It can be hard to stay fit when traditional workouts are out of the question. But don’t worry, there are plenty of exercises you can do to get in shape even if you have limited mobility! In this blog post, we discuss some exercises the elderly and people with disabilities can do to improve their fitness levels. We’ll also touch base on mobility equipment you can use, allied health support systems available for your perusal and ways to engage in community participation programs that will help keep you motivated. Stay healthy and active with these helpful tips!
Community Participation
This is important for all people, but it is especially crucial for those with limited mobility. Community Participation is one of the most fun ways to stay fit and active!
Community participation for the elderly and/or people with disability can simply involve going for walks with friends/family, joining a wheelchair basketball team (or any other sports you fancy), or even just attending a fitness class at your local community centre.
There are many benefits to participating in these programs, including socialising, staying active, and making enjoyable memories. Additionally, these programs can help you stay motivated and on track with exercising regularly. Perhaps you’ll make a new friend and keep each other accountable as you work towards accomplishing your respective fitness goals.
Mobility Equipment
Whether you’re an individual with a disability or an aged person, you may require mobility equipment for use. This could be a wheelchair, walker, or any other device that helps you move around. While this equipment is essential for many people, it can also be used as a workout tool! For instance, you can use a wheelchair to do upper body workouts by doing arm curls or tricep extensions. If you have a walker, you can use it for stability while doing squats, lunges, and other lower body exercises. There are many possibilities when it comes to using mobility equipment as a workout tool, so feel free to be creative, but do take professional consultation before attempting any such exercises.
Moreover, support mattresses are also a great way to exercise for people with disability and/or elderly with limited mobility. They are soft and allow you to do a variety of exercises that would be otherwise difficult or impossible. Pilates, Yoga and stretching exercises can all be done on a support mattress. You can also use it for balance training by standing on one leg at a time or doing minor tai-chi motions. Prior to undertaking this exercise, it is recommended you visit a health consultant to confirm the safety and risks of undertaking these fitness tactics.
Allied Health
This refers to health professionals who work in collaboration with physicians and other healthcare providers. Allied health professionals can provide support and guidance to people with limited mobility, helping them achieve their fitness goals. As an aged person or someone with a disability, you have various types of allied health professionals at your disposal, so it is important to find one that suits your needs.
Allied health specialists include but are not limited to: physiotherapists, occupational therapists and exercise physiologists. These professionals can aid any aged individual or people with disability to devise an exercise routine that takes your limited mobility into account. They can also provide support and guidance on the use of mobility equipment and allied health devices to foster a safe and comfortable exercising opportunity for you.
OSAN Can Help You
It can be challenging to attain exercise with limited mobility in order to lead a great quality of life; OSAN Ability Assist has a broad range of Mobility Equipment, Allied Health and Community Participation services catering for both the elderly and people with disability. Our health professionals such as Nurses, Physiotherapists, Occupational therapists, and NDIS qualified carers work tirelessly to provide appropriate exercise plans to allow individuals with limited mobility a fair opportunity to lead a physically healthy lifestyle. Get in touch with us today to find out how we can help you.
