Senior Home Care: How Seniors Can Safely Lose Those Holiday Pounds

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It’s very easy for everyone including seniors to gain a few pounds over the holidays. All of those extra holiday treats, snacks at holiday parties, and indulgent celebratory meals can add up quickly. And most people don’t exercise as much as usual during the holidays because of the weather and because of holiday hustle and bustle. But even a few pounds of extra weight can hurt seniors and increase the chances that they will develop new health problems or make existing health problems worse. Senior home care providers can step in and help implement some of these suggestions.

Seniors who need to get rid of those extra holiday pounds should:

Senior Home Care Westfield NJ - Senior Home Care: How Seniors Can Safely Lose Those Holiday Pounds

Senior Home Care Westfield NJ – Senior Home Care: How Seniors Can Safely Lose Those Holiday Pounds

Move More

Being active is essential for getting to a healthy weight. In the winter seniors may not want to be as active as they are during other times of the year. But seniors who don’t want to go for walks because of the cold and snow can go to a senior friendly gym, join a senior’s exercise class, or walk on a treadmill or ride a stationary bike at home. Being active in some way is a big part of getting rid of those holiday pounds.

A Senior Home Care Aide Can Pay Close Attention To Diet

Activity alone won’t cut it when it comes to weight loss for seniors. Seniors also need to pay close attention to what they are eating and make smart food choices. This usually means cooking more meals. But cooking is difficult for some seniors, and so is shopping. A senior home care provider can be a big help for seniors who need help with their diet. Senior home care providers can help seniors cook healthy meals and shop for fresh healthy ingredients a couple of times each week too. Making vegetable based meals using high quality fresh ingredients will make weight loss much easier. And a senior home care provider can help seniors make sure their portions are correct by portioning out meals for them.

Get More Sleep

The amount of sleep and the quality of sleep that seniors get will impact their weight. If your senior loved one isn’t sleeping at well night you should help them figure out why and how to fix that. Maybe they need a senior home care provider with them at night so they feel safer. Or maybe their bedroom needs a relaxing makeover with a new paint job and new lighting. If there are any medical issues that are preventing your senior loved one from sleeping well like medications that keep them up or give them nightmares those need to be addressed with a doctor.

Stay Busy

When things are boring is when most people start snacking. And winter can be very boring for seniors because they are stuck in the house by the bad weather. Seniors who need to lose weight should try to stay busy so that they don’t want to snack. Working on puzzles, knitting, sewing, reading, and other activities will all encourage seniors to stay busy so that they’re not thinking about snacking. A senior home care provider can work on hobbies with your senior loved one or suggest new hobbies for your senior loved one to try.

If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring professional Senior Home Care Services in Westfield NJ, please talk to the caring staff at Generations Home Health Care today. Providing Home Care in Somerset, Essex, Union, Morris and Hunterdon Counties. Call us today at (908) 290-0691 or (973) 241-4534.

Susan Myer, RN, BSN, CCRN, CDP