be carried out in a Pilates studio with specific fitness machines.

The Benefits

Lack of flexibility, coordination, and loss of muscle strength are frequent health concerns for seniors. These happen by having an aging mind as well as lack of muscle use. Pilates is made to keep these aspects of health in optimal condition, and so Pilates is great for senior care. However, you should be aware that before beginning any new health regimen, seniors will want to get a check-up from their doctor to ensure starting a new exercise program is a safe option.

How Seniors Can Enjoy Pilates

Once you have discussed the option of Pilates with your senior loved one and he or she wants to give it a try, you will want to explore the different ways this activity can be enjoyed. There are numerous DVDs and fitness videos that feature Pilates, including some that are designed specifically for seniors. These can make some seniors more comfortable exploring this as a health option as these can be done in the privacy of their very own home and with only a mat as basic equipment. Yet many seniors find out that taking a group class is ideal for the reason of socialization and making new friends. You can find classes made for seniors at senior centers and even some Pilates centers.

You may want to keep in mind that as seniors age, many will lose the ability to care for themselves at some point. Often this is a progressive consideration, and you may be able to help your senior stay at home and living independently for a longer period of time when you encourage health through Pilates and other physical activities and also consider home care solutions from a reputable home health provider.