Easy to Achieve Self-Improvement Goals for Seniors

Before we can take a step toward achieving our goals, we first have to set them. And the process is no different for our senior loved ones. In order to stay of healthy mind and body, it’s important to set realistic goals and craft a plan of how to get where you want to be.

Here are five important, useful – and easily attainable — goals to help the seniors in your life improve their health and find happiness every day.

• Create a regular exercise routine: Even if they must start small, perhaps just by taking a stroll around the block, it’s important for our older loved ones to work their muscles and joints to keep them working as they should. Senior health care studies indicate that sedentary seniors are more likely than their active counterparts to develop health issues, including cardiovascular disease, dementia, diabetes and osteoporosis. Low-impact exercises seniors can benefit from include walking, yoga, water aerobics and simple stretching.

• Commit to eating healthier: It’s never too late to try a few healthy dishes, right? Due to convenience and the fact they often eat alone, older adults tend to gravitate toward easy-to-microwave prepackaged, processed meals. But, with just a little bit of planning ahead, it’s simple to maintain a healthy diet that will keep Mom and Dad healthier and feeling better, too. Seniors are encouraged to try to maintain proper nutrition by using the Healthy Eating Plate method of meal planning: Fill half of the plate with vegetables, one-quarter with foods made of whole grains including whole wheat, quinoa, brown rice and oats, and the last quarter with lean protein including fish, poultry, beans and nuts. By staying within these guidelines and limiting red meat and processed foods including bacon and sausage, a healthier diet can be easier to achieve.

• Make an effort to be sociable: Socializing helps seniors live longer, healthier, and happier lives while avoiding loneliness and depression that often stem from isolation and boredom. A reachable goal for your senior loved one is to speak to one new person every week, casting fishing lines that could help them to land new friends. It’s never too late to find a new buddy, and people of similar ages often have similar interests. Shared activities lead to increased physical activity and lots to talk about, keeping their body, minds, and memories sharp. Having friends to talk to also reduces stress and anxiety while providing a full social calendar full of activities.

• Make time for mental exercise: Having a hobby is a great way to stay mentally stimulated. Some of these include creating and tending to a garden, taking a cooking class, or joining a club such as a quilting circle, a crafting group or an exercise club. To exercise their minds when they’re alone, our senior loved ones can write daily in a journal. If they don’t feel like writing, they can read. Regardless, spending 30-60 minutes per day exercising their minds can help seniors retain their memories and avoid depression and loneliness.

• Start a sleep schedule: Retired folks who don’t have to follow a structured schedule often find their sleeping habits become inconsistent. While it seems like Mom and Dad could sleep as much as they want in their golden years, on the contrary, they often find themselves the victims of insomnia instead. To get the most out of their rest – as well as when they’re awake – an easy way to work toward a goal of improving your senior’s sleep is to set a consistent rest schedule, which will train their mind and body to know when it’s time to recharge. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that people 65 and older ideally need 7-8 hours of sleep a night to maximize their health and refreshment. People who don’t get enough rest can feel irritable and sleepy during the day, have difficulty concentrating, and are more susceptible to stress and depression. If standardizing their sleep schedule – and remembering not to have too much caffeine late in the day – doesn’t solve your senior loved one’s sleep issues, they should see a doctor. Often, with the right senior health care, medical conditions like arthritis, asthma, diabetes, and heartburn are treatable conditions that can cause sleeplessness.

Although these may seem like small steps, these resolutions can add up to monumental improvements in the physical and mental well-being of your senior loved ones, helping them to stay healthier and more fulfilled for years to come.

Explore Bethesda’s blog to find more senior health care goals for the spring season.