Health and fitness are something everyone should pay attention to no matter what their age, but as you get older, it’s important to engage in a good fitness routine to help ease aches and pains and to maintain good mental health. If you’re a senior citizen who wants to try and be more active, or you’re a carer who is looking for ways to help, below are a few tips you might find useful.
Diet
A nutritious diet should include all the food groups, and indulging in treats like fatty foods, sweets, or alcohol should all be done in moderation. However, as you get older, your dietary requirements may change, and this could be due to developing medical conditions such as diabetes or even due to difficulties digesting certain foods or chewing solids. Foods that are recommended for senior citizens are ones the are high in protein, plenty of fruits and vegetables, and carbohydrates. If you’re unsure about what is the best kind of food for a senior citizen with a specific medical condition, ask the doctor for advice.
Exercise
Physical activity is ideal for keeping hearts healthy and joints supple, but as an older individual, things like going on long hikes and runs might be out of the question. There will be limitations as to how much exercise an elderly person can do, but things like Pilates and yoga are excellent ways to keep your body strong, and can be gentler workout options. Swimming is also great for this as well as cardio. You may even want to look into physical therapy options to help make exercising easier.
Specialist Care
While diet and exercise are important, it’s equally essential to make sure that you or the person you’re caring for is getting the right kind of attention. If they are showing signs that they’re struggling to live independently, or perhaps you have noticed early symptoms of dementia, it’s worth exploring the different care options available to keep them safe and happy. If they don’t want to leave their homes, hiring nurses or other specialists to come and visit them at their house would be ideal. If you are a carer, this might also help alleviate some of the pressure for you.
Socialization
Another thing to be mindful of when thinking about health and fitness for the elderly is their mental well-being, and a lot of senior citizens do suffer from loneliness. This could be because their life-long partner has died, or they are far away from friends and relatives. Seniors with untreated hearing loss are also considerably less likely to participate in socialization (those who don’t wear hearing aids for seniors). Making sure they have a good social life will help to boost their mood and will be stimulating for them. See if there are any local groups they could join and make friends at. You could also arrange to take them out for day trips or look at organized activities like this they might want to take part in.
Everyone needs to take care of their health and fitness, including mental health. If you’re a senior citizen who wants to start making some healthy changes or a carer who wants to encourage someone to do this, use these tips to help you achieve your goals.