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Household Tasks Proven to Aid Health in the Elderly

by Richard O'Boyle, Editor

It is natural to regard both indoor and outdoor household chores as tasks to get out of the way as soon as possible in order to get on with more pleasurable pursuits.

However, research is increasingly pointing to the fact that simple things like folding the laundry and washing the car can aid fitness.

As they age, many people need to look after their energy levels in order to conserve what they do have for activities they enjoy – and understandably so.

Keeping fit while ageing is too important to be ignored though. It is worth keeping in mind which daily tasks are worth giving some energy to, and which ones to go easy on.

Proven health and fitness benefits

A Swedish study has highlighted the health benefits of work about the house. Gardening is a pleasure for many. It’s also a good source of light exercise. With all of the bending involved, weeding, for instance, exercises the thighs while raking simulates resistance training for the arms and legs.

Washing the car involves a lot of reaching and stretching which is good for the arms and tummy while carrying shopping home is just like weight training.

Indoor chores are just as good for fitness. Scrubbing the bath is excellent for keeping the arm muscles in shape while all the bending down needed for filling the dishwasher is good for health.

Take it easy

Of course, nobody is under any delusion about how much effort they have to put into household jobs for them to give a real health payback.

Cleaning as much of the home in one go with a little exertion is likely to be more beneficial than doing one or two tasks each day at an easy pace.

It all depends on individual energy levels.

People who live on two storeys or more know that there is one form of exercise which might just drain them, leaving them too worn out for the fun things they want to do; walking up and down the stairs several times a day.

Mounting the stairs is increasingly difficult or many. It’s no surprise it’s the reason why many elderly people choose to live in bungalows!

Stair lifts

If there is one form of household exercise that can be abandoned, surely it is using the stairs.
A stair lift can be the swift answer to this problem.

There are so many different stair lift models available that finding a suitable type for every home is not an issue.

Stair lifts have developed a great deal over the last few decades. There are models which are perfect for straight staircases and those which fit into a curved design. Some models can be adapted to all kinds of staircases.

Another advantage is it is possible to either rent or buy stair lifts depending on how much financial commitment a customer wishes to make.

Such a device enables focus on home exercise which is revitalizing rather than exhausting!        

References:
http://www.capitaresourcing.co.uk/news/swedish-study-points-to-gardening-as-a-way-to-lengthen-your-life-news-13333; http://www.stannahstairlifts.co.uk/; http://www.examiner.com/article/household-chores-provide-great-exercise-and-burn-calories;
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-93697/How-household-chores-shape.html