Good lifestyle habits are important at any age, especially when a person ages.
As someone looking to care for their elderly at home, it is important to know what habits are good for the elderly and which are not.
For example, if you don’t want your elderly loved one to eat foods that are high in sugar, you can eliminate foods containing refined sugars from the kitchen.
It is also a good idea to ensure they get enough physical activity, like walking or gardening.
But several other lifestyle habits can ensure your elderly loved one stays healthy. Here are some of the most important habits to encourage in older adults.
1. Healthy Eating
Eating a balanced diet will help the elderly maintain their weight and prevent malnutrition.
If you are looking after your elderly loved one, encourage them to eat healthy foods like fruits and vegetables.
Other healthy recipes for the elderly include:
- Eggs: You can include scrambled eggs in their diet. Eggs are rich in protein and contain vitamins like A, B12, and D.
- Salmon: This fish is a good source of vitamin B12, which helps fight depression. Salmon can be cooked in many different ways, including steaming or grilling.
- Milk: This is a good source of calcium, which helps build bone mass. Milk can be served warm or cold, with or without sugar.
- Yogurt: This is an excellent source of vitamin B12 and protein. It’s also easy to digest and has probiotic properties that help maintain digestive health.
- Whole grain bread and cereals: These are good sources of protein, iron, and B vitamins.
You can also consider other elderly friendly recipes like Mushroom Omelet and Spinach.
Avoid providing too many sweet or fatty foods, which can accelerate weight gain.
Also, ensure they drink plenty of water throughout the day—this will help them stay hydrated and maintain their electrolyte levels.
2. Exercise and Activities
When your elderly parent exercises, it improves their mood, increases energy levels and boosts self-esteem.
It’s also important to encourage them to participate in activities they enjoy, such as gardening or cooking.
Some easy-to-do exercises you can help them with include:
- Walking: This is a great activity for your parents to do as it can help improve their mobility and balance. They can use walking sticks if they need them, or you could go with them to ensure they don’t fall over.
- Chair exercises: These are easy to do even when someone has limited mobility, as long as you have a chair handy. They can include leg lifts and arm exercises, which are great for building strength.
3. Quitting Smoking
Many older people are addicted to smoking and find it hard to quit. If your parent is a smoker, you could help them by encouraging them to quit.
You could offer them nicotine patches or gum, which can help relieve withdrawal symptoms from smoking, so they’re less likely to give up on their attempts to quit.
4. Getting the Right Vitamins
We can’t stress enough the importance of the right Vitamins for your elderly.
Make sure you provide them with these essential Vitamins:
- Vitamin A: This vitamin is essential for vision and eye health. It also helps prevent age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness in older adults.
- Vitamin B12: This vitamin is known as the “energy vitamin” because it helps convert food into energy your elderly’s body can use. It also plays a role in producing red blood cells that transport oxygen throughout the body.
- Vitamin C: This vitamin helps fight off colds and infections. It also helps your elderly’s body absorb iron from food, which is essential for preventing anemia.
- Vitamin D: This vitamin helps keep bones strong, lowering the risk of osteoporosis.
Final Word
Ensuring a healthy lifestyle for your elderly is essential to helping them live longer and avoid chronic health problems.
