Keeping an active lifestyle

Maintaining physical health and flexibility is important as we age. Consistent exercise brings a wealth of benefits to your body, as well as your cognitive health. This guide will assist you and your carers find exercises that maintain your wellbeing and independence, while also having fun.

Why is it important to keep an active lifestyle?

By keeping active, you are able to improve your health significantly. Exercising reduces the risk of developing various heart diseases, as well as preventing your current care needs from increasing. Some of the benefits of exercising regularly are:

• Reducing risk of heart attacks & diseases.
• Managing your weight better.
• Lowering blood pressure & cholesterol level.
• Increasing bone density, which can prevent osteoporosis.
• Lower the risk of falls, and;
• Recover better from accidents, or hospitalisation.

Exercising improves cognitive health, and mental health. Blocking out negative thoughts, increasing social interactions, and improve the length and quality of sleep.

Pre-Exercise Screening

Exercising does not have to be a difficult or rigorous activity. Any form of physical activity is beneficial and being active where possible improves mobility. Before starting any exercise/program it is important to follow these steps to ensure you are safe while exercising:

• Assess your current health and care needs - What medical conditions do you have, that can prevent you from exercising.
• See your doctor to dictate what you can currently do.
• Set out goals you want to achieve from exercising.
• Determine what activities you can currently perform.
• Identify what exercises you can do with a physiotherapist.
• Review your diet and recognise if you need to make changes to it.

Pre-exercise screening is used to assess the potential dangers of exercising, and how to exercise with your current care needs.

Get Up Guide

Where do I start?

Guide Healthcare specialises in physiotherapy and has created video exercises for older people living with chronic health conditions and reduced mobility and designed for low impact, low intensity exercises. Whilst these exercises are designed for older people, it is recommended to have someone (such as a family member or support worker) to guide and assist you. The 'Get Up Guide' is a training program crafted for carers to assist them as they support their residents. Through daily exercise routines, the negative physical, social and psychological effects of isolation and inactivity can be prevented. Keeping older Australians, healthy, safe, and connected to the community. Home Care Package recipients can focus on improving walking, managing falls risk, reducing pain, and rebuilding confidence. © Get Smart Aged Care Consultancy 2022. All Rights Reserved As a Home Care Package recipient, your Home Care Package funds can be used to keep you healthy, independent and help maintain your movement and mobility. Trilogy Care are partnered with Plena Healthcare, to assist our clients with improving their mobility through allied health and therapy services such as physiotherapy and podiatry. Find out what services your Home Care Package can fund or contact us on 1300 459 190