26 Exercises for Senior Wheelchair Users

An important part of every senior residents’ overall health routine should involve physical exercise. Here are 26 exercises for senior wheelchair users in your assisted living community.

To help us learn why this is important, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides a report on Physical Activity and Health for Persons with Disabilities.

“Physical activity doesn’t have to be hard to achieve health benefits.”

Key Points about Physical Activity from the CDCP Report:

• Important health benefits can be found with a modest amount of physical activity, preferably daily.
• Additional health benefits can be gained through higher amounts of exercise.
• Previously inactive people who begin physical activity programs, should start with short periods of physical activity (5-10 minutes) and gradually build up to higher levels of activity.
• People with disabilities should talk with their doctor before starting a new program of physical activity.

Benefits of Exercise for Seniors in Wheelchairs:

• Lowers body fat
• Builds self-confidence
• Lowers the likelihood of Diabetes
• Increases muscle strength, stamina and endurance
• Improves blood flow and breathing
• Reduces blood pressure in some people
• Improves immune system function
• Lowers chances of getting pressure sores and urinary tract infections (UTIs)
• Decreases the risk of heart disease
• Reduces anxiety and depression
• Improves mood and feeling of well-being

In the following downloadable infographic, you’ll find 26 exercises that senior wheelchair users can practice to stay healthy and enjoy an active lifestyle.

Feel free to download and print this handy tool.  Post it in your community room and share it with your residents and their families.

Find more infographics on other blog posts here.

To save the graphic on your computer:

• Click on the image to open it in a new tab
• Right-click on the image and choose “Save image as…”
• A window will pop up with a list of all the folders on your computer.
• Choose the folder where you would like to store the image, then click the “Save” button
• Now the image is saved on your computer and can be printed from there or emailed to a local printer for printing on heavier paper or other material.

Via: BestRatedDocs.com