Call it activity rather than exercise.
Help her find a physical activity she likes to do -- and that gets her moving -- as she's more likely to stick with one she enjoys than one that feels like a chore. Walking is an excellent activity for beginners as well as folks who are already active. It's also a good choice if excess weight rules out some other forms of exercise. Look for ways for her to work her chosen activities into her life so they become a routine. That may mean walking in the morning, taking a sociable aqua-aerobic class at the local pool in the afternoon, or even scheduling a treadmill workout around a favorite TV show.
Mix it up.
It's wise for the person you're caring for to get a mix of exercise during the course of a week. Ideally, she should do an activity that helps burn calories and glucose, works muscles, and increases heart rate, such as walking, tennis, or dancing, at least a few times a week. She could also try a low-impact workout such as swimming or stationary biking. Whichever kind of workout she chooses, she should also do strength-building exercises that help build muscle and maintain bone density, like weight training, either using machines or light weights at a local gym or lifting, for example, canned foods at home a couple of times a week. She should include some flexibility exercises, such as gentle stretching or yoga, in her routine as well. If mobility is an issue, resistance and flexibility exercises can be done from a chair.
Find a partner or a program.
It's more fun and motivating to work out with a friend. So encourage the person you're caring for to find a friend who'll play golf or tennis, go for a walk, or take a low-impact exercise class. Look in her community for activities geared toward older adults, such as a mall-walking club, a senior center yoga class, or a group exercise program at local fitness centers like Silver Sneakers. Or she could join a virtual program, like the American Diabetes Association's ClubPed, an online walking support group and step tracker.
Take it indoors when the weather is bad.
If her exercise revolves around getting out in good weather, help her come up with an indoor backup plan when bad weather prevails. Such alternatives include stationary bikes or treadmills, dance or yoga class, or mall walking. Home exercise videos or DVDs are another option. Popular workouts for homebound older adults include: Stronger Seniors, Yoga for the Young at Heart, and the Sit and Be Fit public television series.
Be a role model.
You can help model ways to be more active on a day-to-day basis. When taking her to a doctor's appointment, park a few blocks from the office to get a short walk in before the visit. She may burn even more calories from unstructured activities than from any formal exercise regimen, so when you're with her suggest taking the stairs instead of an elevator. Take a hike, go bowling, or garden together. Your own children can be great playmates, so encourage her to play with them.
Measure success.
It's motivating for someone with diabetes to actually notice her own progress. A novel way for her to keep track of her activity: Invest in an inexpensive pedometer (under $20), a simple gadget that counts how many steps a person takes. The American Diabetes Association is one online source for such a tool. The National Institutes of Health offers other low-tech ways for people to gauge improvements in their physical conditioning.
