Are you a caregiver providing support for a spouse, friend, or relative in the Lehigh Valley? Even if your loved one is well cared for in memory care or assisted living community, your responsibilities can take a toll on your health.
Taking care of yourself is one of the most important things you can do as a caregiver. Make sure you are making time for yourself, eating healthy foods, and being active. Finding some time for regular exercise can be very important to your overall physical and mental well-being.
Physical activity can help reduce feelings of depression and stress and help you improve your health and prevent chronic diseases. Learn more about how exercise can help older adults.
Here are some ways for caregivers to be physically active
- Take exercise breaks throughout the day. Try three 10-minute “mini-workouts” instead of 30 minutes all at once.
- Make an appointment with yourself to exercise. Set aside specific times and days of the week for physical activity.
- Exercise with a friend and get the added benefit of emotional support.
- Ask for help at home so you can exercise.
If possible, find ways to be active with the person you’re caring for. Both of you can benefit from physical activity!
Quick tip
Pick an activity you really enjoy to make exercise something you want to do, not something you have to do. Some winter activities include:
- joining a mall-walking group. Here is a list of local malls: https://bestmallwalking.com/lehigh-valley-pa/
- trying out a fitness center—many offer New Year’s Resolution specials.
- taking dance lessons, such as salsa, tango, or belly dancing.
South Mountain Memory Care focuses on high-quality, personalized care, and the safest possible environment for your loved one. South Mountain Memory Care is proud to offer our residents a wide range of resident-focused daily activity programming. Each neighborhood offers activity space for group and one-on-one activities.
The brand-new building is a stand-alone memory care community, meaning that the entire building, staff, and programs, are designed to serve residents with cognitive issues. To ensure person-centered care and attention, we have accommodations for up to 28 residents. The building is divided into two neighborhoods (wings), each offering 10 private suites and 2 semi-private suites. South Mountain Memory Care is located in the Allentown suburb of Emmaus, Pennsylvania, and is easily accessible from the Lehigh Valley, New Jersey, and Philadelphia. For more information, go to southmountainmemorycare.com.