Healthy Aging Tips for the Older Adults in Your Life
If you have older family members or loved ones, you may worry about their health as they age. Aging increases the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, cancer, and dementia. The good news is that adopting and maintaining a few key behaviors can help older adults live longer, healthier lives. As a family member, it’s important to encourage healthy lifestyle behaviors in your loved ones — it’s never too late to start!
Healthy behavior changes can help older adults live more independently later in life. That’s important both for their quality of life and for yours. If a family member loses independence — whether it’s due to disability or chronic disease — you may find yourself in a caregiving role earlier than expected, which can affect family dynamics as well as finances.
So what can you do to help the older adults in your life manage their health, live as independently as possible, and maintain quality of life as they age? Read on to learn about four ways to help support and promote healthy habits in your older loved ones’ lives.
Prevent social isolation and loneliness
As people age, they often find themselves spending more time alone. Poor health, the death of a partner, caring for a loved one, and other situations that are more likely as people age can all lead to being socially isolated or feeling lonely.
Although they sound similar, social isolation and loneliness are different. Loneliness is the distressing feeling of being alone or separated, while social isolation is the lack of social contacts and having few people to interact with regularly. Increased social isolation and loneliness are associated with higher risks for health problems, such as depression; heart disease; and cognitive decline, which is a decrease in the ability to think, learn, and remember.
As a family member, you can play an important role in helping the older adults in your life to stay socially connected. Here are some ways you can help:
• Schedule daily, weekly, or biweekly phone calls or video chats.
• Encourage them to seek out others with shared interests, such as through a garden club, volunteer organization, or walking group.
Another exceptional resource is the CJE SeniorLife Hub for Care Coordination, which is fully staffed with social workers and that offers a wealth of programs and services to meet your needs. To learn more about the Hub for Care Coordination, CLICK HERE to download the brochure.
For more healthy aging tips for the older adults in your life, from the National Institutes on Aging, CLICK HERE.