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Would a Fitness Tracker Get Your Parents to Walk More?

Homecare in Westfield NJ: Ask any doctor how much exercise is ideal, and you'll usually hear 30 minutes or more per day.
Homecare in Westfield NJ: Seniors and Fitness Trackers
Homecare in Westfield NJ: Seniors and Fitness Trackers

Ask any doctor how much exercise is ideal, and you’ll usually hear 30 minutes or more per day. You’re concerned that your parents don’t get that much. You wonder if a fitness tracker would boost their activity. It could with the right features and settings.

 

Homecare in Westfield NJ: Seniors and Fitness Trackers
Homecare in Westfield NJ: Seniors and Fitness Trackers

 

Rewards for Activity

Some fitness trackers partner with insurance companies and businesses to offer rewards for activity. If your parents are active and have the data on the fitness tracker to prove it, they could get lower insurance rates or discounts at stores.

For example, Fitbit users can get 20 Walgreens points for every mile they walk. Dick’s Sporting Goods offers rewards points towards new apparel and shoes for every 10,000 steps.

 

Pulse Stats

Part of getting enough exercise is knowing that the heart is pumping harder than the resting beat. A fitness tracker with a built-in pulse monitor helps your parents see if they’re getting their heart rate up while taking a walk. If they’re not, they know to walk at a faster pace.

 

Inactivity Alarms

Fitness trackers can be set up with alarms that alert you when you haven’t gotten up and walked around in a while. If four hours pass and your mom and dad haven’t moved from the sofa, the alarm goes off and encourages them to get up and take a walk around the house or find another fitness activity.

 

Join Health Studies

The Apple Watch is set up to allow you to apply to be part of private health studies. Your parents may enjoy the thought of being part of something that could help future generations. They pick and choose the studies that appeal to them and see if they get chosen to help out. Many of the studies center around daily movements and activities and how they affect the heart.

 

Family Competitions

Some fitness trackers allow you to set family groups. You can hold fun competitions to see who walks the most each day. This is a good way to get your parents to compete for the top spot. Once they’ve topped someone else, the urge to remain competitive is in place and can be motivating.

Have you considered other ways to make sure your parents are active? Home care aides can stop by, assist them on walks, encourage them to get up and stretch, and help them with household activities. Learn more about the cost of home care by calling a representative at a local agency.

 

If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring Elder Care in Westfield, NJ, call the caring staff at Helping Hands Home Care today at 908-418-4299.

Providing Home Care Services in all of Northern and Central NJ, including Clark, Westfield, Cranford, Scotch Plains, Rahway, Linden, Summit, Edison, Elizabeth, Mountainside, and the surrounding areas.

Robert D'Arienzo

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