Health and Wellness Tips for Seniors in 2024
The new year is the perfect opportunity to set new health and wellness goals, no matter what your age or physical abilities are. For seniors, focusing on your health can have a huge impact on your lifespan and quality of life, as well as your mobility, immune system, and more. Your health affects all aspects of your life. What better time than the new year to get a jumpstart on creating a healthier lifestyle?
Keep reading to learn more about health and wellness tips for seniors in 2024, tips for nutrition, mental health pointers, and more.
Nutritional Needs for Seniors
According to MyPlate.gov, eating habits change throughout your life. As you age, you’ll develop new nutritional needs that will help support your health and reduce the risk of disease.
Here are some tips:
🍽️ Seafood, dairy and fortified soy alternatives like beans, peas, and lentils can help maintain muscle mass.
🍽️ Add fruits and vegetables to your meals and snacks.
🍽️ Try to turn eating into a social event. Meals are more enjoyable when you eat with others.
🍽️ As you age, the body’s ability to absorb B12 can decrease. Make sure you’re eating enough protein and fortified foods to get the B12 you need.
🍽️ Make sure you’re staying hydrated and drinking plenty of water throughout the day!
Your food and nutrition choices have a huge impact on your everyday life. According to the National Library of Medicine, “maintaining a nutrient-dense diet is critically important for senior adults because of the impact of food intake on health.”
Don’t underestimate the power of a healthy diet!
Mental Health Tips for Seniors
Health and wellness don’t just mean taking care of your physical body, it means taking care of your mind and emotional well-being as well.
Life changes as you age. When you move through age-related milestones like retiring or downsizing your family home, it can take a toll on your mental health. Here are some healthy habits to improve your mental health:
🧠 Try to get between 7-9 hours of sleep every night.
🧠 Eat healthy, nutrient-dense meals.
🧠 Stay active by going on daily walks or participating in fitness classes.
Additionally, it’s important to keep stress down. Here are some tips for dealing with stress and anxiety from Clover Health:
Breathing Exercises
Take slow, deep breaths to prevent shallow breathing. Calming your breathing can calm your mind.
Mindfulness and Meditation
Sit in a comfortable position for a few minutes and try to let go of any anxious thoughts that might be clouding your mind.
Self-Care
Take time to do something you love doing. Grab a book, write in your journal, take a bath, or go on a walk. These self-care practices can reduce stress and anxiety.
Ways for Seniors to Stay Active
According to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, staying physically active as you age is one of the best ways to lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and some types of cancer. Additionally, it can improve your strength and balance, which can prevent injuries.
Exercising doesn’t have to cost a lot of money or take up a lot of your time, either.
Here are some exercises you can do throughout the week, organized based on activity level:
How a Senior Living Community Can Help You Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle
Living in a senior living community has lots of benefits, one being that you’re surrounded by people who can help you achieve your goals. Not only that, but you have access to resources you might not get when living alone.
At The Aspenwood Company communities, you have access to group fitness classes, including tai chi, aerobics, and water aquatics, daily yoga and walking clubs, and more. Participating in physical activity with other people can make you work harder and motivate you more. Of course, you still have the opportunity to exercise and create healthy habits if you live alone, but having people around you to motivate you can be the extra push that gets you where you want to be faster.
Learn more about our communities here.
The Aspenwood Company Can Help Seniors Live Life Well®
When it comes to your living situation, it is important to choose a community that will provide you with a rich and vibrant life.
Our communities are the standard of luxurious living for mature adults. You will find our properties in the most sought-after locations, in the middle of culture and activity, where a vibrant lifestyle surrounds you. We’ve spent 25 years fine-tuning every detail of luxurious living so that our residents enjoy a new sense of freedom and fulfillment.
There’s luxury, and then there is Aspenwood luxury.
In order to become a member of an Aspenwood luxury community, mature adults will face some hard, but important decisions. Be assured that our team is trustworthy and compassionate, and ready to serve you. We are here to provide encouragement, support, and helpful information.
You have the opportunity to pursue and experience freedom like never before. It’s time to experience the laughter, the energy, the activity, the friendly faces, and the caring people of The Aspenwood Company. It’s time to Live Life Well®.