Aging can mean something different to everyone. Some people saw their parents live a healthy and vital life all the way until the end. Others experienced ailing parents and complex healthcare needs that required their loved ones to be cared for in a specialized home or facility. As people age it can become more difficult for them to take care of their basic needs on their own. This means that they may neglect to take medications, connect with their friends and family, or stay as active as needed for good health. As you grow older, it’s important to focus on these personal care activities to keep you healthy and aging in place as long as possible.
Reduce Daily Stressors
Stress causes many different problems. People who are stressed are more likely to forget important things like taking medication or showering regularly. Stress has a way of causing people to forget everything but the thing that’s stressing them out the most. As you age it becomes more common to focus on illnesses and other diagnoses. This can cause a lot of stress especially if it means higher medical bills and will need long-term treatment. Doing everything in your power to reduce little stressors will give you a better ability to cope with the big things that come your way.
Protective and Healing Skincare
Getting older means that a lot of things start to change. Your hair may become more brittle and your skin starts to thin and become more taut. While these may seem cosmetic, skincare is especially important for aging adults. Using a stem cell moisturizer on your hands, face, and body can help prevent sores by providing deep relief to your skin. Sores can become infected leading to worse issues. This is why it’s important to use quality skincare creams and cleansers to ensure your skin is as healthy as possible.
Stay Active
With age comes more exhaustion. This makes it challenging to want to get up and exercise. The good news is that simply taking a walk daily goes a long way toward improving your health and is one of the most important personal care activities you can focus on. Muscles start to atrophy as you get older and can worsen joint problems, balance issues, and other health conditions that are associated with getting older.
Connect With Others
You may not think of it this way, but human connection is a powerful and critical need. If you’re wondering how to take care of yourself as you age, make friends. Find people who are in similar life stages as you who can be your friend. Call or visit someone regularly. Spend your time volunteering. There are many ways to connect with other people. And while you might not realize it, investing in relationships is an investment in your health and personal care needs.
Preparing Healthy Meals
You might want to order takeout every single day, but your body might be thinking otherwise. There are plenty of ways to make healthy meals that don’t take a ton of preparation, taste delicious, and can be used for multiple days in a row. Take the time now to learn how to prepare quick and easy healthy meals. As you age, making food for yourself is an important personal care need. Healthier meals will make you less prone to diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and obesity as you get older.
Take Supplements and Prescribed Medications
People often hire assistance to ensure they do all of the most important activities of daily living as they age. One of these activities is that they need to take all their approved and prescribed supplements and medications. If you have medications that you need to take to ensure you are healthy, then it’s important to prioritize them.
Creating the habit now will go a long way toward helping you as you get older. Design a system that works for you. Some people use pill boxes to separate things into morning and evening pills. Others create a chart and check things off as they take them. It doesn’t matter what you do other than to leverage consistency. As you age, this personal care habit will go a long way toward keeping you healthy and independent as long as possible.
Throughout the year, our writers feature fresh, in-depth, and relevant information for our audience of 40,000+ healthcare leaders and professionals. As a healthcare business publication, we cover and cherish our relationship with the entire health care industry including administrators, nurses, physicians, physical therapists, pharmacists, and more. We cover a broad spectrum from hospitals to medical offices to outpatient services to eye surgery centers to university settings. We focus on rehabilitation, nursing homes, home care, hospice as well as men’s health, women’s heath, and pediatrics.
