The Importance of Self Care for Seniors
Self care is important. While there are mental, health, and financial supports available, it all starts with our commitment to taking care of and honouring ourselves.
Sadly, this message is largely lost on seniors.
During my years as a nurse and health care provider focused on seniors’ wellbeing, I have noticed a disturbing trend. Seniors are from the generation that took care of everyone their whole lives – the doting mother, the provider father, the sacrificing parent giving it all to ensure their children have opportunities. When it comes to their own needs now that they are older, they are still helping others but not helping themselves.
Seniors want to support their grown children financially and with babysitting the grandchildren. They want to help their aging spouses, they want to be on community boards and give back – but you can’t do any of that if you are not healthy.
I understand that many seniors are from the era where putting one’s self first seemed selfish – especially for women. It’s very hard to change that mindset now, but science supports the fact that self care is incredibly beneficial. It leads to better physical and mental health, it develops resilience, helps with longevity, and lowers stress. Self care even helps with pain management for those living with a chronic illness.
Self Care Tips Seniors Can Practice
Self care does not have to be a time intensive or even expensive undertaking. Seniors can easily do things like this every day:
- Practice gratitude: keep a journal or reflect for a few minutes daily on things for which you are thankful.
- Engage in activity: from going for a walk to using resistance bands, doing yoga or swimming, there are many ways seniors can be active.
- Enjoy nature: the healing effects of nature have a positive impact on your mental and physical health. Take up the hobby of bonsai. Get a plot in a community garden. Visit parks and lakes.
- Hobbies: keep your mind active and hands busy with hobbies. Baking, model building, painting, writing – remember how you loved those things long ago? There is no reason to quit doing the hobbies you love. You can even take up new ones. Explore what you love and it just may be your new passion!
- Connect: loneliness and loss of connection are major health risks for seniors; we saw clear evidence of this during the pandemic.
Connection is Key
Connection is a key part of self-care and something every senior and their family must explore when looking into long-term care home options. Whether the senior is aging in place or going into a facility, be sure to see if the staff take the time to get know, and connect with, seniors. If possible, the facility should be close to where family can visit. Group activities in community settings should be provided. The goal for seniors is to find a place, be it at home or in care, where they can continue to live purposely as part of a community.
Self care for seniors is not about being selfish. In fact, it is quite the opposite. When you take care of your mental and physical wellbeing, you are able to give others the time and attention you desire to give. Start practicing self care today. It’s the path to a longer, healthier, happier future.