Staying Active Can Help Even During Hospice Care

If you’re new to the hospice experience, there’s a lot to learn, whether you’re a client or a supporter/loved one of a client in the Cedar Rapids area and elsewhere.

One misconception is that those receiving hospice care are always in such bad shape that they can’t do much at all, and must simply wait until the end.

In most cases, this isn’t accurate, says the team at Above and Beyond Home Health Care and Hospice.

With the exception of those who enter hospice care with only a few days of life left or with advanced mental or physical conditions which keeps them from responding or moving much, such as last-stage Alzheimer’s disease or some sort of paralysis, most hospice clients can and should benefit greatly from physical activity.

Our team is always happy to educate people about the value of any kind of activity, from basic answers to questions to discussing specific situations or conditions.

The short answer is that hospice Is all about being active. Since hospice is about helping a client’s quality of life, being active is a big part of this, and a better alternative than people sitting around or staying in bed. Examples of activity can include regular exercise sessions or indoor or outdoor walks.

Many fitness experts recommend at least 20 minutes of low-impact exercise, such as walking, for optimal heart health.

The Mayo Clinic breaks this figure down to a general goal of 10,000 steps a day, which is double the American norm of about 3,000 to 4,000 steps a day.

Even people with mobility issues can still find ways to be active, such as chair/bed exercises.

Various benefits

Whether you’re receiving hospice care or not, there are short-term and long-term advantages of regular activity for the brain and for the body. People on hospice may not receive long-term benefits but can still enjoy shorter-term help.

Some of the positive benefits of exercise and activity can include:

• Weight loss. Regular exercise combined with eating better can lead to burning calories and reducing fat. This could make it easier to walk further and longer.
• Muscle gain. This also has the same usefulness: you may be able to walk longer without pain and your muscles can support you better.
• Better flexibility. This can improve balance and reduce fall risk since falls can be devastating.
• Better feeling. Regular or at least occasional exercise and physical activities can produce endorphins which are natural pain relievers throughout the body. Regular walks or other activities that raise the heart rate can leave people feeling good all around.

Plus, regular exercise can reduce some of the other health risks: just because someone is on hospice doesn’t mean they’re immune from risk factors for heart attacks, stroke, or other sometimes fatal conditions.

It can also help pass the time well. If someone is feeling bored, frustrated, or unsure of what to do during the day, setting a time to exercise regularly can give them something to look forward to. In addition to helping them feel better, exercise can become a ritual, such as going on a walk at the same time every day, rain or shine. (Rain, of course, can move the activity inside or require bundling up better.)

Getting started

Unless you’ve already made exercise an important part of your daily life, it can be a challenge to get moving.

Your brain is likely giving you all sorts of excuses why getting started is a bad idea. That’s part of what it does: help you avoid pain, which it thinks can include the pain that might come from too much exercise.

The good news is that home health professionals might be able to point you in the right direction. They may be able to share some basic tips with you on moving better. They also can provide access to physical therapists and occupational therapists. They can work with you to learn some skills to stay active, and also teach a variety of routines for you to try during the day.

These can help stretch muscles, build strength and flexibility and improve balance. All of these things can combine to reduce the fear of going out and getting active. The therapists also can offer suggestions on ways to be safe. This can include working out with a buddy, having a clear agenda of activities, and instructions on what to do if there is an accident and someone is unable to provide info.

There are also various videos online that can be a good start, such as low-impact yoga and stretching.

Another way that people can learn the value of moving is by visiting the official site for Active Aging Week. The actual celebration took place Oct. 4-10 this year, but there are some great resources that can be used all year round.

These include various videos that discuss the value of different forms of movement and various factors that can help improve the ability to move better, such as diet and nutrition.