![]() ![]() Take them on a trip to the grocery store and pick out healthy options.Changing long-held habits can be tough, but before you know it, there may be some new favorite foods on the table! Consider these tips to help incorporate a healthy diet in your loved ones’ routines: While it can be meaningful to share meals based on traditional family recipes, in some cases, those favorite dishes can be loaded with unhealthy fats and sugars. A nutritious diet involving a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and lean proteins also can help boost immunity and lower the risk of certain health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and some cancers. Having a healthy diet can help support muscles and strengthen bones, which can help with balance and independence. As with exercise, eating well is not just about weight. Healthy eating is an important part of healthy aging. Learn more about the different types of exercises and find examples to help get started. Are there any you could do together? If so, that’s a bonus because you’re not only helping promote physical activity but also helping to prevent loneliness and social isolation. Share your favorite activities that get you moving.For example, they can use filled water bottles as weights for strength training or walk outside or at a mall rather than on a treadmill. Remember, many activities don’t require expensive equipment. Help them shop for appropriate clothing and equipment for their exercise activities.Experts recommend at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, and muscle-strengthening activities at least two days each week. Discuss how much activity is recommended and brainstorm ways to work it into their daily lives.This could include walking around the neighborhood, lifting weights, gardening, or stretching. Help your loved ones aim for a mix of activities, including aerobics, strength training, balance, and flexibility.Following are some suggestions to help encourage exercise or other daily movement: On the other hand, lack of physical activity can lead to increased visits to the doctor, more hospitalizations, and increased risk of certain chronic conditions.Įncouraging the older adults in your life to exercise may not be easy - it can be difficult to get someone to start a new activity - but the rewards are worth the effort. Most importantly, people who exercise regularly not only live longer, but also may live better - meaning they enjoy more years of life with less pain or disability. Exercise can help reduce levels of stress and anxiety, improve balance and lower risk of falls, enhance sleep, and decrease feelings of depression. There are lots of reasons to make physical activity a part of daily life. The Eldercare Locator is a nationwide service that connects older adults and their caregivers with trustworthy local support resources.įind additional tips to help your loved one stay socially connected. Search the Eldercare Locator or call 80.Encourage them to seek out others with shared interests, such as through a garden club, volunteer organization, or walking group.Schedule daily, weekly, or biweekly phone calls or video chats.Increased social isolation and loneliness are associated with higher risks for health problems, such as depression heart disease and cognitive decline, which is a decrease in the ability to think, learn, and remember.Īs a family member, you can play an important role in helping the older adults in your life to stay socially connected. Loneliness is the distressing feeling of being alone or separated, while social isolation is the lack of social contacts and having few people to interact with regularly. Poor health, the death of a partner, caring for a loved one, and other situations that are more likely as people age can all lead to being socially isolated or feeling lonely.Īlthough they sound similar, social isolation and loneliness are different. Prevent social isolation and lonelinessĪs people age, they often find themselves spending more time alone. So what can you do to help the older adults in your life manage their health, live as independently as possible, and maintain quality of life as they age? Read on to learn about four ways to help support and promote healthy habits in your older loved ones’ lives. If a family member loses independence - whether it’s due to disability or chronic disease - you may find yourself in a caregiving role earlier than expected, which can affect family dynamics as well as finances. ![]() That’s important both for their quality of life and for yours. Healthy behavior changes can help older adults live more independently later in life. Read and share this infographic and spread the word about ways that may help foster healthy aging.
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