4 Easy-To-Start Stretching Exercises for Seniors

Over the years, you have witnessed your parents slowly lose the flexibility they had in their youth. They become more prone to joint pains that lead them to have limited mobility. Due to these factors, they find it challenging to do simple daily chores like washing dishes and watering the plants or enjoying the physical activities they once loved, like tennis and running. In addition, their physical decline causes elderly parents to slowly withdraw from people because they feel embarrassed and feel as if they are a burden to those around them.

These feelings of sadness are the reasons why you must learn how to help your aging parents feel better and enjoy their life as much as they can. Making sure your aging parents can move as freely as possible is one way of helping them live life to its fullest. An easy way to make your aging parents more flexible is to introduce them to stretching exercises for seniors.

Today, we will discuss four easy-to-start stretching exercises for aging parents. These exercises are suitable for people with severe arthritis, mobility problems, or difficulty moving around because of chronic diseases or disabilities. But, before we go on, we first need to learn the benefits of stretching for your aging parents.

Benefits Of Stretching Exercises for Seniors

1. Improves the Overall Flexibility of Your Aging Parents

Regular stretching exercises helps improve your aging parents’ joints’ flexibility, which helps improve their overall flexibility. Flexibility directly impacts one’s ability to do activities without hurting themselves or experiencing strain.

2. Fosters a Healthy Posture

Stretching exercises help improve the core strength of your aging parents, which in turn helps improve their posture and body alignment. Improving your aging parents’ posture will help them stand strong, have a straight back, and properly align their spine.

3. Lowers the Number of Falls your Aging Parents Sustain

Due to aging parents’ slow reaction time and the fact that their eyesight is not as good as it used to be, they tend to fall more often. Stretching exercises will help keep your aging parents safe because they will help improve their balance, coordination, and stability.

4. Improves the Mood of Your Aging Parents

Improved flexibility, mobility, and strength directly impact the mood of your aging parents. Having these factors will help lift the spirit of your aging parents and enhance their sense of well-being.

5. Increases your aging parents’ sense of accomplishment

Helping your aging parents stretch will help them feel good about themselves. They will realize that their efforts to move freely are paying off, which will inspire their desire to continue the exercises.

With that in mind, let’s now discuss the four easy-to-start stretching exercises for aging parents. Of course, it is best if you perform these stretching exercises together. 

4 Easy-To-Start Stretching Exercises for Seniors

1. Shoulder Stretch

It is one of the easiest and one the most effective exercises you can perform with your parents. With this simple exercise, you can loosen up your parents’ shoulder joints. 

To perform the exercise, you need to follow the simple steps below:

• Stand as tall as you can.
• Grab your left arm with your right arm and slowly pull your left arm across your chest until you start to feel the tension in your shoulder. While stretching, ensure that you keep your elbow below shoulder height.
• Hold this position for 15 to 30 seconds and then repeat with the opposite side.
• You can perform this stretch while standing or sitting.

2. Triceps Stretch

This stretching exercise is ideal for stretching your arms; it is also an excellent way to boost the mobility of your aging loved one’s shoulders. It is one of the superb stretching exercises for seniors to perform because it’s easy and beneficial to your loved one’s health.

To Start:

• You can do this stretch while either sitting or standing. Ensure to sit tall and use a firm chair to keep your back straight.
• Sit or stand tall and position your feet hip-width apart.
• Lift both arms over your head, bending your left arm so that it’s placed behind your head.
• Place your right hand on your left elbow and slowly pull your elbow down towards your back until you feel muscle tension in your upper arm.
• Hold this position for 10 to 30 seconds, place your arms to their original position and repeat the stretch this time to your right arm.

3. Standing Quadriceps Stretch

It is one of the best coordination exercises for the elderly as it is crucial in improving their flexibility and mobility.

The legs may require multiple stretches for the full advantages these stretches yield—this stretching exercise focuses on the quadriceps muscles located on the top half of the upper leg.

To perform this activity:

• Make sure you loosen up before stretching by doing some gentle walking or jogging.
• Grab a chair or the back of the couch; make sure that that chair is heavy to provide better support. 
• Hold on to the chair with your right hand. Bend your left knee, grab your leg by the ankle using your left hand, and slowly pull your foot towards your bottom.
• Hold this position for 15 to 30 seconds, put your leg to its normal position and repeat with your right leg.

4. Seated Knee to Chest

This is one of the best stretching exercises for seniors as it impacts more than just their legs. The knee to chest exercise enhances mobility in the knees and hips by stretching the joints while also boosting the flexibility of the lower back. What’s great about this activity is that you can do this with your aging parent while sitting on a chair.

Here’s how to do it:

• First, do some light work to loosen up your legs.
• Sit comfortably in a chair; grasp your left knee and gently pull it towards your chest while sitting.
• Once you feel the muscle tension, hold this position for 15 to 30 seconds. 
• Slowly place your leg back down to the floor, and do the stretching to the other leg.

What To Do After Performing The Stretching Exercise?

Once your aging parents have completed the stretching exercise, it is essential to find other ways to improve their health. For example, a healthy diet and proper hydration work with stretching exercise to promote good health in your aging loved one.

As you can see, it is beneficial for your aging parents to perform stretching exercises. Not only will it help them move more freely, but it will also help improve their mood and well-being. When done on a regular basis, stretching can help your aging loved one improve their balance, coordination, and stability. Furthermore, it is best to perform these exercises together to see the best results from your aging parents’ stretching routine. It is important to stay positive so that your aging parent continues doing these exercises without any excuses.