How Seniors Can Easily Maintain Their Health

September is a special month for Home Care Powered by AUAF: it is recognized nationally as Healthy Aging Month. Aging into one’s golden years is an exciting time—however, health concerns can take away some of that enjoyment. Healthy Aging Month strives to recognize this by raising awareness for how our minds and bodies change as we age, as well as tips for how seniors can easily maintain their health.

There are a few key factors that always come up when discussing a senior’s health. While a quality diet and exercise are naturally crucial to one’s overall health, there is a myriad of easy, and important, ways ones can maintain their health that extend past this.

Maintain your bone and joint health

For most of our years, our bone health isn’t at the forefront of our minds. However, as we age, bone health becomes more apparent than ever—especially if you’ve experienced a break. The older you get, the more important it is to take steps to keep them healthy and strong. In addition to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, make sure you are getting enough calcium, vitamin D, and protein!

The same goes for your joint health. However, to build strength in your joints, keep up with low-impact strength exercises, and don’t forget to warm up/cool down while exercising. Anti-inflammatory foods may also assist with lessening painful symptoms from conditions such as arthritis.

Take care of your eye health

You may be fairly good about seeing your general practitioner on a regular basis—but what about other important health visits? If you wear eyeglasses, you already attend semi-regular visits. However, the importance of eye visits extends far past getting an updated prescription. Regular screenings are essential for flagging potential health problems, some of which are easily treatable with early detection.

You can do things to protect your eye health between doctor’s visits. One of the best ways is to wear sunglasses when you are out and about in the world. Make sure you pick up lenses that have 100% UV protection so you don’t have to worry about harmful rays.

Test your hearing too

As we age, it’s common to not hear things as clearly as we once did. That doesn’t mean you should suffer because of it. If you often have a hard time understanding what someone is saying or you experience persistent ringing in the ears, it is time to talk to your doctor. Hearing aids may be what you need to move about life with comfort again.

Don’t forget your oral health

Finally, when it comes to appointments to stay on top of, the dentist is one of them. It is generally recommended that you visit every six months, as potential cavities and mouth infections can quickly lead to even more serious issues. Your dentist can easily assess and treat potential issues with ease.

Between appointments, don’t forget to brush twice a day and floss daily. Staying vigilant with this will help reduce your risk of oral disease.

Develop a system of organization for your medication

If you take multiple medications and vitamins, it is all too easy to forget if you’ve taken the correct dosage. Make your life easier by creating a system of organization for your medication. This could be as simple as putting the medication you take at night on one shelf, and the medication you take in the morning on another. Alternatively, you could purchase a pill box and organize your medication at the beginning of every week.

Get enough sleep

Despite being so important to our overall health, many older adults struggle to get enough sleep. The average senior needs seven to nine hours of sleep a night to remain healthy and happy. Those who manage to achieve that experience improved moods, memory, and a lowered risk of disease.

Having a regular, reliable sleep schedule is the easiest way to ensure you get the sleep you need on a daily basis. You should also make an effort to keep electronics out of the bedroom, as blue light boosts your alertness, and to avoid napping during the day.

Make an effort to reduce stress

Stress has serious implications for one’s overall health. It can manifest with physical symptoms, such as stomach issues, muscular cramps, and even heart disease. It can also impact your emotional well-being. Depression and anxiety are common symptoms of chronic stress, both of which can spiral and lead to physical illness.

If you are dealing with chronic stress, speak to someone about your situation—be they a family member or a medical professional. Then, explore stress management techniques, such as breathing exercises, yoga, or meditation.

Hire home care

When the activities of daily living grow to be physically difficult, you don’t have to struggle. Home care can play a crucial role in making it easier for seniors to maintain their health. At-home caregivers assist with a wide variety of non-medical tasks seniors may require aid with, including:

• Personal care: activities that help you look and feel good, such as toileting, bathing, dressing, and grooming
• Medication reminders: caregivers provide medication reminders so seniors take their medications at the right time and in the correct dosage
• Meal preparation: caregivers can assist with all the aspects from meal preparation, from grocery shopping, to cooking, to cleaning up. Seniors receive nutritious meals that meet their dietary needs with this assistance
• Light housekeeping: is maintaining a home is too arduous, caregivers can assist with the necessary tasks to keep a senior’s space clean and healthy
• Companionship: loneliness can negatively impact seniors’ health. Home care can engage in meaningful conversations, accompanying seniors on outings, and participating in activities together, which promotes mental well-being

Support from Home Care Powered by AUAF

By partnering with Home Care Powered by AUAF, seniors can benefit from personalized care that is tailored to their specific health requirements. The caregivers can assist with medication management, ensuring that seniors take their medications as prescribed and reducing the risk of errors. They can also provide valuable support with meal planning and preparation, ensuring that seniors maintain a nutritious diet that supports their overall health.

The compassionate and dedicated caregivers from Home Care Powered by AUAF provide valuable companionship and emotional support to seniors. This aspect is vital for combating feelings of loneliness and enhancing overall well-being.

If you believe you or a loved one could benefit from the quality care of an at-home caregiver, give us a call at 773-274-9262. We would love to speak with you about all the ins and outs of home care.