How To Get A Loved One With Dementia Moving Safely

Getting a loved one with dementia to “exercise” can feel like a daily battle, and I want to take that pressure off. Movement often drops because dementia changes planning, attention, and confidence, and what looks like stubbornness is frequently fear of falling or confusion about what you’re asking. I’m Esther Kane, a retired occupational therapist and certified aging in place specialist, and I share a practical, dignity-first way to support mobility and independence without turning your day into a therapy session.

We talk about why movement works better when it’s familiar and purposeful. Instead of walking laps or following multi-step instructions, we lean into real-life tasks that still build strength and balance: folding towels, watering plants, setting the table, standing at the counter while you prep lunch, or taking a short hallway walk together. I also explain how seniors with dementia often mirror what’s happening around them, so your body language and simple cues can do more than extra words.

Safety is the foundation. We cover quick home checks for fall prevention, including cluttered pathways, shifting throw rugs, and dim or uneven lighting. Then we connect the dots between gentle movement and mood, sleep, appetite, and agitation, and I share why calm, simple praise reinforces success while forcing movement can increase resistance and fall risk. If you’re caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia and trying to help them age in place safely, this will give you clear next steps you can use today.

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For more information about aging in place and caregiving for older adults, visit our website at SeniorSafetyAdvice.com

Transcript

Welcome And Today’s Goal

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Hey everyone, welcome back to another daily senior safety advice podcast. I'm Esther Kane, a retired occupational therapist and a certified aging in place specialist. This is March. March is Mobility and Independence Month. And if you've been listening, you know that we're talking about all issues related to mobility and independence. And today I'm going to talk about encouraging movement for loved ones with dementia. I want to say this upfront. This is one of those topics that sounds kind of simple but feels really hard when you're living it. I worked in geriatric head injury for years, which included dementia, Alzheimer's, any type of neurological issues. So I'm very familiar with working with seniors suffering from dementia. And movement can be a difficult issue to manage with them. Now, movement in this case isn't just about exercise. For someone with dementia, it's about fear, it's about confusion, and it's about the habits that they had previously that are quietly slipping away. And if you're caring for someone with dementia, you've probably noticed how quickly movement can drop off. They tend to sit more, they hesitate more, they say no more. You know, they say, that's it, you know, I am not, I'm not going here, I'm not sitting there, I'm not moving from here. And you might find yourself thinking, if they just move a little more, they may feel better. And you're not necessarily wrong. But what I want to give you today is a gentler way to think about movement in this instance, a way that works with seniors with dementia, not against it, and a way that protects your loved ones' dignity, safety, and confidence. And here's the big thing that I want you to remember as as I talk, as I as you listen to this podcast, movement doesn't have to look like exercise. That's usually where things kind of get stuck. When we picture movement, we picture walking laps or doing exercises or following instructions. And for someone with dementia, that can feel overwhelming. It's too many steps, too many words, too much pressure. What I've seen and experienced over the years is that seniors with dementia move more when movement is part of something familiar, something purposeful, something that feels normal. That's usually when I see resistance tend to drop. Think about it like this. Your loved one may not remember that they're supposed to exercise. They might remember, though, how to fold towels or how to water plants or how to set the table. Those are all movements. Those are all real movements and very good movements. And honestly, they're often safer and really, at the end of the day, more meaningful than formal exercises. I've seen this come up a lot with family caregivers who usually feel guilty. They'll say, I know they need to move more, but I can't get them to do exercises. And I always tell them, you're not failing, you're just aiming at the wrong target. Dementia changes how the brain understands instructions. It changes how the brain plans movement. So instead of asking someone to do this, it works better to invite them into doing something. And that invitation doesn't need a whole lot of words. Simple works best. Sometimes it's as simple as standing up. Stand up, you stand, you smile, you say, come with me. And they move. That shared movement and that shared moment matters. One thing I notice when working with seniors with dementia is that they often mirror what's happening around them. If you sit, they sit. If you move, they're more likely to move. So your body language matters more than your words. It's important when you're working with anyone or helping anyone with dementia to keep the number of words that you give in an instruction as little as possible. Now, that of course depends on the stage of dementia that they're in. At the beginning, you can probably say a full entire sentence and they'll understand. But as the disease progresses, you do need to break it down into smaller increments. They're not most likely they're not going to remember everything that you're asking them to do. And that's confusing and frightening. So here's where safety comes in, because movement without safety just really ends up creating more stress. If your loved one is afraid of falling, they will avoid moving. And fear shows up quietly. They may say they're tired, they might say they're fine where they are, they might get irritated when you suggest getting up. That's often fear talking. So take a look at the environment. Is there clutter in walking paths? Are there throw rugs that shift? You know, is the ground just not safe? Doesn't feel safe? Is the lighting dim or uneven? When the space feels safer, movement tends to feel safer. I've also seen how powerful routine can be. And I am repeating this because I know I've said this in other podcasts, but routine is extremely important when working with seniors with dementia. People with dementia tend to do better when movement happens at the same time every day. Not because they remember the schedule, definitely not because they remember the schedule, but because the body remembers the patterns. Because it's a short walk after breakfast, you know, um, because it's a standing at the kitchen counter while you're preparing lunch, uh, because it's a few stretches while waiting for the kettle to boil, those kinds of little things, the same time, same place, associated with the same action, same event. That's when movement becomes familiar instead of stressful. And let's talk about mood for a minute because movement and mood are deeply connected. When people stop moving, they often become more anxious, more restless, more withdrawn. And then caregivers think movement isn't working. But what's really happening is that the lack of movement is making everything harder. Even gentle movement can regulate sleep. It can improve appetite, it can reduce agitation. I've seen people become calmer just from standing up and walking down a short hallway. Not miles, not laps, just movement. That would happen often when I would go visit a patient in their home, and they were grumpy and annoyed and complaining and whatever, but taking a short walk down the catwalk or you know, around the block or anything at all, and they were completely different by the time we got back. And here's something that families don't always realize praise truly matters. It happens, it matters at every age, honestly, but especially with someone with dementia. Not big praise. I'm not talking about being, you know, overwhelmingly praising, not cheering, just simple acknowledgement. Nice job standing up. That was great, and that looks really good. Thanks so much for walking with me. I really needed that. Those little comments reinforce safety and success. Correcting, rushing, or pointing out mistakes does the opposite. And honestly, this part is important too. You don't need to force movement. Forcing creates resistance, and resistance increases risk, especially fall risk. If to if today is a low energy day, that's okay. You meet them where they are. Tomorrow may look different. Consistency over time matters more than any single day. I also want to say this to you because caregivers need to hear it. You are not responsible for making dementia better. Your role is to support the comfort, safety, and quality of life. Movement supports all of those, but only when it's done with patience and compassion. So if you remember nothing else from today's episode, remember this. Movement with dementia works best when it feels normal, when you're doing a normal activity, when it feels safe, when it feels shared. It's not like therapy, it's not a task, it's just part of life, doing a life task. And honestly, that's what occupational therapy is really all about, isn't it? It's bringing the person back to life tasks. Well, that's all I have for you today. Thank you again so much for listening, for being here with me. If today's episode gave you any useful insights or some new ideas or tips, then please share it with someone who might find it helpful as well. You can discover even more expert tips and helpful guides for seniors and caregivers at seniorsafetyadvice.com. And hey, if you're searching for an aging in place specialist, then please visit our website at Aging in Place Directory.com. There you can find professionals who can help with home modifications to make living longer and safer in your home possible. Come back tomorrow for more useful tips, insights, and ideas right here on the Daily Senior Safety Advice Podcast. And hey, if you haven't yet subscribed to our YouTube channel or the podcast yet, then please go ahead and do that right now. That really helps us to reach more people who could use this kind of support and information. Until next time, take care of yourself and the ones that you love.