Seniors need to pay as much attention to their mental health as they do to their physical health. One of the best activities seniors can do for their mental health is free. Well, almost free. It costs just a few dollars for a notebook, paper, and some pens. Journaling is one of the best things seniors can do for their mental health. Spending just 30 minutes of journaling daily can dramatically increase a senior’s quality of life. If your senior loved one has elder care, the elder care provider can help your senior loved one to find the journal and pens. They can also help your senior loved one decorate their journal and ensure they have all the necessary supplies. Some of the benefits of journaling for seniors include:
Reduced Stress
Stress is something that many seniors struggle with. Chronic stress can make seniors more likely to have physical health problems like high blood pressure or heart disease. It can also make the symptoms of depression worse. But daily journaling can help seniors safely get rid of some of that stress to be physically and mentally healthier. Just 30 minutes each day of journaling can consistently lower stress in seniors.
Lower Anxiety
Anxiety is another common problem that seniors experience. Anxiety can be worsened by some of the medications that seniors take for health conditions. Chronic anxiety can give seniors insomnia and make it challenging to sleep. It can also make seniors more likely to engage in unhealthy habits to cope with the anxiety. But journaling is a safe outlet for seniors struggling with anxiety who don’t know what to do about it.
Better Sleep
Writing can significantly improve a senior’s sleep quality and may even help eliminate their insomnia. Often seniors get anxious or sad at night. Writing three pages of stream of consciousness at night can give seniors a way to offload their negative emotions, anxiety, and stress safely. After a journaling session, your senior loved one is more likely to feel sleepy. Once they fall asleep, they are likely to stay asleep for a more extended period than seniors who don’t journal.
Better Memory
Journaling can improve a senior’s cognitive processing skills and memory. That’s one of the many reasons why journaling should be something that seniors are encouraged to do. If your senior loved one has Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, or any other brain disorder, the habit of writing daily can help them hang onto their cognitive processing skills longer. Seniors with Alzheimer’s can benefit from writing down as much of their personal history as possible. Their journals will also help to create a family history that future generations of the family will be able to read. The future generations will have a better understanding of your senior parent and what was important to them.
If you or someone you know needs Elder Care in Blaine, MN, contact Prairie River Home Care. We provide quality and affordable home care services for many fragile or senior members in the communities we serve. Call us at (888) 660-5772 for more information.