Aging and Self-Care: Here’s What Your Elderly Loved One Needs to Know

Self-care has been a popularized term in recent years. And though the term itself holds many interpretations, it’s a part of everyone’s responsibility to care for themselves as needed, no matter the circumstances we find ourselves in. 

When it comes to your elderly loved ones or relatives, self-care becomes a critical aspect of healthy aging. And unless your loved one is taking the needed time to care for himself or herself, you may need to offer them a few options to consider Dermavel.

Thankfully, sometimes self-care can be as simple as slowing down a bit and taking time out to heal or rejuvenate yourself. But as we age, self-care routines might not be as easy to implement. Additionally, sometimes, no matter our age, we may not recognize that we need to make time for self-care.

If you have an aging loved one that could use a bit of self-care, the following will offer you a few things to consider. 

Self-Care at Home

If your loved one has reached the point where he or she needs to decide on long-term living arrangements and care, this is a big part of self-care. Because knowing where we’ll be best cared for and the most comfortable is extremely important.

For example, nursing facilities offer care 24/7. But accidents in nursing homes are also common because some facilities lack the resources for proper supervision, and this is something that should be considered before making a decision. 

When at home, if aging in place, self-care routines can be quite varied. But taking the time to ensure that your home is well kept, that clutter is removed (because this can be a hazard as well), and that you have an open and inviting place to relax and enjoy your time is highly recommended.

Home self-care routines may also incorporate taking a hot bath at the end of the day, gardening, or sitting on the porch in the evening and enjoying a sunset. 

Traveling 

Traveling can also work wonders when it comes to mental health and self-care. And this is because going to new places and experiencing new things allows the structure of our brains to change. You begin to see things differently, and you may even learn a thing or two about the world which can alter your perspective on life.

Traveling is a common activity among retirees. And though many choose to use their ample time to see things they’ve always wanted to see, there are many ways of doing this in your golden years.

A few options for travel after retirement are as follows: 

  • RV travel 
  • Group excursions 
  • Senior getaways and retreats 
  • Visiting distant family 
  • Backpacking 
  • Tour bus travel 

Your loved one’s tastes will dictate the method of travel and where they want to go. But encouraging your loved one to leave his or her little corner of life and go explore the world will be a beneficial activity for self-care. And they may not even want to come back!

Body Care

An aging body is often synonymous with many mornings that begin with aches and pains. And unfortunately, these are signs that our bodies need a little bit of TLC. 

When it comes to self-care for the body, take the time to go see a specialist and ensure that any pains your loved one is feeling aren’t serious. And after a diagnosis, your loved one may then choose to pamper him or herself. If so, there are a variety of ways that this can be done safely and properly.

For example, taking a spa day and having a full-body massage can be great to alleviate any stress within the body. Additionally, going to a chiropractor may also prove beneficial by aligning the spine properly and removing air pockets from between the joints. 

Other body care methods may include acupuncture, or even light to moderate exercise a few times a week. Regardless of the self-care routine that your loved one chooses, just ensure that they have consulted with a doctor before engaging in any form of exercise, no matter if it’s light or moderate. 

Self-care may have been recently popularized in our modern era. But though this term is often scoffed at as an unnecessary impediment toward productivity, sometimes we simply have to slow down and take time out for ourselves. And when you reach retirement age, self-care may very well become a necessary activity that can offer many benefits.

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