For seniors living in a nursing home, it’s imperative to be extra careful when it comes to health.
A nursing home resident will likely need assistance with one or more daily tasks. This dependency can make it difficult to stay healthy when the patient is relying on a caregiver for s or her well-being. This reliance is particularly challenging when elder neglect is involved. In this situation, health can worsen as a result of mistreatment. For example, in nursing homes across the United States, roughly 11% of residents experienced pressure sores. This is just one direct result of neglect and only serves to impair one’s quality of life.
No one deserves to be miserable while residing in a nursing home. Fortunately, these unwanted instances can be avoided by taking advantage of these four senior wellness tips below.
1. Frequent and Varied Physical Activity
One of the most important tips for senior wellness includes frequent and varied physical activity. Staying active is crucial for any senior citizen as the body naturally declines with age. However, physical activity can reduce the impacts of aging.
Exercise can be a bit challenging for nursing home residents as they may not have many opportunities to leave their residence. If the resident isn’t enjoying their accommodations, this can provide little inspiration to get up and move around. However, making an effort to stay active and get the heart pumping will make one instantly feel better. Physical activity releases endorphins, which lead to positive feelings and a boost of energy.
While some people dread physical activity, it can be accomplished in a variety of ways such as going for a walk, playing a sport, participating in a group class, or doing any movement to increase the heart rate. The activities don’t have to be the same thing every day; variety will make it easier to stay active, therefore mixing it up is a good way to keep things fresh and interesting.
2. Nutrition and Hydration
Proper nutrition and constant hydration are keys to healthy living but can be a challenge for seniors living in nursing homes due to how the food is approached. Many assisted living homes provide three meals per day prepared by the kitchen staff. Unfortunately, many kitchens have a small budget that results in fairly unappealing cuisine. This in turn can result in the resident barely eating or not eating adequate amounts of nutrition. Yet, the body requires proper nutrition to fight off the effects of aging. Seniors should try to ample amounts at each meal. He or she can also supplement by enjoying healthy snacks throughout the day to ensure they’re getting enough calories and nutrients.
Residents must also remember to drink water throughout the day. Seniors are more prone to dehydration, so he or she must make an extra effort to hydrate. Water is the healthiest choice, but tea and fresh juice are also good; it’s important to avoid too many sugary beverages.
With proper nutrition and ample hydration, seniors in nursing homes will be more physically equipped to tackle each day.
3. Mental Stimulation
Another significant requirement for nursing home residents is engaging in mental stimulation regularly. Mental enhancement is often overlooked in nursing home residents. Even with reduced physical mobility, the brain is usually still active and it requires nurturing. Some nursing homes may instill boredom, so it’s important to find one that encourages senior activities. Even if the facility itself doesn’t offer anything, family members can bring in games such chess, cards, or forms of crafts or artwork.
Encouraging your loved one with a hobby or activity that brings him or her joy and challenges the mind is essential. Actively engaging the mind is critical to staying healthy and staying sharp.
4. Minimize Stress
Lastly, minimizing stress for senior citizens as much as possible is key to a healthy and vibrant life. As one ages, it’s normal to have some regrets in life; perhaps he or she isn’t as to their children as they’d like to be – or maybe their career wasn’t as successful as they had hoped. Regardless, it’s can be easy to become anxious living in a nursing home. The accommodations may not help the situation depending on the quality of care received by the other residents and the day to day activities.
With this in mind, many nursing home residents experience high levels of stress. It’s important to reduce stress since this can affect one’s mood and reduce enjoyment in life. Stress is also linked to aging, so reducing stress can help stave off the unwanted effects of getting older.
Senior citizens who reside in nursing homes don’t always receive the best care which can lead to self-neglect. The consequences of this are both heartbreaking and avoidable, therefore having tools to release worries and unnecessary stress is highly advised.
Caring for yourself or a loved one is essential to enjoying life. In particular, a few wellness tips for self-care include frequent and varied physical activity, proper nutrition and hydration, regular mental stimulation, and minimizing stress. Anyone can make the most of their time spent in a nursing home if he or she can put in the effort. Prioritizing physical and mental health will improve the mindset, making every day a bit easier.
This post was sponsored. All thoughts and opinions are our own.
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