How To Inspire Your Elderly Relative To Start Exercising: A Guide To Health and Longevity

I love working with my clients who are into the later years of their life, they have stories on stories of the things they have experienced and done in their lives, it's fascinating. Some people are still living incredibly active lives well into their late 80s and 90s while others are finding it increasingly difficult to meet the minimum health guidelines.

I've had lots of discussions with worried children about helping their parent to start to move more and improve their health. For those people we love not self-motivated to lead an active later life this is an extremely difficult conversation to have because, of course we all want to see our parents thrive in later life.

As we age, the importance of staying active becomes even more crucial for maintaining health, mobility, and independence. Most of the negative effects of ageing are from disuse than from age, per se.

Encouraging an elderly relative to begin exercising may seem challenging, but with the right approach, it can be life changing. 

The Importance of Daily Movement

Daily movement plays a vital role in supporting an older adult’s overall health. Regular exercise:

Improves Heart Health: Engaging in aerobic activity (walking, swimming) strengthens the heart and improves circulation, reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Boosts Mood and Mental Health: Physical activity releases endorphins, improving mood and reducing symptoms of depression or anxiety.

Supports Mobility and Flexibility: Staying active preserves joint mobility, balance, and coordination, which helps prevent falls and injuries.

Enhances Cognitive Function: Exercise can improve brain function, helping to slow age-related cognitive decline.

Reduces Risk of All Cause Mortality: Regular movement helps reduce the risks of dying prematurely due to cancer, cardiovascular disease and respiratory disease to name some. 

The Impact of Muscle Loss

As we age, we naturally lose muscle mass, a condition called sarcopenia. There is now more than enough evidence to show that it is still possible to build muscle in our 60s, 70s and 80s. Don't let your elderly relative use their age as a barrier. Without regular physical activity though, sarcopenia accelerates, leading to:

Decreased Strength and Mobility: Muscle loss makes daily tasks (climbing stairs, carrying shopping) harder to perform, decreasing independence. It can also lead to increased joint pain now that the joints are not supported with adequate muscle which in turn puts tension on tendons and ligaments.

Increased Risk of Falls: Weak muscles make it more difficult to maintain balance, leading to an increased risk of falls and fractures. Falls for an elderly person with low muscle mass and weak bones can be life changing.

Slower Metabolism: With less muscle mass, the body burns fewer calories, contributing to weight gain and associated health risks.

Poor Immune Function: Muscle tissue plays a key role in the immune system. Loss of muscle can weaken the body’s defences against illness.

Tips for Inspiring Your Relative to Get Moving

Have an honest and open conversation: Sit with your relative and calmly explain why you are concerned and ask them how you can help them to get started. Make them feel like they are in control, especially if they have good cognitive function. Point out the negative consequences of not taking action but don't bully or threaten them into action (this always backfires!).

Get Help: A physiotherapist or a Personal Trainer (where appropriate) will know where to start and can help give you the confidence that your relative is starting where they need to, if you do not know where it is appropriate to start. They have sociability and an expert to guide them and keep them safe. Health is wealth so investing in help is always a good thing regardless of you age.

Start Slow and Simple: Suggest low-impact exercises like daily walking, bodyweight exercises, or chair yoga. These are easy to do and less intimidating.

Highlight the Benefits: Focus on how exercise will enhance their quality of life, from better sleep to increased independence. If they love living in their own home, explain how the activities you suggest will allow them to do that for longer.

Make It Social: We know that as we age, sociability plays an important role in continuing to engage with exercise. Invite them to join a fitness class or go for a walk together. Exercising with others can make it more enjoyable. Go to a new class with them in the first instance and then see if they are willing to continue alone.

Set Small, Achievable Goals: Encourage them to set manageable goals (e.g., a 10-minute walk each day) to build confidence and create a habit. Use a calendar for them to record what they have done and see progress over the weeks and months.

Celebrate Progress: Regularly acknowledge their efforts and improvements, no matter how small, to keep motivation high. We all love to hear positive reinforcement, especially when we start something new.

Incorporate Fun Activities: Dancing, gardening, or playing with grandchildren are all forms of movement. Find something they love to do, if they don't have an activity they love, ask them what they would like to try and go along with them for support.

Use Technology: If your relative enjoys using technology you could buy them a watch to track their daily movement. If they are not great with it a pedometer is a good place to start them

Inspiring an elderly relative to exercise is about showing them the value of daily movement in enhancing their life. By being supportive and patient, you can help them adopt an active routine that is appropriate for them and will improve their health, strength, and happiness for years to come.

If you have tried to have this difficult conversation with your relative to no avail, please feel free to contact me to talk through how you could approach this differently. I'm here to help x