Getting old is inevitable, everyone gets there at some point. However, for some people getting to the senior years can be very troublesome due to health issues, making them prone to accidents even in their own homes.
If you’re reaching the golden years or you have a relative who recently entered the older adult age, you’re probably concerned about safety and health, in this article you’ll find a few tips on how to reduce the chance of having an accident and stay healthy.
Daily Exercises
It’s never too late to start exercising, even in the golden years getting a daily dose of exercise is necessary to stay healthy in both body and mind.
For senior citizens doing 45 minutes walk around the block or in a nearby park is sufficient to strengthen the legs, and reduce the risks of cardiovascular accidents. That same walk is also an excellent exercise for the mind as the oxygen intake helps the brain and the change of environment is a tremendous psychological relief.
Ask your doctor for what kind of exercises would benefit you the most and seize the opportunity of doing activities you never did. If you live in a senior community provided by someone like Clover Group, you will likely find yourself spoilt for choice when it comes to keeping yourself active – this will also help you socially too, which is great for your mental health.
Your House and Fall Risk
One of the leading causes of accidents in seniors is falling. Most emergency services explain that calls of elderly citizens are primarily related to falling in their own homes due to unknown hazards or lack of security measures.
If there’s a large set of stairs in your home, a stair lift can help a lot and reduce the chances of falling. Nowadays there are several models of residential stair lifts that can be installed almost in any home and that are accessible to limited budgets.
Other than stairs you can also ask for a professional to check your home for potential hazards that you or your relatives haven’t noticed, such as installing safety measures in baths and stairs. Equally, it might be worth looking into assisted living, such as that offered by cabot newton ma, if you or a loved one is unable to remain in their home safely. Assisted living allows personal autonomy whilst also ensuring safety and help with daily tasks such as cooking and cleaning.
Healthy Foods and Supplements
This advice goes to everyone, not only for older adults, eating healthy and keeping a balanced diet can help reduce dozens of different diseases and health complications that will hamper your health in your senior years.
It’s not required that you do a strict diet or follow any modern eating habits, remember that each person is entirely different and what may work for someone might not work for you. Consult with a dietitian on what could be the best foods for you.
Don’t miss your Health Checkup
If there’s something that you senior citizens can’t lose is their appointments with doctors. Even the smallest signs of discomfort or pain can hide something serious, and during those years any minor injury or disease can become a significant problem.
Take advantage of those visits and ask everything you can to your doctor, from what sort of activities would aid you to prevent health hazards to what to eat to stay healthy.
Watch Your Medicines
As time goes on the number of medicines you take will increase and sometimes mixing them might give you unwanted side effects that could compromise your movement or actions.
Keep a record of what medicines you’re taking and notice someone if you ever feel different when taking medication, it could lead to dizziness and end up in an accident.
If you follow these tips you will effectively reduce the risk of accidents during your senior years. Remember that the two most prominent reasons for accidents in older adults are falls and illness, so you should always strive to keep your home safe and your body healthy to prevent any potential accident.
