How Swimming Can Help Older Adults in Eldersburg, MD Boost Their Overall Health

Swimming has numerous health and wellness benefits for elderly adults. That's why our home health aides help clients in Eldersburg, MD go swimming on a regular basis.

Staying physically active is fairly important in golden years. By engaging in some form of daily exercise, seniors can stay healthier and vital for longer.

If you are a family caregiver providing care for your parent, you might want to introduce them to some of the benefits of swimming. In addition, at Visiting Angels Eldersburg, our home health aides can help your loved one go swimming on a regular basis by providing transportation and accompaniment to local pools and community centers. For example, we can take your loved one to the Freedom Swim Club in Eldersburg, the YMCA in Westminster or even the Columbia Swim Center in Columbia.

These Are the Benefits of Swimming for Seniors

Here is why Visiting Angels Eldersburg recommends swimming for older adults:

1. Achieving more with less – Because of its natural buoyancy, water puts less strain on the joints and muscles. This makes swimming an ideal exercise for aging adults, especially those with weight problems, joint issues, and chronic conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis or osteoporosis.
2. Strengthening muscles – While the very process of aging can slowly weaken older adults, swimming is a form of resistance training that helps tone the muscles and strengthen the entire body.
3. Boosting flexibility – Another great thing about swimming is that it puts the entire body through a wide range of motion. Not only can your loved one boost their strength with swimming, but they can also loosen their joints and greatly add to their flexibility.
4. Improving heart health – With just half an hour of water exercise per day, your loved one can boost their heart health too. Seniors who swim regularly can reap health benefits such as improved circulation and stronger heart, which can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease.
5. Weight control – Swimming, like all forms of aerobic exercise, helps burn calories much faster. If your loved one is having some weight problems, exercising in water can help them shed some pounds. However, a professional home health aide would suggest talking to a doctor before engaging in strenuous activities or making any dietary changes.
6. Reducing the symptoms of asthma – Individuals with asthma can expect to expand lung capacity and develop good breathing techniques just by swimming regularly. Moist air at the pool can help ward off asthma attacks and greatly reduce the symptoms of this chronic condition.
7. Keeping cholesterol in check – One more fact that makes swimming and water exercise so beneficial for older adults is that it helps keep cholesterol levels in balance. Moreover, the aerobic properties of swimming contribute to the flexibility of arteries, thus preventing blood clots and other artery complications.
8. Warding off the risk of diabetes – As we mentioned earlier, swimming helps people maintain a healthy, weight which is essential for reducing the chances of developing diabetes.
9. Lowering stress – Swimming is fun for folks of all ages. Floating or moving in the water can make us feel happy and lower stress levels; it is as simple as that. Any professional home health aide would recommend swimming as a great way for seniors to relax.
10. Prolonging life expectancy – According to researchers from the University of South Carolina, swimming helps minimize the risk of dying prematurely. Their longitudinal study concluded that those who swam regularly showed a 50 percent lower death rate when compared to walkers, runners, or people who got no exercise at all.

With the help of a professional home health aide from Visiting Angels Eldersburg, your mom or dad can lead a healthier, happier lifestyle and stay independent for much longer.

Call us today and learn more about how our senior care services help elderly adults in Eldersburg, Westminster, Ellicott City, Baltimore, Randallstown, Sykesville, Columbia and surrounding areas in Maryland.