Living a healthy life as a senior involves creating a routine of daily habits that focus on physical, mental, and emotional well-being. However, some seniors may need help incorporating these habits, which is where senior home care providers and loved ones come in.
Senior home care and loved ones can help seniors build a healthy routine and encourage them to maintain that routine with these suggestions.
Physical Activity Should Happen Every Day
Regular physical activity is key to maintaining good health. That doesn’t mean that seniors need to hit the gym each day, but they can do things like walking, yoga, or even gardening, all of which improve cardiovascular health, enhance mobility, and reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Seniors should try to achieve at least 15 minutes of physical activity each day to start with and progress to 150 minutes a week if possible. For competitive seniors, senior home care can even create challenges, like who can take the most steps in a day, to keep them motivated.
Eat a Balanced Diet
Nutrition plays a crucial role in overall health. Eating a diet rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and healthy fats can provide the energy and nutrients the body needs. Like with all things, though, seniors are often set in their ways, which includes what they eat. Even seniors who are curious to add healthier foods to their diets might find this challenging if they aren’t sure what to look for or how to cook them. This is another area where senior home care can help. They can take seniors to the grocery store, teach them how to prepare certain things, and even watch YouTube videos with them to learn new techniques. When eating healthy is fun, seniors are more likely to buy in.
Stimulate the Mind
More research than ever points to the need to keep the mind active. Some might say it’s even more important than physical activity. Senior home care can help seniors with this by putting puzzles together with them and encouraging them to learn new skills. Seniors might also read, participate in social activities, or take part in free classes in the community to keep their minds occupied.
Practice Stress Management
Managing stress is important for maintaining both physical and mental health. Techniques such as meditation, deep breathing exercises, journaling, and getting support from friends or professionals can help manage stress effectively. Seniors can work on their stress reduction each day by starting the morning off with deep breathing, ending their day journaling, or simply spending some time thinking about the day. There are a variety of apps they can utilize to practice deep breathing or enjoy guided meditation.
Practice Gratitude
Practicing gratitude can enhance mental health, increase happiness, and improve relationships. Keeping a gratitude journal, reflecting on positive experiences, and expressing appreciation to others are simple ways to practice gratitude daily. While this might not seem like it would be overly effective, it is one of the easier things for seniors to do. Plus, once they try it, they might be surprised at just how well it works.
Senior home care and loved ones are both influential in encouraging seniors to adopt certain routines throughout the day that can improve their health and well-being.
Sources: https://activebeat.com/your-health/senior/things-seniors-should-be-doing-every-day/#:~:text=Some%20of%20these%20include%20sticking,help%20you%20be%20more%20productive.
https://www.eatingwell.com/article/7941373/things-to-do-every-day-to-help-you-live-to-100/
If you or an aging loved one are considering Senior Home Care Services in Newport Beach CA, please call the caring staff at Canaan Home Care today! 1-844-CANAAN-1 (1-844-226-2261)
Canaan Home Care – A Premier Provider of Senior Home Care in the La Jolla, Del Mar, San Diego, Rancho Santa Fe, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Tustin, and Manhattan Beach areas.
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