Many individuals have cast aside their New Year’s resolutions by the end of January, but who says resolutions should only be made at the start of the year? There is no time like the present to start a brand new goal or habit, particularly for seniors looking to maintain and improve health and wellness.
We have six recommendations you can implement today. Choose one to begin, or jump right into all of them to attain the most benefit:
- Schedule a physical. Rather than waiting for a sickness or injury to contact the physician, an annual check-up is an excellent method for older adults to stay on top of their own health and potentially prevent issues before they occur.
- Get physical. With the physician’s approval and recommendations in hand, kick off a new physical fitness routine – together! Working out with an older adult you love allows you to motivate each other and function as accountability partners. Commit to adhering to it for a minimum of 21 days, after which it ought to be an ingrained, pleasurable habit you will want to continue.
- Stay connected. Help the senior keep up friendships and contact with friends and family to reduce the chances of isolation and loneliness – something we’ve all become too familiar with during the pandemic. Offer transportation if needed for dinner dates, or with setting up technology to stay virtually connected.
- Update vaccinations. Along with COVID-19 vaccines and boosters, pneumonia, seasonal influenza, and shingles vaccines must be up to date. With age comes a heightened risk for severe effects from these illnesses, so vaccinations become much more crucial.
- Don’t forget mental health. A mental health provider will help determine if anxiety, depression, or other concerns need to be addressed, offering both therapeutic tools and medication if needed. Staying mentally sharp through brain enrichment activities will help with the natural cognitive decline that develops in aging.
- Monitor what you eat. If the pantry and fridge are full of fatty or empty-calorie foods, replace them with proteins, whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and low-fat dairy products. A serious change in diet can be overwhelming and hard to maintain, so start simple with one replacement at first – carrot sticks in the place of potato chips, for example – and work up to a more healthy overall diet.
Independence-4-Seniors Home Care is here to help seniors in achieving these and any other goals with personalized companionship and in-home care in and around the DuPage County area. From transportation and accompaniment to medical appointments and exercise classes to grocery shopping and preparing healthy meals, all while giving socialization a much-needed boost, we’re empowering seniors to live their best lives on a daily basis. Email or call us at 630-323-4665 for more information on how we can help an older adult you love!