What Are Protective Factors That Support Healthy Aging?
Did you know that small healthy habits, like dietary changes, can have a profound effect on your health? There are even studies to suggest that positive lifestyle habits, like eating omega-3-rich foods, can slow biological aging. That means you'll be able to live your dream retirement in Fond du Lac, WI, living an active and fulfilling lifestyle.
So what are protective factors that you should focus on to stay healthy in your senior years? We'll explore the answer in this article.
Staying Physically Active
One of the most effective forms of protection against poor health is exercise.
Staying active, looking after your muscles and heart, puts you in a strong position to live a long and healthy life in retirement.Plus, protecting muscles, balance, and flexibility reduces the risk of falls.
Choose activities you naturally enjoy, as it will make it easier for you to commit to a routine. Low-impact exercises like swimming, yoga, or walking are excellent for seniors. They help keep the body healthy without adding too much strain or putting you at risk of injury.
Committing to exercise in retirement makes it more likely that you'll maintain your independence and mobility. If you choose a senior exercise class, it's also a great way to make friends.
Healthy Aging Strategies: Nutrition
Keeping your body healthy begins with taking a mindful approach to what you eat. That doesn't have to mean extreme dieting, but it does mean making a conscious effort to choose nutritious menu items and avoiding health-hindering culprits like highly processed junk food.
Aim for a balance that will help you enjoy your meals while maximizing the nutrients you are eating. That means lots of:
- Protein
- Whole grains
- Key nutrients like calcium-rich foods
- Vegetables
- Fruits
- Healthy fats
If you are unsure where to start with a healthy eating plan, consider signing up for a nutrition course online or attending a lifelong learning seminar in your local community. In our senior living community at Lakehouse Fond du Lac, you'll also get to enjoy chef-prepared meals that are designed to be balanced and nutritious, making it easier for you to stick to healthy eating.
Senior Social Connections
It's essential to protect your physical health, but it shouldn't be your only focus in retirement. Your mental and emotional health is equally important, and one factor that's often overlooked is the value of social connections.
Communicating with neighbors or friends, or sharing a joke with a loved one, can lift spirits and help guard against loneliness and depression in old age.
Make sure you have plenty of dates in the diary for meeting up with those who are important to you. In addition, if you are fortunate enough to enjoy a senior living community, make the most of all the activities and classes on offer, as it's a great way to meet new people.
Mental Stimulation
Looking after your cognitive health can help protect you from age-related mental decline, such as memory loss and confusion. And maintaining brain health is easy and fun, because something as simple as a daily crossword puzzle can be all you need.
Here are some other ideas:
- Board games or chess
- Number puzzles like Sudoku
- Reading clubs
- Painting, crafts, pottery, and sketching
- Music appreciation or playing an instrument
Retirement is a chance to embrace all the more enjoyable pastimes that you may not have had time for when you were busy with your career. Embrace that, and you'll have peace of mind that your activity choice is also helping to keep your cognitive skills strong.
Improve Your Sleep Habits
A restful night's sleep is great for your skin, energy, and mental focus. It will make you feel healthy, full of vitality, and ready to embrace the day ahead. Sleep also supports the immune system, so it's almost like a wonder drug.
Focus on achieving some good sleep habits to fight the risk of insomnia:
- Invest in a high-quality mattress that supports your back
- Keep your room cool at night
- Invest in blackout blinds if you are woken by the sun
- Avoid screens and caffeine before bed
If sleep problems are persistent, always speak to your doctor about them. They can examine other causes and also give you some advice and support.
Emotional Support for Seniors and Stress Management
Stress can take a toll on senior mental health, and when it's persistent, it can also begin to affect your physical health. It can cause insomnia, change your eating habits, and even leave you with a weakened immune system. That's why stress management is a crucial way to protect your well-being in your older years.
Sign up for activities that will help you adopt safe and easy techniques for managing stressful situations.You could choose a physical activity, like walking or yoga, or techniques like mindfulness and meditation.
If daily activities don't help you manage your stress levels, you might need to look closer at what's triggering it, and even speak to your doctor about getting some counseling.
Senior Safety Tips: Risk Assessing Your Environment
Even though good health will help you enjoy your retirement and stay independent, you may still need to make some adaptations that protect you from age-specific risk factors like falls.
Make sure your environment is set up to be accessible and safe. You may not need it now, but it will give you peace of mind if you develop balance or mobility challenges in the future.
Ensure your living space is roomy enough for you to maneuver, including wide entryways and hallways that are suitable for walking aids. Add grab rails to bathrooms to provide extra support, and ensure floors are non-slip.
You may also want to consider investing in an emergency alarm system that will alert your care team if you have a fall.
Senior Health: What Are Protective Factors?
So what are protective factors when thinking about health in your later years? In short, it's a combination of small lifestyle changes that can positively impact your physical health as well as your mental and emotional well-being.
Embracing a senior living community that offers plentiful on-site activities and a wellness center is a great way to put your health first. Come and see what we have to offer at Lakehouse Fond du Lac by scheduling a tour.