Senior Care Tips: Good health is not a guarantee and it sometimes seems for each year of life, the things that can go wrong with our health can increase.
As a caregiver of an aging parent, you might wonder how you can help your parent age well and stay healthy during his later years. Working with his elder care provider, helping your parent stay on course with these six routine tasks will increase his chance for better health.
Go to those routine doctor visits.
Many people struggle with going to the doctor when they’re feeling fine. But routine visits can help make sure your parent stays healthy and that if there are any health issues, they will get caught early enough that they can be addressed or won’t have serious consequences.
Visit the dentist every six months.
Much like doctor visits when feeling fine, it’s also important for your parent to visit his dentist even if he’s not having any oral problems that he is aware of. Whether your parent has dentures, partials, or all of his teeth, keeping his mouth in top shape will keep him in better health.
Keep up a social life.
Keeping social helps maintain good mental health and mental health plays a part in how the body can stay healthy physically as well. Whether your parent is a social butterfly or is more of a quiet person, the important aspect of socializing is that it provides the human connection your parent needs. It can be with family, friends, the community, or his elder care provider, or a mix of all of them.
Stay physically active.
For your elderly parent to continue to live independently, being physically active is an important part of him being able to perform the daily tasks he needs to do to maintain his quality of life. Help your parent find what he likes to do and then determine a game plan to make sure he’s being active in some way each day. Finding something that he loves to do will increase the odds that he’ll stick with the activity so don’t be afraid to have him try several activities before he finds the right one.
Exercise his brain.
While your parent is getting physically active, it’s also important for him to remain mentally active as well. Use these senior care tips for your parent. Just like the body, the brain needs exercise to stay in its best shape. Your parent may enjoy playing games such as chess or cards with friends or the elder care provider during visits. Or he may like to do more solitary brain exercises like crossword puzzles, writing, or even cooking. Like physical activity, finding something he enjoys will help him stay motivated to keep his brain in good shape.
Senior Care Tips: Get a good night’s sleep.
Sleep is an important task for the body. Consistent good sleep can prevent injuries, illnesses, and mental health issues. Make sure your parent’s bedroom is conducive to a good night’s rest.
There are many things you cannot prepare for, so as you care for your aging parent, it’s important to stay on top of the things with these senior care tips, you can take care of. Hitting up these top six items consistently can go a long way toward better health for your parent and better peace of mind for you.