5 Easy Steps to Happy and Healthy Aging

Getting older involves changes in all realms of life, from the physical to the mental, social, and emotional. In many regards aging is positive and it is important to maximize those positives while taking proactive steps to maintain your health and minimize the negative. Providing care for seniors in the Foothills since 2002, Foothills Home Services possesses all the expertise to assist in making sure the senior you love is happy and healthy - our trained, qualified, and dedicated caregivers offer seniors the gift of love and we vow to enable your senior loved ones to maintain their independence for as long as possible.

Let’s take a look at some of the ways to ensure both happy and healthy aging!

Stay Socially Active 

Staying socially active as a senior can help promote better mental health, and physical health and also create new routines. If your senior loved one does not have an active social life you can look for opportunities for them to reconnect with old friends (take advantage of social media). To meet new people church groups, volunteer activities, gyms, and alumni groups offer easy access to like-minded seniors.

Living in the Foothills there are many opportunities catered towards seniors to promote a healthy social life! Check out Foothills Home Services recommendations for meeting other seniors.

Get Sleep 

It is recommended by the National Sleep Foundation that people over 65 get 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night. As we age, sleep schedules often shift and we are sleepier in the early evening and ready to wake earlier in the morning; this is not unusual, feel free to take a doze in the afternoon in order to meet the recommended 7 to 8 hours!

Take All Medication as Prescribed 

Not taking medicine as prescribed by a doctor or instructed by a pharmacist can lead to a condition getting worse. Foothills Home Services can help with this daily activity as we provide personal phone call medication reminders - if your senior loved one requires closer attention we can provide professionally certified HCA’s that are available to assist with medication administration.

Follow a Well-Balanced Diet

As we age, watching what we eat becomes even more important - eating a variety of foods, and consuming less salt and sugar and saturated products are essential for a healthy diet.  This helps to protect against many chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Whole foods that are high in fiber and low in saturated fat should become the foundation of a seniors’ diet, this can include fruit and vegetables, olive oil, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and fish.

We offer Elderly Personal Care & Senior Support Services and can assist with meal preparation ensuring the senior loved one in your life is eating a healthy diet day to day.

Stay as Physically Active as Able

Aging takes a toll on the body and exercising regularly can help offset some of the negative effects associated with getting older. Exercise can help keep you mobile, improve balance and cognitive functioning as well as even improve mood by reducing feelings of anxiety and depression. Regular exercise is often prescribed to help manage some chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers and osteoporosis.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity - swimming or fast walking each week. Broken down, 30 active minutes a day for five days a week. If the senior you love is not able to withstand this amount, remember to encourage them that any exercise at all is better than none!

Is it Time for Extra Care?

Are you feeling that even one of these steps may be a challenge for the senior you love? Providing private home care in Alberta for two decades Sylvia has built a strong foundation in-home care for seniors. Care providers are available for an array of tasks to help promote healthy living - whether assistance needed is as simple as grocery shopping and housekeeping or more substantial such as bathing assistance, or medication administration there is a care plan to ensure your senior companion is happy and healthy in the aging process.

Would you like to learn more about what home care assistance can achieve for the senior companion in your life? Reach out and start the conversation today!