While growing older comes with challenges, it’s also an opportunity to live a more vibrant life. September’s Healthy Aging Month is an ideal time to evaluate physical, emotional, social, financial, and spiritual health and make changes. This article discusses tips to help seniors thrive.
Healthy Aging Month is designed to help elderly individuals lead healthier lives. Through community health screenings, books, television specials, events, conversations on aging, and other accessible resources, seniors have an opportunity to become proactive about their overall well-being and age well.
What are Tips and Strategies to Promote Senior Health?
Thriving as an older adult requires being aware of effective strategies to help cope with aging. Physical wellness is an integral component of vitality. Mental stimulation is equally critical to keep the aging brain sharp. Emotional resilience develops by nurturing positive relationships. Social connections are crucial to combating loneliness.
Tip 1: Exercise Regularly
Feeling energetic and fit are benefits of regular exercise. By staying physically active, older adults maintain strong and resilient bodies. An exercise routine enhances balance, strength, and flexibility—all of which contribute to a lower risk of falls and injuries. Exercise also boosts cognition and mood.
Seniors are encouraged to participate in 150 minutes of exercise per week or about 20 to 30 minutes per day. Swimming, dancing, and walking are ideal exercises for the elderly. Strength training twice per week. Yoga is a gentle form of exercise that seniors can perform with ease.
Tip 2: Eat Nutritiously
A balanced diet is key to healthy aging. Seniors are urged to consume nutrient-rich foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins, to reduce their risk of developing high blood pressure, diabetes, or other diseases. Avoid processed foods, like those high in salt and sugar.
Hydration is as important as eating nutritiously. By drinking water, fruit smoothies, or other liquids throughout the day, older adults stay hydrated. Adequate hydration aids in the digestion of food and the absorption of nutrients. When choosing beverages, avoid sugary ones.
Tip 3: Sleep Well
Seniors benefit from 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. Enjoying a good night’s rest, however, involves more than the number of hours an older person sleeps. The quality of sleep is critical, too. Sleep should be uninterrupted, meaning the senior does not awaken multiple times throughout the night.
A consistent bedtime routine encourages restful sleep. The senior’s caregiver can create a relaxing, comfortable bedroom by closing the curtains, adjusting the thermostat, and meeting all needs prior to bedtime. Limit phone use as well as watching television before bed to improve sleep quality.
Tip 4: Stay Mentally Stimulated
Good cognition aids the senior well into the later parts of life. Pursue lifelong learning opportunities to stimulate the mind and stay sharp. For example, older adults might pick up a hobby, learn to play a musical instrument, take a class, travel for new experiences, or solve puzzles.
Tip 5: Manage Stress
Stress management is crucial to overall well-being. Older adults should choose activities that have a relaxing effect on both their physical and emotional state. Activities that promote well-being include a daily meditation practice, deep breathing exercises, and a mindfulness habit.
Tip 6: Pursue Hobbies
Channel the inner artist by taking an art or music class. Or simply pick up a craft set with instructions and supplies to experience a boost in mental and emotional health. Starting a new hobby challenges the older person’s mind while still offering enjoyment.
Gardening is one hobby many seniors pursue for its mental, physical, and social health benefits. Digging the soil and planting seeds connects them to nature. Being under the sun exposes them to vitamin D. Working in a community garden gives the elderly social opportunities.
Tip 7: Stay Socially Engaged
Social engagement helps strengthen seniors’ emotional well-being. Older people should surround themselves with positive, supportive individuals. If friends and family are unavailable to provide meaningful social support, consider professional companionship caregivers, who actively seek to uplift seniors with pleasant conversations.
The elderly ward off loneliness and feelings of isolation by joining local social clubs or a senior center. Participate in community events. If a particular cause tugs at their heartstrings, older adults should volunteer, which brings a sense of purpose and social connections with like-minded people.
Tip 8: Schedule Medical Checkups
Seniors with existing medical conditions are urged to schedule regular medical checkups. It’s important that a physician monitors their blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood sugar. Routine health exams can also detect illness before it has a chance to spread or worsen.
Senior Home Care from Assisting Hands
During Healthy Aging Month, seniors can use the abovementioned tips to start on the path to healthier aging. September is also a good time to evaluate existing and future care needs. By delivering compassionate senior home care, Assisting Hands Home Care fills in any gaps in a senior’s care plan.
Our professional caregivers are tasked with a comprehensive range of non-medical care duties to help seniors stay independent. If your aging loved one has a doctor’s appointment, we provide safe transportation and escort. We also drive them to the pharmacy to pick up prescriptions.
Senior home care includes healthy meal preparation and grocery shopping. We serve beverages to promote hydration. Timely medication reminders are given. Caregivers provide discreet assistance with hygiene tasks, like bathing, toileting, dressing, and grooming. We’re also friendly companions who keep seniors socially engaged with conversations, outings, and games.
Home care from our reputable agency is flexible. Caregivers are available for short-term respite care (ideal when family caregivers need a break), post-surgical care, overnight care, and live-in care. We also provide skilled Alzheimer’s and dementia care as well as personal care for those in hospice.
The in-home services from Assisting Hands Home Care complement a senior’s care plan, promote independence, allow seniors to age in place, and allow them to age well. We serve the seniors in Sarasota, FL, and the surrounding areas. Schedule your free in-home consult today or give us a call at (813) 868-6782 to learn about our senior home care service.
