As you age, you begin to lose control of things that would otherwise be normal for you. Weakness is part of the aging process, a phase of life that every individual wishes to delay. You fail to perform tasks that used to be simply part of your routine. Instead, they become part of your everyday challenges.
Better health facilities and advanced treatment modalities exist to cope with diseases or ailments which doctors can now detect at an earlier age. Yet, the weakening body functions put you at the mercy of other people, sometimes at home or in a nursing home. Nursing homes provide elderly individuals with the support they require, where they are assisted in their activities, and their health is regularly monitored. However, what if you could retain your independence and reduce the more debilitating effects of age?
Nursing homes and Healthy Aging
It can be very frustrating to lose the comfort of your home at such a fragile age and move to an entirely new setting, but if you need assistance to live your life, then you need to relocate and make a home out of a new facility. Nursing homes are designed to facilitate senior adults, and it has benefits. Problems arise when the care does not meet the standards for comfortable living. Cases of abuse and mistreatment in the past decades have raised questions about the caretakers in such a facility. Senior adults and their families can report any abuse to a nursing home ombudsman who deals with such cases. Now, the question is, what is an ombudsman? And what is their role in ensuring seniors receive quality care? In a nursing care facility, an ombudsman is a person who works to resolve issues related to the rights of senior residents.
Such a system encourages a check and balance on nursing home facilities, especially in cases of maltreatment. Consequently, the elderly residing in the facility and their family members can feel more confident about their care.
However, you can do your best to age in a way that makes these facilities redundant, especially for the elderly who do not feel very confident about nursing care facilities. To achieve this goal, you need to maintain a healthy lifestyle. You must make a conscious, well-thought-out decision to follow work and health routines that can delay the onset of body weaknesses that can weaken you.
A healthy diet
Whatever food you put into your body has a significant and long-lasting impact on the quality of your life. As you age, it is crucial to be mindful of your eating habits. It is vital to have a well-planned diet rich in all essential nutrients. These may include a balanced variety of fruits, vegetables, red meat, fish, and eggs! A high protein diet can help build muscular strength to overcome the weakness resulting from various diseases and ailments.
Healthy eating comes at the price of avoiding certain foods, like processed foods that otherwise taste exceptionally great! However, avoiding them is essential to decelerate the aging process. They contain artificial flavors and extracts designed to make you addicted to their taste. However, though yummy to taste, these meals cause inflammation and insulin resistance. The body’s response to processed foods produces toxins called free radicals that speed up aging.
Exercise
As important as maintaining a healthy diet, a bit of daily physical activity done consistently is necessary to delay aging. In addition to postponing aging, it improves your quality of life by keeping you more physically active. Just something as minimal as a daily walk can make a huge difference. Regular aerobic exercise reverses age-related cellular degeneration, conserving the essential cellular structures that provide the energy needed to sustain life.
In addition to improving physical function, regular walking also positively impacts mood by reducing feelings of anxiety and depression. You can achieve the utmost level of physical strength by customizing your walking so that you’d never need a gym membership! You can build resilience by carrying hand weights while walking, strength which is otherwise lost as you age.
A sense of purpose
A profound dilemma of old age is losing a sense of purpose. Being unable to perform regular tasks due to reduced capabilities can take a toll on an individual. With few options to stay occupied, elderly individuals tend to resort to watching television and consuming media to pass their days.
In addition, a sense of purpose is often lost with the loss of a dear one, which may make you listless and devoid of all motivation to move forward. In such cases, finding opportunities or outlets for physical and mental engagements can help you create a purpose. These may include volunteer programs, such as reading circles or even volunteer services to foster a pet.
You can also stay engaged by getting involved in social gatherings. Regular meetups with people of the same age group can help you connect with senior adults who can enjoy shared activities, understand dilemmas, and give you an outlet to relax. A group of like-minded individuals playing games or sitting together can enjoy activities that may elevate your mood and reduce frustrations.
Conclusion
To avoid nursing home care and age gracefully at home, you must make three crucial lifestyle changes. You need to incorporate aerobic or strength training into your lifestyle, forego unhealthy food choices, and remain engaged and willing to achieve the critical goal of a happy and healthy life.
Though aging is an unavoidable reality, you can take the necessary steps at an early stage of life to delay the aging process. In these modern times, many resources exist to increase your life span. With a bit of dedication and consistency, you can age with the utmost grace, allowing you to cherish the golden years of your life to the maximum!