If your loved ones are getting old, they will need extra care to stay healthy and live a long life. Aging comes with an increased risk of chronic illnesses. As people age, they are more likely to experience more than one condition simultaneously. However, providing adequate care and encouraging healthy behavioral changes in older adults can help them live healthy lives.
If an older family member loses independence due to a chronic disease or disability, it will affect your family dynamics, finances, and quality of life. Moreover, older adults tend to feel embarrassed if they are dependent on other family members. If you want your elderly loved one to live an independent and healthy life, here is what you can do.
- Consider a nursing home for optimal care
Most people prefer providing care to their elderly loved ones at home. Sometimes, they are unable to provide the highest standards of care due to a hectic job or limited financial resources. In such cases, you can consider a nursing home to ensure your aging family member’s continued safety and well-being.
It can be a scary step to turn the care of a loved one into the hands of a complete stranger. However, it is an excellent alternative to caring for your loved one at home because the trained staff of a nursing home will provide optimal healthcare services.
Now, an important concern is that many nursing home residents complain of suffering from neglect or abuse. After leaving your loved one in a nursing home, remember to stay in contact and ensure frequent meetups to know how they are doing. If you suspect abuse, immediately hire a nursing home abuse lawyer to receive financial compensation, hold the nursing home accountable, and prevent future abuse. Interestingly, you may not have to pay any upfront fees to hire them.
- Promote healthy eating
Eating a well-balanced and nutritious diet is crucial for healthy aging. Healthy eating is not just related to weight management but also plays a significant role in the general health and well-being of older adults.
A nutritious and balanced diet is necessary for everyone, regardless of age. But for older adults, its significance cannot be denied. It is because senior adults can reduce their blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and cholesterol through healthy eating. Therefore, encourage your elderly loved one to eat a nutrient-rich diet and maintain a healthy body weight to stay active and independent.
Healthy eating habits will boost their immunity, build bone and muscle strength, improve cognitive function, boost energy, improve organ function, and reduce the risk of many diseases. You can guide them to include a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, whole grains, and lean proteins in their diet. And limit the use of sugary and fatty foods.
- Encourage physical activity
Senior adults must engage in physical activity to maintain good health. A sedentary lifestyle is common in many older adults due to mobility issues, chronic pain, and other health complications. However, leading a sedentary lifestyle can cause their health to deteriorate even more.
Little or no physical activity has been linked to many illnesses. Other dangers of a sedentary lifestyle include increased risk of falls, muscle degeneration, poor blood circulation leading to blot clots, and other circulation-related complications.
On the contrary, older adults who exercise regularly live a longer and better life with less pain and disability. Encouraging your elderly loved one to incorporate exercise into their daily routine may be hard initially, but the results are worth the effort.
The most suitable exercises and activities for older people include aerobics, strength training, weight lifting, yoga, walking around the neighborhood, stretching, and more. At least 150 minutes of physical activity per week (approximately 30 minutes each day) is recommended for older adults.
- Enable social inclusion
As people age, they prefer to stay alone most of the time. Limited mobility, the death of a partner, and other similar situations can make them feel lonely and isolated. Feeling lonely also gives rise to other feelings of anxiety and depression.
Isolation can be a major reason for emotional distress in older adults. However, you can help your loved ones fight negative emotions by creating opportunities for social inclusion for them.
Other than mental health deterioration, increased loneliness and social isolation are also associated with cognitive decline and diminished ability to remember, think, and learn. Therefore, help your older family member in staying connected with people outside your home as well.
One great way to promote social interaction is to encourage them to participate in group activities, join clubs, and take them for outdoor activities like grocery shopping, movies, etc. If they live in a nursing home, visit them frequently to let them know you are there for them.
- Schedule regular doctor appointments
Whether your elderly family member lives with you or resides in a nursing home, it is your responsibility to ensure that they have regular health examinations and medical screenings. Regular medical checkups will save your loved one from illnesses that develop slowly with minimal symptoms.
Regular health monitoring will also help keep tabs on their current condition and avoid future health risks. The doctor will recommend tests and inform you about the potential disease risks. They will also guide how to prevent older adults from getting sick in the future.
Regular doctor visits also help in gaining more control over chronic conditions. For instance, if your older loved one is already suffering from a chronic disease, you will know if the disease is under control.
Conclusion
There comes a time in everyone’s life when they need to take care of their elderly family members. With aging, there is a decline in immunity, and the body’s speed and efficiency of maintenance and repair also slow down. Older adults need extensive care and attention to live a long and disease-free life. It is best to provide care at home, but you can also rely on nursing homes for adequate care. Remember to ensure their safety in nursing homes. Also, promote healthy behavioral changes in their daily routine to ensure that they stay in good shape.
