Reviewed by Victoria Anderson
If your parent or elder relative doesn’t already exercise regularly, motivating them to do so can be a really frustrating challenge – it may even feel like a lost cause, particularly if they have fallen into a sedentary routine. But it’s worth persisting.
It’s incredibly important for older people to find a way to exercise and stay physically active for a whole host of reasons, including prevention against falls and maintaining their independence.
It can even help improve health conditions like arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
Here are nine tips that could help them get moving.
Note: Consult with a healthcare professional before beginning any exercise programme, especially if your parent has existing medical conditions or concerns about their physical capabilities.
Educate and share the benefits
The importance and benefits of exercise are more widely recognised now than in decades past. Your parent or elder relative might not fully grasp just how transformative regular exercise could be for their health and quality of life.
Highlight the actual benefits that may resonate – like reducing joint pain, maintaining mobility, or improving sleep. If your parent or elder relative values independence, emphasise that exercise can reduce their risk of falls and make it easier to continue being independent for longer.
Framing it in a positive way and focusing on what they’ll gain will make it feel less like work.
Find out what is stopping them
Take the time to understand what’s really holding your parent or elder relative back from exercising.
There may be physical, emotional, or psychological barriers at play. For instance, they may experience pain, might be afraid of getting injured, or they might feel depressed or that it is ‘too late’.
In many cases, a consultation with a healthcare professional who can address their concerns could help.
Start small and build it into their daily routine
If your parent resists the idea of exercise, or formal exercise feels like a long way off, encourage them to get moving in any way they can.
Creating a habit is key to lasting change. Try integrating simple consistent movement into their daily routine in a way that feels natural, for example 5 or 10 minutes-walk after lunch, or standing up and stretching during advert breaks on TV.
By making activity a relatively effortless part of their routine, they’re more likely to do it consistently, making it easier to transition to more structured exercise.
Provide positive examples
It might help to share inspiring stories of other elder people who started exercising later in life, particularly those around the same age or who have similar health conditions.
A great example is Joan Macdonald, who transformed her health and fitness at the age of 70, with support from her daughter. You can watch her inspiring story here.
Make it social
For many people, exercise becomes more enjoyable and easier to stick to when it’s social.
Many community centres and leisure facilities offer classes specifically designed for older people, and you can also check the Move It or Lose It! directory of local classes led by their instructors (Move it or Lose it! is a UK-based organisation that specialises in exercise programmes for older adults). If they like being outside or walking, they can find local walking groups on the The Ramblers website and Time Outdoors .
Social exercise doesn’t have to mean joining a group, either – it could be as simple as finding a friend or neighbour who also wants to get active and arranging to walk or exercise with them a couple of times a week.
Invest in a qualified 1-1 trainer
Hiring a personal trainer with expertise in working with older adults, or those with health conditions, can make a world of difference.
Even a single session a week with a qualified trainer can improve confidence and provide guidance on safe, appropriate exercises. Many trainers can come and train your parent or relative in their living room or garden, so they don’t even have to leave the house.
Look for trainers who have qualifications in:
- Level 3 GP referral (as a minimum)
- Level 4 Cardiac or Stroke rehabilitation (or Level 4 rehabilitation for whichever health condition(s) your parent or elder relative has)
- Clinical exercise physiology
- Physiotherapy
Good places to search for a local, qualified trainer are:
- Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) member directory – search for “senior activity and health practitioner” in the drop-down menu
- British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) accredited consultant directory.
- Academy of Healthcare Science – select ‘clinical exercise physiologist’ from the drop-down menu in the search box (no contact details are provided so you would need to Google them after to find these)
Set meaningful, manageable goals
Help them set manageable goals that mean something for them.
For example, is there something they used to be able to do that they would enjoy doing again? What do they have to say no to now because of aches and pains, or mobility issues holding them back? Going to social activities? Playing with grandchildren?
Find something that is achievable to work towards, that would encourage them to do even 5 or 10 minutes of exercise a day.
Be patient and supportive
Starting an exercise routine at an older age, or after illness or injury, can be daunting, and it may take time for them to feel comfortable. Encouragement and patience go a long way.
Celebrate each milestone, no matter how small, as a step in the right direction, and give them tools that can help. Tools could include a simple pedometer or fitness tracker to help motivate them and track their progress, enlisting the support of a trainer, or creating a YouTube playlist on their iPad, with online fitness classes tailored for their needs, like these ones from Move It or Lose It!.
Do it with them – and make it fun!
If you exercise or do physical activity with them, you increase your chances enormously. By participating in exercise with them, you’re not only providing company, but also showing that you’re in it together.
It also helps if you find a way to “disguise” the exercise or activity by making it fun or having a reward. For example, walking a neighbour’s dog, asking for their help with light gardening, or going on a shopping trip together.
If time and budget allows, book a week’s holiday at a reputable health and wellness retreat that offers activities like aqua aerobics for elder people.
In summary
Don’t be disheartened if your parent is reluctant or afraid to exercise. It can be incredibly challenging to get older people to exercise if they aren’t used to it, or where health concerns or mobility limitations are involved.
Just by reading this article, you are taking positive steps to help! If you can persuade them to do any sort of movement or physical activity, you are making an important difference.
By investing in supporting them to exercise, you are saving yourself time, worry and potential healthcare costs down the line.
Common questions
- If my parent has arthritis and exercise can be painful/uncomfortable, what should I do?
Encourage low-impact exercises such as swimming, cycling, or chair-based exercises. Consult a physiotherapist or healthcare provider to ensure they’re engaging in exercises that won’t worsen joint discomfort.
- My parent is scared of exercise and being pushed too hard, how can I help them?
Find gentle, beginner-level classes or trainers who specialise in training older people. Emphasise that they can go at their own pace and that small, consistent movements are beneficial. Gentle exercise like Tai Chi can be great for beginners and people who are scared of being pushed too hard.
- My parent has become frail, will exercise help them?
Yes, even light activity can help increase muscle strength and balance, reducing the risk of falls and supporting independence. Talk to a qualified trainer or physiotherapist for safe exercises tailored to their needs.
