Health is sometimes seen as a young person’s game. We reach our physical peak in our twenties, and we keep up that level of fitness and gumption well into our forties. By that time, we notice a physical decline, and we’re busy in our careers and raising children – so we rarely concentrate on our health. By the time we’re considered elderly, we’ve abandoned most health ambitions altogether. In this piece, we’ll refute that attitude, showing you ways in which an elderly person can maintain their health immaculately as they enter later life.
1. Exercise
The bedrock of all health regimes is exercise. Now, it’s fair to say that the body of an elderly person isn’t able to play college football or head out on multiple marathons per year. You’re not looking to break any records in your seventies – just to keep your body ticking over nicely. A brisk walk will do for your daily exercise or a swim. Try to cycle as much as you can to run local errands, too.
The cumulative effect of these small exercise imperatives can be profound. That’s because it’s not just the physical impact of the exercise – like fewer aches and pains and more physical fitness – that you benefit from. It’s also your mental health and your sense of self-care and self-respect, which plays on your ego and your self-esteem. Keep exercising as long as you can in later life.
2. Staying Safe
If you’re an elderly person, you’ll know that the body in which you live is slowly becoming less effective. You may have experienced a fall recently that you’ve scolded yourself for, or you might occasionally find that you forget things – like turning off the stove or locking the front door.
Added up, you’ll be less safe in your own home than you were when you were a young, fit adult. That’s fine – it’s natural. But you should be aware that it’s likely time you took responsibility for this and looked to live elsewhere. Consider living in an elderly accommodation complex, or else trying to find a live-in career to help you go about your daily errands.
3. Mental Health
When you’re old, you’ve seen a lot, and you’ve been through a lot. Your life is dotted with triumphs and sadnesses, and you have much to reflect on and be grateful for. But you are also subject to the violent winds of change, and it’s worth recognizing that major shifts in life can cause depression that you might not notice growing inside yourself at first.
You’ll find that even moving home to live in shared accommodation as an elderly person can leave you feeling impotent as if you’re approaching the end of your life. This feeling can be compounded by a sense that you’re trapped in a body that you no longer identify with – a feeling that’s often reported by old people. All in all, this is a time to really care for your mental health, and to talk to friends and family about your struggles regularly.
There you have it; three domains of health that you should focus on as an elderly person.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
