Ways To Maintain Health

Eating healthy is important at every age. However, seniors face a few extra challenges. Their appetite often decreases with age, which can make them less willing to eat. Chewing food may become more difficult too, leading to a focus on soft foods.

Seniors may have specific nutrition needs based on health conditions. This could include limiting salt, watching vitamin K intake, keeping fat intake low, or watching cholesterol.  

People tend to slow down as they age. Many seniors enter retirement and find that their physical capabilities decrease over time.

But, this doesn’t mean they’re content sitting still and doing nothing. Seniors still need to be engaged physically and mentally, which includes finding meaningful activities.

A huge aspect of caregiving is working out when to support the senior and when not to. Providing too much support risks burning you out and can make the senior overly dependent.

For example, it’s tempting to fetch things constantly for seniors who struggle to get up and down. Doing so makes their life easier, but means they’re using the muscles less, which makes standing more difficult over time.

Remember, your goal isn’t to remove all difficulties from their life or to prevent their health from declining. Neither approach is realistic. Sometimes you may need to be firm in the short term to protect their health and yours in the long term.

Exercise doesn’t need to be overwhelming. Even a little exercise regularly can promote physical and mental health. Some approaches, like Zumba and walking groups, offer social connection at the same time.

However, seniors will need to choose exercise approaches based on doctor’s recommendations and any limitations they have. Some may need to stick with gentle approaches, like swimming and chair yoga, while others may be fine with more intense exercise.

Social connection is another incredibly important area. Humans need other people to bounce off and grow from. Research even shows that loneliness can be as dangerous as smoking and obesity. Pretty scary, right?

The amount of connection a person needs varies depending on their personality and how well they do on their own. However, it’s clear that many seniors need more social engagement. This includes connecting with people inside and outside of the family.

Eating well, exercising, connecting with others, and engaging in activities all help promote a good mental state. However, they won’t always be enough. Some seniors may need additional approaches, which could include mindfulness or therapy.

Even if seniors aren’t struggling, a couple of therapy sessions could help them to come to grips with this new phase of their life.