Everyone works hard at a young age to enjoy a high-quality life at an advanced age. Our parents and grandparents are no exception to this. As people get older, they can face physical and mental challenges. It can affect their good quality of life. But caretakers and loved ones need to ensure seniors feel satisfied with their lives.
A high quality of life can provide a positive view of life to seniors. Hence, your loved ones may feel energetic, happy, and satisfied with their life. How can you make sure your loved ones enjoy a good life? You can focus on the factors discussed below to make the lives of seniors easier:
1. Address Their Health Problems
Aging seniors can face a low quality of life due to underlying diseases and health conditions. According to the National Council on Aging, 92% of seniors may suffer from at least one chronic disease. The study also indicated that 77% of seniors also develop two chronic illnesses. While the health issues a senior suffers from vary from the others, some common problems trouble most people. Some of them are
- Diabetes
- Heart problems
- Urinary incontinence
- Dementia
- Bone and joint-related disorders
You can schedule an appointment with the doctor to determine the health issues of your loved one. Getting medical assistance can prevent and manage any impending health problem. But, certain conditions like urinary incontinence have no specific treatment. Choose other options like Depends Adult Diaper to manage urinary incontinence. It will help your aging relative maintain their quality of life before they face the end of their life. Try to provide them with the care and assistance required to boost their life quality.
2. Stay Connected with Family and Friends
Isolation in seniors can affect their mental state. It can result in developing mental issues like depression. Seniors must nurture close relationships to enhance their mental well-being. You can ensure this by helping seniors connect with old friends or meet new people. Building such bonds can lead to healthy and happy lives. You can schedule and encourage them to visit their friends. You can also arrange virtual meetings when in-person meetings become impossible. Help them connect online with their friends from the safety and comfort of your home.
Seniors must have a sense of purpose to boost their quality of life. As people become old, they feel worthless. To avoid such negative feelings, loved ones must help seniors find their aim in life. Always include them in your decision-making process. You can also help them derive price by making them feel handy at home. Ask them to complete simple tasks at home like getting mail, folding laundry, cutting vegetables, and other practical errands.
3. Encourage Regular Physical Activity
Our body requires physical activity to boost physical health. As your parents/grandparents age, they must include physical activity. No matter how gentle, physical activity can keep the body and mind balanced. Light to moderate physical activity may boost the immune system. Regular exercise can also provide other benefits like:
- Relieve Anxiety
- Improve heart health
- Enhance sleep quality
- Improve strength and stamina
Older people can establish an exercise routine by incorporating 150 minutes of moderate activities a week. In the exercise routine, seniors can include moderate-level endurance activities like
- Cycling
- Walking
- Swimming
Simple exercises can improve balance, strength, and flexibility. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 150 minutes a week may seem sufficient to keep them fit. You can ask your loved ones to break it into ten or fifteen minutes of exercise sessions two times a day. It can provide them with the benefits of exercising.
4. Engage Them in Mental Health Activities
Like physical exercises, exercising the mind can also benefit seniors. Seniors must take time to get some mental activity. Give priority to fun activities that can challenge them. You can encourage them to try fun brain games like Sudoku, crossword puzzles, and trivia. Engaging them in brain games may help in improving cognitive functions. Mentally stimulating activities can provide lasting effects.
According to a study, brain exercises may help older adults retain their speed of cognition and reasoning skills for ten years. You can encourage your loved ones to read, solve jigsaw puzzles, write, or cook to get mental stimulation. These games may also offer your parents/grandparents a sense of control. Hence, it enhances the quality of their life.
5. Invest Time In Hobbies
Seniors need to share some time with their friends. This bond may help them enjoy a peaceful time. They can pick up a hobby to enjoy quality time with their friends. Such pastimes may help your loved ones stay healthy and happy. Your loved ones can connect with others enjoying the same activities. Here are some of the engaging hobbies seniors can explore:
- Painting
- Writing
- Knitting
- Puzzles
- Reading
- Cooking
- Fitness activities
Putting effort into something they enjoy can keep them engaged. It may make your parents or grandparents feel good.
Conclusion
Quality of life refers to happiness and health enjoyed by a person. A high-quality life means the person has good health, feels comfortable, and savors the experiences happening in life. As people age, the quality of life can go down. Hence, as primary caregivers, you should take steps to improve the lives of seniors dependent on you. Take decisions that can help you establish goals to maintain the health and happiness of your loved ones. You can consult a medical professional to determine the ideal course of action to ensure positive outcomes. Also, listen to your seniors before establishing a guide for good care.
