Each week we will be providing podcasts with action steps and support on achieving a greater quality of wellness:
Taking care of the body we’re born with is a vital element to ensure longevity and quality of life. A healthy diet, proper hydration, and regular exercise can be reduced to a simple matter of comfortable routine and shouldn’t be presented as a daunting challenge. The joys of cooking healthy, delicious foods and enjoying a routine of physical movement— whatever the level— add color and flavor to life and will provide extra energy and desire to get out of bed and face each day.
This generally refers to the comfort we feel in how we perceive our place in the world and in society. This is all about our self-esteem and self-worth. Emotionally sound elders feel fulfilled in their daily lives and derive pleasure from simply being alive. Elders can learn to freely experience joy without feeling guilty for doing so. It’s also about about “self-talk.” What do you say to yourself when you are alone with your thoughts? How do you “affirm” your life? There are many daily habits and other ways we can all follow to achieve emotional wellness.
Staying busy and involved with a job or hobby is key to remaining focused and productive. It’s rewarding to see one’s efforts come to fruition over time and this deeper purpose offers yet even more reasons to get up and face a new day. It also enables one to go to bed each night feeling a sense of accomplishment.
Highlighting things like volunteering, crafting, contributing. “The need to be needed.”
Friends and loved ones add what may be the most important ingredients to a happy and fulfilling life. Maintaining relationships with family and friends by enjoying regular social interactions satiate the heart. It is also noteworthy that social interaction is vital as it relates to Alzheimer’s and Dementia, and how studies show it can slow down the progression significantly.
Finding a balance within oneself is vital to achieving peace of mind and serenity. Identifying and staying true to one’s values bring calmness that comes from the knowledge that we’re on the proper path to fulfillment. Not to be confused with religion, spiritual health is more about living life with a clear conscience. And guess what? You’ll sleep better, too.
Keeping one’s mind engaged, stimulated and challenged is key to maintaining memory and cognitive presence as we age. This may be as simple as reading and doing puzzles to stay sharp, but also more colorful pursuits such as art, music and even theater. It’s never too late to start and nobody has ever regretted diving into the joys of living, whatever their age!
Our physical relationship with the world around us becomes more important in our later years as we’re a bit more fragile and susceptible to injury or disease. Maintaining a healthy home life in a clean, safe setting and staying aware of our surroundings will prevent falls, unnecessary physical stress or other harm to our aging bodies. We’ll also discuss Aging in Place information for seniors who live independently. Also important to discuss remembering to incorporate beauty and aesthetics into our homes making our living space appealing so it induces serenity and joy.
As we’ve all learned by now, money can’t buy happiness, but financial wellness is key to stress-free living. Knowing that we won’t be going hungry and that we’ll have a bed and a roof over our heads are vital ingredients to a comfortable existence. Even with a modest, fixed income, there are creative ways to find hidden deals and opportunities to afford some of life’s pleasures without spending precious savings. There are people and organizations out there willing to help enrich the lives of senior citizens, and we’ll share how to find them.
