Many people view each new year as a chance to start fresh by making positive changes in their lives.  It is common for people to make New Year’s resolutions meant to help improve their physical and emotional well-being and add something fun or exciting to their lives that they feel they have been missing.

Making and keeping New Year’s resolutions is something that people of all ages can do, including senior citizens.  People can always make positive changes in their lives and that doesn’t change as you get older.  For seniors, thinking about possible New Year’s resolutions can give them something to look forward to as the calendar turns over.

If you have senior loved ones, you can take the time to talk to them about possible New Year’s resolutions and even help them pick realistic goals that can help improve their lives in the next year.  You should also remember to help them understand that making changes in life takes time and that it might take much of the new year for them to achieve the goals they set for themselves.

In this guide, we will help adults with senior loved ones and senior caregivers assist the seniors in their lives with choosing and meeting New Year’s resolutions and setting a realistic timeline to achieve these goals.  Setting goals can benefit the health and well-being of seniors as they enter the new year.

Why Should Seniors Choose New Year’s Resolutions?

Setting and sticking to New Year’s resolutions is beneficial because it helps adults and seniors make improvements in their lives.  Seniors may choose to take up new, exciting activities, stop unhealthy habits, become more active, and improve their ability to live independently.  This can also help add a sense of purpose to the lives of seniors.

The benefits of setting New Year’s resolutions are more than just anecdotal.  Studies have shown that the sense of purpose that seniors get from New Year’s resolutions can increase self-discipline which decreases the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease.  New Year’s resolutions also cause seniors to start the new year with a more positive outlook which decreases the risk of heart disease.

When you sit down with your senior loved one to write out their New Year’s resolutions, you are helping them take more control of their lives and improve their physical and emotional well-being.

New Year’s Resolutions for Your Senior Loved Ones

Start by helping your senior loved one brainstorm New Year’s resolution ideas and make sure to write them down.  Once you get a list together, you can help them narrow down the list to choose the most beneficial and realistic goals.  The following are some New Year’s resolution ideas to get you started:

1. Improve diet: It is very important for seniors to have a healthy diet as malnutrition is a problem many seniors face. A poor diet also increases the risk of heart disease, dementia, and other issues.  A New Year’s resolution to eat more whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats while cutting out unhealthy foods can greatly improve their health.
2. Increase physical activity: Increasing physical activity and exercise, even for just a few minutes each day, can greatly improve physical health. You can help your loved one think of a new active hobby, encourage them to join a senior fitness class, or plan to go on more walks.
3. Meet new friends: Seniors sometimes have a challenging time making new friends as there are usually few opportunities to meet new people. Encourage your senior loved one to volunteer, take a fitness class, or join a senior center to meet new people and make new friendships.
4. Focus on the home: Seniors can improve the safety and comfort of their homes by organizing, decluttering, clearing out pathways to reduce falls, installing safety features like grab bars, and maybe even redecorating. A safer and more comfortable home will allow your loved one to live more independently.
5. Exercise the mind: Finding mentally stimulating activities for seniors will help keep their minds sharp and reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Your senior loved one can learn a new craft, do more art projects, take up puzzles like crossword puzzles or sudoku, learn a new language, or play more games.
6. Start a journal: Your senior loved ones have a lifetime of wisdom and experiences that they can express and even share with others. Encourage your loved one to start a journal to write down their thoughts or tell their story.  Other members of the family may be delighted to read their story and learn more about them.
7. Take care of their health: You can help your senior loved one manage their health over the next year by planning checkups, ensuring they get necessary vaccines, and checking that they have the medications they need. Also, write down any questions or concerns your loved one may have that they can address with their doctor.
8. Get more rest: Getting enough sleep is important for everyone, but especially for seniors. Make sure your loved one has a good sleep schedule and if they have difficulties sleeping, plan to see a specialist that can help them get better sleep at night.
9. Plan for the future: This may be an uncomfortable conversation, but it is beneficial for your loved one and your family to make plans for long-term care and hospice care if they should be needed in the future. This will give your senior loved ones a chance to voice their preferences and have a plan in place before they are in a position in which they cannot make these decisions.  Estate planning is also a good idea so that your loved one can have everything in order.

Sticking to New Year’s Resolutions

Many people make New Year’s resolutions each year, however, few people stick with them into the new year.  You can take the following steps with your senior loved one to help them stick with their New Year’s resolutions throughout the year and achieve their goals:

• Work together: You can work with your loved one to help keep them on track and work towards their goals during the year. Coming up with the New Year’s resolutions with your loved one is a good start as they are more likely to work towards their goals if someone else is also aware of their goals and can help keep them accountable.  Check in with your loved one throughout the year to track their progress towards achieving their goals.
• Start small: Remember to set realistic goals that can be easily managed. Small goals can be achieved with simple steps and for bigger goals, you can help by breaking them down into a series of smaller tasks that are easier to manage.  You should discuss the best ways to manage both small and more ambitious goals with your loved ones to make them more attainable.
• Write down goals: Another way to help ensure that goals are achieved is to write them down. Having a list of goals that you can see makes them more real and your loved ones will be more likely to follow them.  For bigger goals, writing out the steps to take to achieve them can make reaching these goals more realistic.

Senior Home Care from Assisting Hands

Working with your senior loved ones to identify and choose New Year’s resolutions will help give them a sense of purpose, improve their physical and emotional well-being, and give them a reason to look forward to starting a new year.  Another thing you can do for your senior loved ones that can greatly improve their quality of life is work with a professional like Assisting Hands Home Care to provide them with quality senior home care services.

Our professional caregivers at Assisting Hands Home Care provide elderly home care services in which we can help your senior loved ones with personal care and assistance around the home.  Our senior caregivers are licensed, bonded, and insured and they understand how to best care for senior citizens who need additional help to live safely in their homes.  We can also provide effective care for those with chronic conditions, disabilities, illnesses, and Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia to ensure their safety and comfort.

Our caregivers will not only provide effective care for your senior loved ones, but also be a companion for them who can help them work towards achieving the goals they set for themselves with their New Year’s resolutions.  You can talk to our professionals at Assisting Hands Home Care about providing senior care for your loved ones in the Sarasota, FL area by calling us at (813) 868-6782.