Self-Care for Seniors: 10 Ways to Improve your Physical and Mental Well-Being
Self-Care for Seniors: 10 Ways to Improve your Physical and Mental Well-Being
Many older adults have spent most of their lives caring for others, such as their spouse, friends, children, and grandchildren. They are accustomed to putting the well-being of others before their own needs and may tend to forget about caring for themselves.
Self-care is taking time out of your day to care for yourself physically, emotionally, and mentally. Self-care is essential for everyone, but it’s crucial for seniors. It helps reduce stress, combat loneliness, and maintain a positive outlook. Moreover, self-care activities can help seniors stay physically active and improve their health. Many activities can improve self-care, such as maintaining a healthy lifestyle, socializing, and spending time outdoors.
Here are ten self-care tips older adults can use to improve their well-being and age gracefully.
Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle
Eat a healthy diet with more vitamins and high fiber foods like fresh vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. This diet provides critical nutrients your body needs to function well and boost your immune system.
Remember to drink at least 6-8 glasses of water daily to keep yourself hydrated and avoid urinary tract infections. Furthermore, avoid junk food and reduce alcohol consumption to maintain the healthy functioning of body organs.
Get a good night’s sleep to allow your body to heal and repair itself. Resting also helps relieve stress and strengthen your mental and emotional health.
Stay Proactive with Your Health
Visit your physician or doctor regularly for medical, dental, and eye checkups. It’s a great way to identify underlying or possible health issues and fix them before they cause significant problems. Your medical practitioner may recommend preventative measures or prescriptions to improve your health and wellness.
Care for Your Mental and Emotional Health
Many seniors struggle with their mental health and experience anxiety or depression. Therefore, having a good friend to talk to and enjoy life with is important for your mental and emotional health. Expressing your emotions or just talking about mundane things can help alleviate any stress you may have been feeling.
Seek professional support from a trusted counselor to help you overcome depression and anxiety. These experts provide effective stress management treatments and strategies to boost your mood and improve your mental health.
Spend Quality Time with Loved Ones
Spare some time at least once a week to interact, go out, and connect with friends and family. It’s a suitable way to prevent, reduce, or combat negative feelings of isolation and loneliness. Invite your friends who live nearby for coffee or go out to your favorite restaurant together. You can also make time to connect with family members who live far away by organizing family Skype, Zoom, or FaceTime calls. If you need assistance setting up your computer or phone, you can ask your grandchildren!
Pursue a Hobby
Doing things you love daily is key to lifting your mood and becoming a happier person. It’s a great way to unwind, relax, and give your life a purpose. If you don’t have a hobby, there are many activities you can choose from that can become your new hobby, such as: reading, painting, and gardening.
Unwind and Clear Your Mind
There are various exercises that can help you relax, including meditation, yoga, mindfulness exercises, painting, and even gardening. Engaging in these exercises can help manage stress and make you a more mindful and relaxed.
Connect with Nature
Giving yourself a break from social media and daily stress to enjoy nature can benefit your physical and mental health. Studies have shown that people who do not spend enough time in nature are more likely to experience health issues and dissatisfaction with life. It is common for seniors to spend most of their time indoors, but it’s important to remember to get outside and enjoy nature. Spending time immersing yourself in nature can have many benefits. Feeling the warm sunlight on your skin and breathing the fresh air can instantly lift your mood.
You can walk around your neighborhood or sit on a bench in a park nearby and feed the birds. However, if you don’t feel like going outside due to bad weather, you can enjoy nature from the warmth and comfort of your home by looking out the window. People with a nature view from their home tend to be happier than those without it. Therefore, enjoying nature should be a regular part of your self-care routine.
Do the Things You Enjoyed as a Child
Stay young and do things you enjoyed as a kid. Play card games, do an arts and crafts project, or buy your favorite dessert. It is common for our childhood hobbies to slip away as we get older, but now that you have some more free time, it can be fun to start doing the activities you enjoyed as a kid. Taking up one of your old hobbies can be a great way to practice self-care.
Listen to or Watch a Comedy
There are a lot of talented comedians that can make you laugh which will improve your mental health. You can find lots of comedy content online such as, funny videos on YouTube, podcasts, and even quotes on comedian’s social media platforms.
Exercise Regularly
Regular exercises are great for keeping you physically active and achieving better mental and physical health. Studies reveal that exercising for 15-30 minutes everyday boosts immune function, improves your physique and mental health.
Benefits of Self-Care for Older Adults
Self-care is immensely beneficial for seniors, and here’s why:
- Improves physical health: A large part of self-care is exercising and taking care of your physical health. Therefore, self-care does not just help you emotionally and mentally but physically as well.
- Increases joy and satisfaction: There are many self-care activities that help seniors find purpose and happiness in their life. Spending more time outdoors, watching a comedy and taking up a hobby are all self-care activities that can boost seniors’ emotional health and increase happiness and satisfaction.
- Reduce anxiety and stress: Self-care activities such as meditation and mindfulness exercises can help reduce stress seniors may be experiencing.
- Builds better relationships: Getting together with friends and family or even giving them a call is all part of self-care. Healthy relationships with the people around you is crucial for improving your mental health.
Hire a Professional Caregiver Today
As an older adult, being conscious about your physical and mental wellness is a priority for living a healthier and happier life. Self-care is not a luxury; it’s essential to staying happy and healthy. Self-care can help you fight stress and anxiety, maintain physical and mental well-being, and improve social relationships.
At Elite Home Health Care, we provide seniors with top-notch home care services. Our team of senior care specialists are passionate about helping seniors stay healthy and happy in their homes. Contacts us for more information on our services.
Disclaimer: Please ask your physician before making drastic changes to your regular diet and exercise routine.
Written by: Leah Ganz
Leah Ganz, RN, BSN is the Director of Patient Services at Elite Home Health Care. She has an extensive background in homecare and previously worked in various specialties including pediatrics, pain managemnet and internal medicine. She oversees allpatient services across Elite's departments.