Hello, everyone. Welcome to the Daily Senior
Safety Advice Podcast. I'm Esther Kane, a retired
occupational therapist and a certified aging
in place specialist. And I help families make
simple, practical changes to keep older adults
safe at home. And in today's episode, we're going
to talk about creating a movement routine that
you'll actually keep. This is to continue with
March is Mobility and Independence Month. So
I want to talk about a movement routine that
you'll actually use. And that word actually really
matters because most people don't quit moving
because they don't care. They quit because the
plan never really fit their lifestyle or their
life. I've seen this so many times, even in myself.
you get motivated then you decide you decide
you're going to exercise every day and you pick
something that sounds really good on paper and
then life shows up. You get tired, you didn't
sleep well the night before, your joints hurt,
you then you miss a day you say oh I'm going
to rest today and then before you know it you're
missing another day and then another and then
the routine is gone. So I want to take the pressure
off right away. A movement routine does not have
to be perfect to be helpful. It just has to be
realistic. So what I've noticed over the years
is that the routines that people keep are usually
really very simple. Almost boring, you might
say. And that's actually a good thing. because
it's sustainable. One of the biggest mistakes
I see people starting with too much, I've done
that myself. You do something for too long or
too intense or there are too many rules attached
to it or you need too much equipment and the
body pushes back, your routine pushes back, your
habits tend to push back. So if movement feels
like a chore, believe me, your brain will resist
it. every time. So instead of asking what's the
best exercise that I can do, I encourage you
to ask a different question. What kind of movement
fits into my day today? That question changes
everything because now you're working with your
life, not against it. Some people move best in
the morning. You know, you get up early, you
take a walk or you go on the treadmill or the
bike. Others feel better during the day. Some
do very well with short bursts. That's what I
do. I do very well with 10 -15 minute bursts
throughout the day. And others prefer one long
steady block. There's no right answer and there's
only your answer and it can change from day to
day. And here's something that I've learned as
an occupational therapist. The body tends to
like patterns. It's not about willpower, it's
about patterns, about habits. When movement is
tied to something that you already do, it sticks
better. Doing a little 10 minute bike ride or
walk after breakfast, that's a routine. That's
a habit that you can tie to something you're
already doing. Maybe something before you shower,
maybe some yoga stretches before you shower.
Maybe while the coffee is brewing, you can do
some standing in place. I mean, walking in place.
Of course you're going to stand in place, but
walking in place exercise. Maybe during a TV
commercial, you can take a walk around the dining
room table a few times. Those moments are all
gold. You don't have to create new time. You
just have to use the time within your day that
already exists. That's usually when routines
tend to last. I mean, I've seen myself keep a
movement routine for months and months just by
doing a few stretches at the kitchen counter
in the morning, you know, while the coffee is
brewing. Same place, same time. It's not exciting,
but it's very effective. Another thing that really
matters is keeping your expectations low. Now,
that might sound strange, but it really does
work. If your goal is 30 minutes a day and you
miss it, the routine feels broken, right? Sort
of like, you know, you're on a diet and all of
a sudden one day you had a piece of cake and
you're like, well, that's it. The diet is gone
for the day and you go off the rails for the
rest of the day. So if your goal though is five
minutes and you do 10, you feel successful. So
just like with a diet, if you only eat one or
two bites of the cake instead of the entire cake
or piece of the cake, you feel successful and
you keep the rest of the day on your diet. Success
builds momentum and momentum keeps routines alive.
I always say set the bar low so that you can
step over it because once you start moving it's
often easier to keep going and if you don't keep
going that's okay too you still moved that counts
Okay, so now let's talk about variety for a minute
because your joints get bored too. You don't
want to always do a bike ride or always do a
walk, always do the same exercises. Doing the
exact same exact movement every day can actually
lead to stiffness or discomfort, believe it or
not. So variety doesn't necessarily mean harder.
It just means something different. Some days
you could take a walk. Some days you'd be stretching.
Some days it's just gentle strength work, maybe
with weights or resistance bands. Even standing
up and sitting down a few times counts. Movement
doesn't have to look like exercise to be beneficial.
It just has to get the body out of the same position.
And here's something that families don't always
realize. Movement routines should change. What
works this month might not work next month. Energy
levels change, weather changes, your health can
change. That doesn't mean you failed. It just
means that you're adapting. And adapting is success.
Another big piece of this that you should remember
is comfort. If movement hurts, people tend to
stop. So pay attention to what your body is telling
you. A little soreness is fine. That can be normal.
But sharp pain is not. Movement should feel supportive,
not punishing. If something consistently causes
pain, it doesn't belong in your routine. And
that's true no matter what anyone else says.
I have a story to tell you. I used to live in
a neighborhood where tennis was a big thing.
I would go to some parties at night or some dinners
and I would see people hobbling about or with
an ice pack on their knee as they were laid up
on the sofa or they'd be walking around bent
over in pain. And when I asked them what happened
to you, they said, oh, I had to play tennis today.
I said, I don't think so. Your body, I think,
is telling you something is off. Oh, no, no.
I mean, I just I have to work through the pain.
That is not true. All you're actually doing is
causing more damage to whatever it is that you
damage to begin with, a tendon, a muscle, a bone,
whatever. If something consistently causes pain,
it doesn't belong in your routine. And that's
true. Again, I'm saying no matter what anyone
else says. All right, I also want to talk about
motivation because this comes up all the time.
People say, I just don't feel motivated. And
I get it. I have a very hard time getting motivated
for exercise or any kind of movement, honestly.
But motivation usually comes after the movement,
not before. So waiting to feel motivated often
means waiting for a very long time, if ever.
Starting small creates the motivation. Move a
little, you feel a little better. And that feeling
encourages you to move again. That loop matters.
And if you're caring for someone else, this applies
to you. and to them too. Movement routines work
best when they feel shared. Walking together,
stretching together, standing up and sitting
down together. That shared experience reduces
resistance and it builds connection. I've seen
caregivers feel less burned out just by moving
alongside their loved one. Because movement changes
mood for everyone involved. And here's a big
one. Give yourself the permission to rest. Rest
is part of any routine. Bodies need recovery,
especially aging bodies. Skipping a day doesn't
undo progress. It may support it, but skipping
two days does not help. So speak to your physician.
Get a referral for a physical therapist and get
a routine going. Consistency over time matters
more than daily perfection. And if you have somebody
training you and helping you through the process,
it makes it safer and easier. I want to say that
again. Consistency over time matters more than
daily perfection. If you move most days, you're
doing great. And honestly, a routine you enjoy
is always better than one you dread, right? If
you hate walking, don't force walking. If you
dislike taking exercise classes, then sign up.
Don't sign up for exercise classes. Choose movement
that feels natural or pleasant. And pleasant
gets repeated. So if you're trying to create
a movement routine you'll actually keep, start
here. Pick one small thing. tie it to something
you already do, keep it short, and let it change
when needed. That's it. Take those instructions
to your doctor, to your physical therapist, and
they will tie it in to whatever exercises they
provide for you that can fit your body, your
needs, your abilities. There's no fancy plan
needed, no guilt necessary, no all or nothing
kind of thinking. Just look for movement that
fits your life. And when movement fits your life,
it tends to stay. Well, that's all I have for
you today. I want to thank you again for being
here with me. If today's episode gave you some
useful insights or new ideas, then please share
it with someone who might find it helpful as
well. And you can discover even more expert tips
and helpful guides for seniors and caregivers
at our website at seniorsafetyadvice .com. And
if you're searching for an aging in place specialist
or need some modifications in your home to make
it safer as you age in place, then visit our
website at aginginplacedirectory .com. And don't
forget, come back tomorrow for more useful tips,
insights, and ideas. right here on the Daily
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take care of yourself and the ones that you love.
Thank you for listening to the Daily Senior Safety
Advice Podcast.