Whatever your age, it’s important to take care of your health to live a good life and avoid illness.

However, for seniors, such as your parents or loved ones aged 60 and older, keeping their best health must be a challenge. In fact, illnesses such as a simple cold can lead to complications that may lead to infections, among other conditions. 

This is why it’s important at this age for elders to keep themselves in good health. As a caregiver, whether you’re a child, partner, or family member of an elderly in your household, it’s important that you’re helping them in making good choices that promote their health and well-being.

Here are some health tips for seniors that you can get inspiration and direction from.

10 Health Tips for Seniors

1. Be active. Physical activity helps boost the immune system. That’s why exercise is essential in helping seniors fight inflammation and infection. You may consider having them take walks, go swimming, or do low-impact aerobic exercises.

2. Take necessary supplements. Supplements can help augment the nutrition needs of elderly individuals, especially when they have diet restrictions that does not let them eat a wide variety of food, or if they are picky with their food.

3. Stop smoking. Those who are smoking at this age should definitely take steps to stop. And if they aren’t smoking, they should lessen their exposure from people who do smoke.

4. Eat well. Combined with being physically active, it’s a must for the elderly to eat a balanced diet, and even eat healthier this time around. This is particularly true if their younger years consisted of unhealthy eating habits and unhealthy lifestyle.

5. Maintain healthy weight. Seniors must watch their weight now, in order to decrease their risk of heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

6. Get regular check-ups. Their health exams must be updated, and they should have regular screenings, especially for diseases that plague people at their age.

7. Protect their skin. Seniors’ skin becomes thinner. It’s also drier and less elastic, which causes wrinkles to appear. Because of this, cuts and bruises take a longer time to heal. Make sure they are protected from the sun.

8. Avoid falls. Seniors become particularly prone and vulnerable to falls. They may get dizzy, have poor motor skills, or may even get confused. Keep your house clear of anything that may cause them to trip, slip, or fall. Minor falls for younger people may mean broken hips and bones for the elderly, so special care must be taken.

9. Let them be social. Whether it’s allowing them to get in touch with friends or relatives online, or just going out to the park, it’s important for their mental health to not feel isolated. Allowing them time to interact with others can do wonders for their well-being and sense or empowerment and dignity.

10. Seek help when you need to. Part of taking care of your senior loved ones is taking care of yourself too. Taking care of seniors can be overwhelming and challenging, especially if you’re a sandwich generation that also has a growing family of your own to support and watch over.

At Blessed Home, we’re helping families get the best care for their elderly loved ones. Get in touch with us to know your options today!