Nutrition

National Nutrition Month: Lifestyle Check

By Jessica Deng

March is National Nutrition Month, which means it’s a great time to keep up with the immediate health care needs of our parents and senior loved ones. Having a healthy lifestyle is important for all ages, but it’s easy to neglect your health and well-being as you get older. It’s important to check in with your overall lifestyle and yourself often.Today, we’re sharing a lifestyle checklist and essential points for each component that’s important for you and your health.

• Prevention is key
  It is imperative to emphasize prevention over Schedule preventative care visits, including health screenings for cholesterol levels, colon cancer, heart problems, and more. Preventing illness (or diagnosing it during its earliest stages) can save both time and money.
  Seniors should also be mindful of their vaccination status and follow any updated guidelines to stay current.
• Visit the doctor frequently
  It is important for seniors to consult their health professionals regularly. This means keeping up with visits to the dentist, eye doctor, and physician. A strong relationship with your provider ensures that they are keeping tabs on any existing medical conditions or treatment plans.
• Stay physically active
  Staying physically active is important throughout the duration of your life! For a senior to live a healthy lifestyle, they should move their body every day. Happy, healthy seniors can still present with care challenges but are more likely to be actively invested in maintaining their wellness.
• Eat a balanced diet and stay hydrated
  The digestive system slows with age, so high-fiber fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are more important than ever. Staying hydrated throughout the day is important to reduce your overall risk of heart attacks and strokes.
• Prioritize mental health
  Living a healthy lifestyle doesn’t just include physical health! Prioritizing your mental health is important for people of all ages. Seniors benefit from stimulating different areas of the brain with varied daily activities like crossword puzzles, sudoku, board games, or riddles.
• Getting enough sleep
  The body needs adequate rest to heal and protect itself. Seven to eight hours of sleep is recommended.
• Stay connected with family and friends
  Surrounding yourself with good company is crucial for people of all ages. Feeling lonely is especially common for seniors and regular socializing helps them feel connected and in touch with others. Encourage seniors to catch up with friends and family as often as possible.

One of the most important parts of building or maintaining an active senior lifestyle is getting help at home. Having an elder care expert around to help them live and eat well is easy when you work with a home care agency like LifeWorx. Our home health aides and caregivers have all the available resources and experience to improve your or a loved one’s quality of life.