Encouragement Is the Best Medicine
As with giving advice to anyone else, the first rule of thumb is: Don't point out what seniors are doing wrong, as in “you should exercise more.” Any “should” statement is, in general, not that helpful. Instead, the following are some ideas on how to offer encouragement to an older person.
Invite them to be active with you. Even if they walk slower then you walk, or worry about the weather and their doubts that exercise will actually help their health, ask them along on the walk or any other family outing. In other words, invite them to join you, and be both respectful yet challenging. If they shrug off throwing a ball down the lane or walking up the bleachers, be relaxed but explain that you believe activity would help them feel better, and that you'd enjoy sharing the activity with them.
Enlist the advice of their doctor. If your friend or parent doubts that exercise would help his health, accompany them to the doctor and ask the doctor his opinion of exercise. Don't tell the doctor that you think exercise will help (the older person in your life will see this as insulting to the physician). Instead, rely on some humble questions so it seems as if the advice comes from the doctor, not you.
Think gentle and easy. Swimming, walking, and ballroom dancing are all activities that might appeal to an older person. If you love the gym, don't assume that your parent will, too. Instead, find out if there is any activity they like or have always wanted to do, or ask what might appeal to them. Let them pick and choose what they'll enjoy, not what you think they should do.
Ask your kids to help out. Sometimes the generation gap actually skips… a generation. Have your kids invite their grandparents along for a walk or activity. This will make your parent feel young and not belittled.
Loneliness, isolation, and boredom are as dangerous to older people as illness. If you know an older person who sits and watches TV most of the day, rest assured that even just a few minutes of interaction and a quiet activity, such as croquet or golf, can make a big difference. Even 10 minutes of activity can make all the difference in someone's health, while a total of 30 minutes of daily exercise can actually mean reaching a good level of fitness.
Also, scientifically speaking, older people don't have to take part in high-intensity activities to see benefits, so don't get into the details of heart rate or a fitness program. Instead, think about activities they'll enjoy.
