Your parents getting older comes with its own set of challenges, from mobility differences to changing dietary needs. Families struggling to keep their older parents active and healthy might feel like they have nowhere to turn or no knowledge of resources that can help.

The good news is that fitness and nutrition are varied fields that include a multitude of options for improving your loved ones’ lives. Families challenged by the changes and difficulties of caring for older parents can start small, as even minute changes add up over time.

Here are some ways to encourage fitness and nutrition in older folks — and how everyone can benefit.

Start With Education

The best place to start with both fitness and nutrition for aging parents is with education. In many cases, older people may be making choices that are less healthy for them simply because they are not aware of the alternative or how their current choices are impacting their lives. The doctor is a great resource; they can educate their older patients on how their bodies are changing and how their own behaviors impact those changes.

For instance, do your older parents know that increasing their calcium consumption can help their bones stay strong because bones become thinner with age? Simply being aware of this fact can encourage your loved ones to modify their diet or get more exercise.

Do It Together

Another way to get older folks more engaged with their own wellness is to do it together. If being more active is the goal, consider ways the entire family can get moving: short trips to the park, a garden planting project, or something else that suits your loved one.

The same is true of nutrition. Incorporating healthier choices into meals for the entire family makes the process more accessible and benefits everyone involved! It also helps the older individual feel less excluded or singled out.

Make a Plan That’s Easy to Follow

Fitness and nutrition are large, branching areas of interest — which can be great when looking for options but can also be overwhelming. Rather than setting broad goals such as “eating healthier” or “moving more,” try making a simple plan with clearly delineated, actionable steps.

For instance, consider determining a certain number of days per week in which leafy greens are included in a meal. Make a daily schedule of movement tasks (which could be as simple as doing a lap around the house) so that an older adult does not need to brainstorm each day about how to fulfill their health goals. The less they have to think about, the more likely they are to incorporate better habits into their day.

Make Fitness and Nutrition Accessible

Access is one of the biggest roadblocks between older folks and a thriving, healthy lifestyle. Not everyone has the physical ability, time, or resources to go to the gym or make their own home-cooked meals. Encouraging fitness and nutrition for your older parents can come down to bringing the options to them.

Can you create an in-home gym? It need not be professional-grade; consider the impact that a few gallon jugs filled with water could have as weights and a soft, padded floor to be used for stretching. Are food subscription services available to provide pre-portioned meals that target certain macros or nutritional compositions? This eliminates the need to go shopping or prepare ingredients.

Utilize Local Resources

Older adults do not need to navigate good health alone. With the help and support of family and friends, they can find enriching activities that stimulate their bodies and brains to keep them healthy and thriving for many years. Do not forget to consider what else might be local to you!

Are there clubs that cater to your loved ones’ interests? Do volunteer visitation services exist near you to assist with meal preparation, exercise, or supervised time doing activities? All of these elements can come together to help your family member accomplish their health goals, even when you are not available to assist.

Keep Older Parents Fit and Healthy

Caring for older parents comes with many challenges, including encouraging them to embrace fitness and good nutrition. However, most families forget that resources are available in the local community to ease the work associated with these endeavors.

Contact the Shepherd’s Center of Northern Virginia to discover how we are making a difference in communities like Oakton, Vienna, Dunn Loring-Merrifield, Great Falls, Herndon, and Reston. If you’re outside these areas but have questions, give us a call, and we’ll guide you to the Shepherd’s Center nearest to you!