When family members begin to age, it is likely that you will want to help them out. But this task might seem overwhelming.
After all, there are hundreds of things that people can do to make their later years more enjoyable. To narrow all these ideas down, here we share six tips that you can then introduce to the lives of your loved ones, to support them in aging well.
1. Use Herbs to Fight Aging
Food, drinks, and supplements make a massive difference to your health, and this continues to be true as you age. Foods are well-known for their different nutritional properties, but people often forget that herbs can be full of benefits too.
For seniors, Aloe Vera, Ginger, and Green Tea can be used to aid with arthritis, while Ashwagandha, Turmeric, and Holy Basil can be used to boost anti-aging. Dandelion is considered a ‘super herb’ as it improves bone health, aids in digestion, helps to prevent urinary problems, and even protects against osteoporosis. Do some research around the specific health problems your loved one might have, and there will be herbs you can easily introduce into their lives to help them.
2. Get Some Extra Help
A lot of seniors do not like to ask for help, even though they could use some. Often, hiring professional help can really contribute to a better living experience. This may be as simple as asking someone to drop by your loved one’s home to help them with chores, gardening, and shopping.
You may choose a carer to move in with them full-time to help with everyday tasks like getting dressed and doing the dishes. Or you might be looking for assisted living near Forest Hill where your loved ones will always have someone on hand to help them.
3. Make Sure to Socialize
As seniors age, their social circles start to diminish. This might be because they have moved away from friends in order to live closer to family members, it might be because a lot of their friends have passed away, or it might be because friendships have dwindled over the years.
However, isolation and loneliness put seniors at risk of serious health issues such as dementia, increased heart disease, strokes, anxiety, and depression.
So one of the ways you can help your loved ones is by helping them to keep social. This might be booking them in for a local club, hosting a book club, inviting them out, and setting them up with old or new friends. It might take a little encouragement but it will have no end of health benefits.
4. Do a Little Exercise Everyday
Whatever your age, exercise is a crucial element of a healthy life, and this becomes even more true as you age. Inactivity makes seniors stiff and can contribute to muscle weakness, lack of circulation, and other health problems.
Exercise has numerous benefits including helping mental health, warming extremities, and maintaining blood flow to the brain, which stimulates brain cells growth. Because of this, exercise becomes crucial in contributing towards combating the onset of dementia and cognitive decline.
Helping your family members to incorporate a little exercise into their lives will help them to age better. It can be something as simple as a half an hour walk five times a week, with some muscle strengthening exercises, or they may prefer to join a communal class so that they can socialize at the same time.
5. Keep the Mind Sharp
Keeping the mind young is an important part of aging well, and this can be broken down into two parts. The first is mindset, which focuses on the idea of keeping positive about aging. The second is keeping the actual mental faculties working.
Some studies show that a positive mindset contributes towards happy later years. To help, mindfulness, which is beneficial at all ages, is encouraged to counter cognitive decline.It has been known to improve focus, reduce memory loss, increase immune system functions, and lower stress. Happiness in relationships – whether than be marital or community-based – also helps mental health and has positive effects on managing pain and improving physical health as people age.
Keeping the mind sharp later in life can sometimes be difficult. Some people choose to continue working in order to keep their minds ticking over, and studies show that those who keep working into their seventies often have better health and more vibrant social networks.
But this doesn’t suit everyone, and work can be replaced by volunteering or staying socially active. Some people like to do the crossword, play Sudoku, read voraciously, engage in community projects, read the paper every day, or keep up to date with cultural and political events. All of these activities will help to keep the mind of your loved ones sharp as they age.
6. Adapt the Home
If your family member is aging-in-place, then it is a good idea to adapt certain parts of the home to help them feel more comfortable. Falls are the number one cause of injury in Americans over the age of 65, but there are some steps you can take to help avoid an accident.
The first is making sure that the home is well lit. Motion-sensor lights are a great idea because it means that your loved one won’t have to stumble around looking for the light switch in the dark. Handrails are easy additions for extra steadiness walking up and down the stairs, and ramps can be added to doorways too.
Here are other home adaptations that will help aging individuals to continue living independently in their own homes:
- Easy access showers or shower seats
- Adjustable beds
- Stairlifts
- Kitchen mobility accessories
The Round-Up
By using these simple tips, you will help your loved ones age well by making them feel more safe and comfortable at home. Socializing, mindfulness, and exercise are brilliant for both the mind and the body, while herb supplements will provide the simple health boost they need to feel their best.
Assisted living, or hiring help, will also provide them extra care so that they do not need to worry about chores or other everyday tasks. Some seniors just like to know that someone is nearby to help them if they need it. Otherwise, you can make adaptions to the home, where small changes will make a huge difference to the way your loved one can live their life.
With these ideas in mind, we know you’ll make a difference in your elderly loved one’s life. Which tip will you try first?
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