According to the World Health Organization (WHO), regular physical activity counts as a form of self-care, and it can avert approximately 3.9 million premature deaths a year. Not only is self-care good for your physical health, but also your mental state of being too.
Yet too many people neglect their overall health, and this is commonly seen in older adults. Not only do they not have the proper information for self-care, but they also often lack the resources.
Would you like to help out the beloved seniors in your life? Then the good news is that National Wellness Month is coming up. It's celebrated in August, and it's the perfect time for senior wellness support.
Here's how you can do your part in supporting well-being for older adults in Tampa, FL.
The goal here is to help seniors enhance their mood and manage stress. Building stronger social connections can assist with behavioral health too.
Encourage journaling or group discussions where each person lists three things they're grateful for each day. This can boost your mood by promoting a positive outlook.
Providing prompts can be the nudge older adults need. For example, ask things like, "What made you smile today?" or "Who are you thankful for?"
Mindfulness exercises and meditation sessions can reduce anxiety and improve emotional regulation. And they don't have to be long either.
Guided meditation and breathing exercises can be done in short 10-15 minute sessions. For those with mobility issues, use chair-based meditation.
Creative arts are excellent for enhancing self-expression and lowering stress levels. Activities here can include:
To make the environment more soothing during sessions, consider using calming music.
According to Michigan Medicine, 1 in 3 older adults experience loneliness and isolation. You can help reduce loneliness and build emotional resilience with social connect events. Some ideas are:
Involve family members or local youth groups for fun intergenerational activities!
Fitness and mental health go hand-in-hand, so it's important to focus on your body's strength too. Not only that, but physical wellness should target mobility, flexibility, and cardiovascular health.
Seniors who have mobility issues will like these activities since they improve balance and flexibility, which then reduces their fall risk. The sessions can be led by certified instructors 2-3 times a week, and they can tailor their classes to specific senior abilities.
These walking groups have two benefits: increasing circulation and encouraging peer interactions. You can schedule morning or evening walks in:
Make it fun with step-count challenges and group names!
In addition to scheduling regular health checks (such as for your overall health and eyesight), older adults should have good hydration and nutrition to support better physical health. Eating and drinking better can boost their energy and metabolism.
To make it fun, host hydration challenges and healthy snack tastings. You can provide easy-to-read hydration charts and recipes for senior-friendly meals.
Seniors often lose muscle tone, which can then cause weakness. But balance and strength training can support independence in daily activities and reduce injury risk.
Teach them to use light resistance bands or household items like water bottles for their workouts. Integrate these exercises into regular routines, such as having "Strengthening Fridays."
Older adults become more at risk for dementia and other cognitive impairments as the years go by. So focus on cognitive wellness to stimulate brain activity and enhance memory.
For memory care engagement, brain game clubs can enhance focus and memory recall. Games you can play include:
Inspire a little friendly competition by hosting a "Brain Olympics" with small prizes.
Want to encourage curiosity and boost cognitive reserves? Then, put on lifelong learning classes. Topics can include:
They don't all have to be weekly lectures either. You can get creative and have things like book clubs or audio courses. You can even use platforms like Coursera or The Great Courses, tailored for older adults.
Music can activate memory centers and improve emotional engagement. It's a powerful tool, so use it to your advantage.
Play music from the era your loved ones grew up in, or offer music therapy sessions. You can also create personalized playlists for each individual.
Some older adults may feel like the world is leaving them behind with how fast technology grows. So help them improve digital literacy and cognitive coordination by holding technology exploration workshops. You can explore topics like:
It's vital to have healthy aging routines, as these can make it easier for seniors to take care of themselves. But these routines should be simple and sustainable.
For instance, you can integrate short "wellness moments" into meals, medication times, or transitions between activities. Or you can encourage hydration by installing a water filter in their homes. And if you prepare their meals and provide menus, or there's a bulletin board, display daily affirmations or wellness tips.
National Wellness Month is the perfect time for seniors to prioritize self-care and adopt healthy habits. But for older adults, wellness can be a multi-dimensional journey that's difficult to navigate on their own.
So it's up to you to step in and assist them with mindful planning. Together, you can create a wellness-focused environment that supports long-term healthy habits and enriches daily living. As a result, wellness will become a lifestyle, and not just a month-long campaign.
Would you like to hear more about senior living in Tampa, FL? Then get in touch with us now. Discovery Village Tampa Palms has the area's only supervised independent living option available.