The snow has stopped (for the moment), the roads are clear, and the sidewalks are fairly safe to walk on. Only problem is, it's COLD! Even bundled up, with knit hats, scarves, etc., my senior mom didn't feel up to making her usual trek. She really hates not walking though. She is determined to stay active and healthy and knows how important regular exercise for a variety of reasons including her arthritis. I'm quite proud of her. She's way more focused on it than I am. Fortunately, I have the grandkid-chasing to keep me in good shape. 
I offered to take her walking at the mall but she didn't want to drive so far. Then I suggested Walmart and her eyes lit up. Off we went to walk the aisles, get some exercise, and even do a bit of grocery shopping. Now granted, mall walking before the shops open can give you the opportunity to walk a bit faster. That's perfect for the moms with strollers. It's not usually that necessary for our senior parents. In fact, the speed they can walk at Walmart is probably better suited to them.
She enjoyed herself thoroughly, picked up a few groceries she was missing, and even had fun doing some garden-dreaming. In fact, she wound up coming home with a couple of pots and a "seen on TV" upside down kit – all for her future tomatoes. She also found a Mother Earth Organic Gardening Guide to read at home. All in all, a nice afternoon of exercise for less than the cost of a game of golf. As for me, I had already done some walking earlier so I settled for picking up some of my Dr. Pepper Diet Cherry sodas, doing some writing, and helping her when she needed it. The Jitterbug comes in quite handy at Walmart!
How do you and your senior parents exercise when it's too cold outside? We'd love more ideas. Also, be sure to sign up for the FREE SandwichINK email for more fun exercise ideas for senior parents, grandkids, and all of us in the Sandwich Generation.
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