Here are just some of the ways home care services can assist seniors who want to get healthy and stay healthy, after all – it’s never too late to start taking care of ourselves!
EAT FRESH. Make a commitment to add more fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet. September is still harvest time in many areas so seek out local farmers markets and buy local produce. Make it a point to try to make foods from scratch… skip the processed foods as much as you can. How much do you need to eat? Home Care Services can help by preparing light meals and helping with grocery shopping.
TAKE A WALK. Walking with a companion can keep the energy level high and the motivation strong to improve each day. Seniors don’t have to walk long distances, start small and work your way up to longer walks. Walking is good for your overall health and can even be done around the house, at the mall, or around the neighborhood.
DO SOMETHING NEW. Tired of the same old scene? Seniors can go on short day trip to new places, visit new museums, parks and other places that give them a fresh perspective. Look online for recommendations in your area for short trips that are within an hour drive of your area.
GET SOCIAL! Good health for the mind is just as important as good health for the body. Seniors can invite friends over for lunch, participate in church groups, book clubs, senior center activities, card clubs and more.
HealthyAging.net gives us this advice for staying “BRAIN” healthy:
“If you think old, you ARE old. A decline in memory is not always a function of serious disease, like Alzheimer’s. Sometimes memory loss is caused by factors that can be changed — such as diet, medication misuse, depression, etc… At the National Institute on Aging, research is showing that memory may be like other parts of the body. Research showed that the very gradual declines in memory take place until age 70 — when the pace increases, but not so much as to impair us. The conclusion?
The processes of normal aging do not rob you of your memory.
The greatest enemy to the healthy senior mind is depression. New activities, hobbies, and exercise are wonderful anti-depressants. If you truly are depressed, don’t bear it alone — SEEK HELP!
Stay active doing things that use your memory:
• Take a class, play games, be with people
• Pick up the phone now and call someone, just to “chat”
• Volunteer your time. Get involved with a cause you believe in or in something that interests you
• Seek out variety and challenge in your daily life
These are just a few tips for Healthy Aging in September 2012- Healthy Aging Month!
Home care counselors at Safe at Home Healthcare are available to talk with you about your Home Care Services needs including how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable care, including live-in care. We are an elder care agency providing Home Care Services in Lisle, IL. For more information about Home Care Services call us at (888) 703-5287.
