As we age, our bodies and our needs change. It’s important for seniors to maintain a healthy lifestyle, especially when they are aging at home. Here are our ten health tips that can improve and maintain a healthy lifestyle with home care in Philadelphia, PA.
How Can Home Care Services in Philadelphia Help You Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle?
For seniors who want to age at home, a home care service can help you stay healthy. Our professional in-home caregivers assist seniors by,
- Being a companion for mealtime and activities
- Providing accountability for healthy lifestyle choices
- Assisting with meal selection, meal preparation
- Taking pressure off family so you can spend quality time with your children and grandchildren
- Helping you with mobility or safety concerns during exercise and activities
- Providing transportation assistance
- Helping you manage medication and coordinate with your doctor
Now that you see how our home care for elderly Philadelphia residents can help you maintain a healthy lifestyle, let’s look at our ten tips for you.
How to Improve and Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle
It’s important to remember that even as we age, we each have unique needs regarding activity and even diet. First and foremost, talk to your doctor about your specific lifestyle needs. Your at-home caregiver can collaborate with your doctor to help you structure a routine right for you.
Maintain a Healthy Diet
It’s important that you maintain a healthy diet as you age. Remember to eat foods with important vitamins, minerals, and fiber. This means eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy, and lean proteins like poultry and fish.
Drink Plenty of Water
As we age, dehydration becomes a higher risk. Make sure that you drink plenty of water throughout the day. You’ll stay energized and refreshed as well as avoid constipation and UTIs.
Remember Prevention is Key
Preventative care is especially important for seniors. Stay on top of your regular doctor visits and get regular screenings for cholesterol, heart problems, and cancer. You should also be proactive in your medication management, asking about reactions, allergies, and possible interactions.
Get Plenty of Rest
Sleep is important as we age. Keeping a regular sleep schedule will help ensure you sleep restfully during the night. Avoid mid-day naps, evening caffeine, and alcohol, and help yourself prepare for rest with a relaxing activity like reading or listening to gentle music.
Stay Active
Staying active is vital to your health as you get older. Low-impact activities like Tai Chi are a wonderful way to stay active and improve your balance and coordination. Other ways to stay active include walking, swimming, light muscle building, and gardening.
Challenge Your Cognitive Skills
Make sure you stay mentally active as you age. Puzzles, brain games, reading, and writing, learning a new language, or playing music are all ways to help keep your cognitive skills strong as you age.
Socialize
Your emotional health is as important as your physical health. Maintaining social contact will help you avoid isolation and the loneliness that can come with it. Take part in local community activities, join a book club, or volunteer your time to prepare gift baskets or home crafts.
Take Care of Your Vision
Our eyesight often declines as we age. Make sure you get yearly eye exams. If you notice sudden changes in your vision, let your caregiver know right away. It could be a sign that your vision is deteriorating or a sign of a serious condition. In either case, addressing it immediately is important.
Keep Up with Dental Visits
Your dental health is important to your overall health. Make sure you’re visiting your dentist for cleanings and checkups every 6 months. Also, remember to brush and floss daily. If you find yourself missing teeth, talk to your dentist about implants that can help maintain your jawbone health.
Make Sure Your Home is Safe
Your home is as important to your healthy lifestyle as your diet and exercise. Ensure that your home is safe for your daily activities and living. Make sure your smoke detector is also a CO detector and keep its battery fresh. Put handrails on stairs and steps, in your bathroom and shower, and in areas where you need to kneel and bend regularly. If you’re planning apartment living, choose a ground-level floor and make sure you have a clear evacuation route in the event of a fire.
Are You Looking for Home Care Services in Philadelphia, PA?
Do you need home care for an elderly loved one in Philadelphia? We offer a wide range of services to help seniors and those with special needs live their best lives. Contact us to set up an appointment and we will match you with one of our Angels or help you choose your Angel as part of the PAS program.
