We often think about senior years as being a time for relaxation after decades of hard work. However, this stage of your life also comes with new challenges that cause stress, such as becoming an empty-nester, the loss of routine when you retire, and physical changes that influence the activities you can do.
You’ve spent a good portion of your life caring for others — now, it’s time to focus on yourself through self-care. Far from being selfish, this is essential for maintaining good physical and mental health. Not only will proper self-care improve the quality of your life, it will also mean you’ll be able to be there for your family members when they need you.
Physical Self-Care Tips
Taking care of your physical health increase your energy levels, make it easier for you to fight off illness, and mean you stay independent for longer.
1. Practice Strength Training
Many seniors avoid strength training because they’re worried about an injury, but it’s actually crucial. The National Institute on Aging reports that strength training maintains muscle mass, improves mobility, and increases healthy years of life. In fact, the CDC says all adults should aim to do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week, of which two days should be focused on strengthening your muscles. If you’re unsure what type of training would be appropriate for you, ask your doctor.
2. Take Your Medications
Make sure you take your medications as your doctor directed. If you find that you often forget a dose, set an alarm on your phone to remind you.
Mental Health Self-Care Tips
Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Maintain good mental health with these self-care tips.
3. Seek Help for Poor Mental Health
Don’t be afraid to reach out for help from a professional if you’re struggling with your mental health. It’s normal to suffer from anxiety or depression at some point during your senior years. A therapist can provide you with treatment to help you cope, whether you’re suffering from grief, loneliness, or worries. Plus, telemedicine for mental health is now common, which means it’s even possible to receive services over video or phone calls.
4. Cap Your News Consumption
Consuming a constant stream of bad news may put a toll on your mental health. Whereas it’s important to stay informed, it’s helpful to restrict your news consumption to prevent feeling distressed. Limit the amount of time you spend checking the news each day. During moments of boredom, make a conscious decision not to turn to media outlets but to find activities that uplift you.
Lifestyle Self-Care Tips
When you retire, you have less structured activity. Focusing on your lifestyle as part of your self-care is hugely beneficial to maintaining a social life and sense of purpose.
5. Learn a New Skill
Use your free time to learn something that has always interested you. Join a local group or take adult education classes to learn something like a new craft, game, language, or instrument.
6. Volunteer in Your Community
Dedicate some time each week to giving back to the community. Find out what volunteer opportunities are available near you and choose one that relates to a cause you’re passionate about. For instance, you could mentor kids, work at a soup kitchen, deliver meals on wheels, or care for animals at a shelter.
Self-Care Tips for Women
Senior years are a transformative time for women. In addition to adapting to a new daily routine, you’ll be experiencing the physical changes of menopause. Prioritize yourself to feel great in this next stage of your life.
7. Incorporate Relaxing Activities into Your Day
Make time every day for an activity that helps you relax. Experiment with different options to find what works best for you, whether that’s meditation, journaling, or spending time outdoors.
8. Feel Good in Your Own Skin
Something that may help you embrace the changes to your body and lifestyle is to reimagine your personal style. Explore different styles of clothing, change up your skincare routine, experiment with new makeup, or try a new hair color. Find something you love and that helps you feel like yourself.
Self-Care Tips for Men
It’s still unknown why men don’t live as long on average as women — but this is an indication that men need to take better care of themselves. There are several things to do in regard to self-care.
9. Receive Your Recommended Screenings
Finding out about a health condition in its early stages could prevent it from becoming worse and improve your prognosis. Men should receive the following on a regular basis during their senior years:
- Blood pressure checks
- Cholesterol tests
- Bone health evaluations
- Prostate and colorectal cancer screenings
- Diabetes checks
- Hearing and vision tests
- Dental checkups
10. Find Ways to Socialize
In retirement, it’s common to discover that your social life was closely linked to work. To maintain an active social life, reach out regularly to friends, family members, and neighbors or meet new people by joining clubs for your hobbies.
Self-Care Tips for Caregivers
One group of seniors that is particularly vulnerable to poor health is caregivers, due to the additional responsibilities that fall on their shoulders. You may be caring for a partner, elderly parent, another relative, or even a close friend. Whatever the case, it’s important to make time for yourself.
11. Find Support
Never feel like caregiving needs to be solely your responsibility. Depending on the needs of your loved one, options range from asking a family member or friend to lend a hand occasionally to taking advantage of adult day care services in your area or contracting a home health aide.
12. Connect with Other Caregivers
You may find it helpful to connect with other people who are in a similar situation to you. Find out if there are any meetups in your area or virtual drop-in sessions where you can chat and share advice.
Self-Care Tips for Grandparents
Being a grandparent is a joy for many seniors — but taking care of grandkids is a lot of work. To ensure you’ll be there for your family when they need you, it’s crucial to pay attention to your self-care.
13. Set Boundaries for Your Kids
As much as you may love spending time with your grandchildren, you’ve already raised kids of your own and now need a break to enjoy your senior years. Be assertive to set limits around how often you’re willing to watch your grandkids, such as by being clear about what days of the week you have your own commitments that mean you’re unavailable. Being a constant babysitter or trying to attend every family event may take a physical and emotional toll that affects your health.
14. Recognize When You’re Burned Out
If you notice that you’re already starting to feel burned out, take a step back from grandparent duties for a while. Signs of burnout include being emotionally drained, not enjoying your favorite activities, and physical symptoms such as headaches or digestive issues.
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