New Year Resolutions for Older People
The New Year offers a blank slate, giving everyone a chance to take steps to improve their lives. Although you may have already achieved many of your major life goals, there are still many ways for seniors to improve their lives each year, including spending more time with family and exercising. If you have made your New Year's resolutions, consider adopting some of these personal goals to enrich your golden years.
More Communication with Loved Ones
Regularly talking with your friends and family members helps you feel connected to the world. If you find it difficult to make regular social visits, ask your loved ones to visit you instead. Scheduling a regular weekly dinner is a great way to stay connected. If your loved ones live far away from you, take advantage of new technology to keep in touch. Join Facebook and other social media networks, for example, to connect with your younger relatives. You can also use video chat services such as Skype or Google Hangout to have face-to-face conversations with distant loved ones. If you're intimidated by traditional computers, consider investing in a tablet instead. These devices are easy to learn and use, and most tablets already include everything that you'll need to keep in touch with your family.
Embrace Healthy Eating
Healthy eating is a great way to improve your overall health and manage certain health conditions, including diabetes. Try to incorporate more vegetables and fruits into your meals to increase your consumption of important nutrients. Calcium, for example, is critical to the health of your bones as you age. If you need help improving your diet, your family doctor can help you come up with a plan.
Get Up and Move
As you age, you may have a hard time participating in the physical activities that you enjoyed when you were younger. However, you can try modifying your old favorite activities. For example, instead of giving up completely on taking long walks, try walking for shorter periods of time. You can walk at a park with benches so that you can take regular breaks. You can also try to add new activities into your daily routine, such as swimming at a local pool or fitness center.
Work Your Brain
Although physical exercise is important, you shouldn't neglect your brain either. To exercise your brain, try playing some puzzle games on your smartphone or in the daily newspaper. Crossword and Sudoku puzzles help challenge your brain and keep your thinking sharp. You can also learn a classical strategy game, such as chess or go, to keep your brain active. Taking an adult education class at a local community college can stimulate your memory and keep your brain learning. Classes are also an excellent way to meet new friends with similar interests.
Make Your Home a Safer Place
Your home may need some adjustments to make it safe for you to live in, especially if you have mobility issues. For example, installing extra lighting in your stairway will reduce the chance of tripping or falling down your stairs. To avoid falling in your bathroom, you can ask a loved one to add handrails to help you get in and out of the bathtub. If you live alone, you may also want to install a home security system or get an emergency medical alert system to help you feel safer. Not only does this offer peace of mind for you, but also for your family and friends.
Visit the Doctor Regularly
As you get older, visiting your doctor regularly becomes a crucial part of maintaining your health. During standard checkups, you can tell your doctor about any new ailments or problems that you're experiencing. Your doctor can also recommend tests or procedures to improve your health. Don't limit this resolution to only your family doctor, however. You should also make regular appointments with your dentist and eye doctor.
What New Year resolutions are you taking this year?
