What Can Help Older Adults Remain Positive with Age?

By 9  am on

As seniors age, they’re bound to endure life events that cause sadness, stress, and worry, but continuing to focus only on negative thoughts and emotions can pose a risk to emotional, mental, and physical health. By adopting a few strategies, older adults can gain the ability to be positive and remain healthy.

Consider Dietary Changes

Certain foods have been shown to boost mood, as they contain amino acids, B complex vitamins, and other chemical compounds that initiate the production of “feel-good” hormones and neurotransmitters. The foods also provide a number of nutrients and antioxidants that prevent free radical cell damage, which protects the brain. The variety of foods include:

• Avocados
• Grapes
• Shiitake mushrooms
• Nuts
• Salmon
• Sesame seeds
• Strawberries

If your aging loved one needs help managing everyday tasks or encouragement to adopt healthier lifestyle choices, turn to Home Care Assistance, a leading provider of at-home care. Home Care Assistance provides professional in-home caregivers around the clock to help seniors live longer, happier, and healthier lives.

Use Upbeat Media

Music is known to invoke various emotions that may bring listeners back to pleasant or unpleasant moments in their lives. By listening to upbeat music, seniors often experience a boost in mood. Similarly, watching comedic TV shows or movies induces laughter, which encourages the release of positive hormones that affect the mind and entire body.

Become Immersed in Nature

Seniors might want to consider visiting local parks, nature reserves, or forested areas and surround themselves in the wonders of nature. The sights, smells, sounds, and beauty of the outdoors naturally elevates mood and diverts negative thoughts and feelings.

Spend Time with Loved Ones

Seniors who maintain isolated lives have a greater risk of developing anxiety, depression, and other emotional and mental health issues. Thus, older adults need to spend time with family members and friends as often as possible. Having active social lives gives older individuals the opportunity to share concerns with others and receive reassurance and emotional support. Being around other people also provides the chance for exposure to positive ideas, which can divert the mind from troublesome thoughts. 

For families living in Surrey, respite care can be a wonderful solution when their aging loved ones need companionship and socialization a few hours a week or just need minor assistance with daily household tasks. At Home Care Assistance, we thrive on helping seniors maintain their independence while living in the comfort of home.

Pray or Meditate

Older adults who value spiritual faith should attend worship services and participate in activities at their chosen places of worship. Scientists from around the world have studied the effects religious practices have on the brain. Dr. Andrew Newberg, director of the Marcus Institute of Integrative Health at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Pennsylvania, found prayer, meditation, and other faith-based actions have a positive effect on the brain. Using MRI scans, Newberg and his team discovered that when engaged in a meditative state, individuals activated the regions of the brain that produce mood-elevating and pain-relieving neurotransmitters.

Increase Physical Activity

Exercising causes the release of endorphins, which act as natural pain relievers and mood boosters. Being physically active also helps the body alleviate the negative effects of stress. When older adults continue engaging in routine exercise, they can gain strength and become fit, which could bolster self-esteem.

Not every senior has the same care needs, which means they don’t all need the same type of senior home care. Surrey families can rely on Home Care Assistance to provide individualized care plans to meet your elderly loved one’s unique care needs. Our holistic Balanced Care Method was designed to help seniors focus on healthy lifestyle habits such as eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and maintaining strong social ties, and our Cognitive Therapeutics Method offers mentally stimulating activities that can stave off cognitive decline and delay the onset of dementia. If you need professional home care for your loved one, Home Care Assistance is just a phone call away. Reach out to one of our Care Managers today at (778) 279-3634.

Request Free Information or
Schedule a Free in-Home Consultation