Many seniors want to know what it takes to live long, happy, and healthy lives, and their families want to know what they can do to help their aging loved ones. Windermere senior home care experts want to share a few secrets to increasing a senior’s longevity, and you’re likely to discover these suggestions aren’t so secret after all.
1. Diet
Seniors should follow a diet rich in essential nutrients and low in harmful ingredients like sodium and cholesterol. Unsaturated fats such as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids reduce the risk of heart conditions. Fish, nuts, avocados, and olives are rich in these healthy fats. Loaded with dietary fiber, whole grains and legumes prevent digestive conditions such as constipation. Fresh fruit and vegetables give seniors plenty of vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, potassium, and calcium.
2. Exercise
Routine physical exercise helps seniors maintain their mobility and independence. Walking and doing light aerobics stimulates circulation, flexibility, dexterity, and many other important attributes that deteriorate with old age. Aquatic exercises also provide fun and low-impact ways for elderly people to stay active. Any form of physical activity also mitigates the symptoms of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, respiratory conditions, and other chronic disorders.
3. Mental Engagement
Aging causes an increased risk of cognitive decline and mental instability. Most seniors are likely to develop some form of dementia, a brain disease that typically affects memory. Reading newspapers, solving simple crossword puzzles, and playing classic games like chess keep the brain active and healthy. It’s important for Windermere caregivers to encourage seniors to think critically on a daily basis.
4. Family and Friends
Elderly people who live alone might experience anxiety, depression, and other emotional and psychiatric issues. It’s important for family members and friends to regularly visit their senior loved ones. Spending quality time with loved ones gives seniors a positive way to combat loneliness. Looking at old family photo albums also helps seniors feel better and share some reminiscence.
5. Safe Environment
Seniors must carefully adapt to their surroundings to minimize accidents and injuries. The ideal residence for elderly people shouldn’t have stairs or uneven surfaces. Bathrooms should be equipped with the appropriate safety installations such as raised toilet seats and handlebars in bathtubs.
f your elderly loved one needs help maintaining healthy habits, reach out to Prestige Home Care, a trusted provider of Alzheimer’s, stroke, dementia, and Parkinson’s care. Windermere seniors can benefit from our revolutionary Balanced Care Method (BCM), a program that was designed to encourage seniors to make healthy lifestyle choices that have been shown to increase life expectancy. For more information on BCM and our other in-home care services, call (407) 232-7155 to request a no-obligation consultation.