For seniors with Parkinson’s, certain lifestyle factors can slow the progression of the disease. Implementing a routine of exercises or activities that target particular Parkinson’s symptoms can be especially helpful for many seniors. The following activities may delay certain symptoms.
Walking
Seniors with Parkinson’s are prone to falls because the disease is characterized by a slow, shuffling gait. A caregiver can assist your loved one as he or she practices walking back and forth briskly while pointing his or her toes up. As your loved one steps forward, his or her heel should hit the ground first and then roll forward, transferring the weight to the toes. This roll step can protect and build muscles in the lower legs that prevent falls.
Mobility issues in the advanced stages of Parkinson’s disease can make caring for aging adults increasingly challenging. If you’re the primary family caregiver for a senior loved one living in Fremont, live-in care is available around the clock if your loved one’s health has become too difficult to manage without professional expertise. At Assisting Hands Home Care, we take measures to help seniors prevent illness and injury by assisting with exercise and mobility, preparing nutritious meals, helping with bathing and other personal hygiene tasks, and much more.
Practicing Posture
To improve the stooped posture associated with Parkinson’s, have your loved one stand against a wall or doorframe with his or her shoulder blades and lower back touching the wall. Encourage your loved one to maintain this posture while moving forward. At the next wall or doorframe, your loved one should recheck his or her posture, ensuring the shoulders and lower back can still touch the wall.
Buttoning Shirts
Parkinson’s disease causes a loss of manual dexterity that makes it difficult to perform tasks involving fine motor skills. To boost your loved one’s dexterity and muscle memory, have him or her repeat simple manual tasks. Practicing buttoning and unbuttoning a shirt is an easy way to get started. Encourage your loved one to complete 5 to 10 repetitions several times a day and increase to 15 or 20 as he or she gets stronger.
Many seniors in the early stages of Parkinson’s are able to live on their own, but they may need a bit of help with the everyday tasks of life, such as exercising and preparing nutritious meals. When considering senior care, families should make sure their senior loved ones have the resources they need to maintain their independence and remain healthy. Trusted in-home care professionals can assist seniors with daily tasks like cooking, bathing, and exercise, and they can also encourage them to focus on healthier lifestyle habits.
Exaggerating Facial Expressions
Address the mask-like expression that’s common in seniors with Parkinson’s by encouraging your loved one to practice exaggerated smiles, yawns, frowns, and eyebrow raises in front of the mirror. While this exercise can feel silly at first, repeating these exaggerated expressions can increase muscle tone as well as facial range of motion, which can also slow the development of the Parkinson’s “mask.”
Aging adults who require assistance with the tasks of daily living can benefit from reliable home care. Fremont families trust Assisting Hands Home Care to provide the high-quality care their elderly loved ones need and deserve. Our caregivers are trained to help seniors prevent and manage serious illnesses and encourage them to make healthier decisions as they age. Trust your loved one’s care to the professionals at Assisting Hands Home Care. Reach out to one of our compassionate Care Managers today.