Caring For Your Parents After You Retire

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No matter how old you get, your parents will always be older, and this means that the tables will often turn at some point in your life. As you grew up and even into your adult life, your mom and dad will have always worked hard to give you all of the support you need. Of course, though, age doesn’t come alone, bringing with it all sorts of maladies and ailments, especially once someone gets into their 80’s. To give you the opportunity to provide them with the life they deserve, this post will be exploring some of the best ways to care for them after you’ve retired.

Giving Them Company

It’s easy to get lonely as someone gets older, with the likelihood of their partner surviving being limited, and the difficulty they find moving around on their own. This makes spending time with your elderly loved ones the most crucial part of their care. I don’t matter if they’re sick or injured, seeing you a few times a week will bring a smile to their face and give them the chance to be themselves. You can also use this opportunity to take them to places or people they don’t get to see very often, adding some variety to a life which may largely consist of sitting in a chair.

Giving Them Independence

While it will feel natural to smother your parents when they need help, being to hands-on can end up making their lives harder. People often find that they only lose the ability to do certain jobs when they don’t do them for a long time. If you don’t walk for weeks on end, for example, it will be hard for you to go out for a hike. It’s better to look for ways to help them to be independent, whether this is a car which they can drive or simply a grabber which can be used for their chair. A lot of companies are turning their focus to this sort of care, and this means that there are loads of products on the market to help.

Personal Care

Most parents don’t like the idea of their children providing their personal care. This part of life should be something which is kept strictly professional, but you don’t have to go to the extent of putting them in a home or hospital to achieve this goal. Home care providers can send a professional to just about any address. They will handle the personal aspects of your parent’s care, with options to have someone move in on a temporary basis if more extreme measures have to be taken. Building a good relationship with a company like this really early on can be a great way to ensure an easier future.

With all of this in mind, you should be feeling ready to take on the challenge of caring for your parents after they retire. A lot of people struggle with work like this, finding it hard to know whether or not they should throw their lives into helping their loved ones. Of course, though, there are loads of places to look for help in this field.

Does Living Healthy Have To Be Such a Chore?

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When we think of an active and healthy lifestyle, particularly managing health after retirement, things can get a little boring to consider. We might picture someone only eating celery for lunch, giving up their long-beloved baking hobby, or having to walk ten miles a day simply for the pleasure of feeling alright in themselves. This can make us feel quite tired just thinking about it. 

But does healthy living have to be such a chore? Or is it possible for us to consider a better and more appropriate means of staying in shape, both physically, mentally and spiritually? Does healthy living actually require a cost? Or is that something we just assume to stop us from exploring the topic further?

It’s a complex question, and many will have their take on it. However, we would like to explore it further here, and potentially come to some of our own conclusions. You never know, this might be the insight we all need to look at health with a renewed mindset.

So let’s begin:

Find Dietary Helpers

To the uninitiated, dietary helpers might sound fairly unreliable. They sound as if they would require a dodgy underground connection in a dilapidated gym to even find. But that’s not the case, of course. Dietary supplements are a multi-million dollar industry, and completely above board. You just need to be careful when finding what might be effective and what might not be, as like in any industry, there can be a lot of snake oil out there.

We would recommend using dietary helpers that can help you detox, increase your energy, reduce food cravings and also help you with your nutritional needs. Add some fish oil for your joints and potentially a multivitamin, and you’re doing brilliantly already. We’d recommend doing research ahead of time, as you decide to shop the full range of items best suited for your needs.

Don’t Go It Alone

When we consider healthy living, we can often feel trapped within ourselves. We know that ultimately, our health affects us, is navigated by us, and generated by the decisions we make (at least for the most part.) But there’s no reason why these facts should mean you go it alone. You don’t have to, in fact. It’s fully possible to make healthy living a social experience. For example, one of the powerful elements of any weight watchers group is the ability to meet each week, to measure progress, to talk through your challenges and to hear the experiences of other people. Joining a class like this isn’t a bad idea.

You might also join a class dedicated to learning new healthy recipes, perhaps from an incredible array of world cuisine. We would also recommend getting involved in a social activity. A walking club can be a fantastic means of getting out and doing a little hiking from time to time, especially walking predefined routes. Perhaps inviting a friend to come and attend a swimming class with you could help, or a pool zumba class. Remember – fitness can be tremendous fun if you let it! It can help you be social, get your exercise in, and come hope feeling fully restored and nourished thanks to both experiences. If you do that, there’s every chance you’ll start to look forward to your fitness sessions, a sentence you might have laughed at years ago.

Do What You Can

The most important thing about living a healthy lifestyle is that you make it work for you, and not the other way around. This can sound counterintuitive to begin with. Of course, a healthy lifestyle is not something we get to ‘decide’ for ourselves.  A cream bun that we eat isn’t a better alternative than a salad just because we will it so. But if a healthy lifestyle is routinely burning you out, making you feel tired, or is simply not fun, think of another way you might tailor it to your advantage.

You don’t need to run to get your exercise if it hurts your joints, for example. Swimming can train even more muscle groups, be even more intense, yet is absolutely brilliant for your joints, because you are naturally suspended in the water and rarely experience hard impacts (unless you’re going to be diving, which we wouldn’t recommend as exercise, of course.)

Do what you can. Do what works for you. You might believe that following a ketogenic diet is the best way by far to get ahead and better your diet. This might be the case. But also, you might simply transition your normal cooking approach into something much more familiar, only with reducing the calories of snacks and eating more wholesome meals. Remember as well that slowly transitioning into good habits can be a great idea. Lessening your alcohol intake as much as possible can be a great start, for example. It all depends on your goals, and what you hope to do.

Give Yourself Time

Remember, there’s no need to become your fittest and most agile self by the end of next week. These things take time. Focus on small, sustainable changes. Even walking your dog for ten minutes longer can be a great option this week. Take care of small achievements and feel pride in them, and then continue forward to the next goal. If you can do this, you’ll be extremely surprised just what a fantastic positive effect you can have, and how the changes quickly stack up.

Give yourself one year with this mindset and new approach, and you’ll look back at the previous you with true surprise. Gradual changes might not be noticed immediately, but when looking back, seeing how far you’ve come can be motivation itself. There’s an eternal wisdom in the tortoise and the hare’s fable, and this is one of the places where it manifests most profoundly. So be sure to keep that in mind.

With this advice, we hope you’re much better able to feel comfortable following a life of fitness.

Getting Better With Age: How To Optimize Your Health

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When you’re a spring chicken, and you’ve got your whole life ahead of you, your health may not be the number one priority. As you get older, however, you come to realize that looking after yourself is critical. If you make the right choices and you take good care of your body and mind, you stand every chance of reaping the rewards well into your retirement years. If you’re looking to get better with age like a fine wine, here are some tips to optimize your health.

Prioritizing mental health

When we talk about being healthy, we tend to focus on whether we can still run for a bus, touch our toes or fit in the same jeans we’ve worn for a decade. The definition of health relates to physical, mental and social well being. To be healthy, you don’t just have to have a level of fitness and the ability to fight off illnesses and infections. Your mental health matters too.

Many people find it difficult to adjust to new routines and schedules when they retire. The prospect of taking a well-earned break is often more appealing and alluring than the reality. It’s very common to feel like you have too much time and to become isolated and withdrawn. Protecting and shielding your mental health is crucial as you get older. Make plans for your retirement, and devote time to hobbies and activities that you enjoy. Reconnect with friends and family members you may not have seen as much as you would have liked to over the years due to work commitments, and don’t be afraid to try new things. If you’ve got time on your hands, and you want to get out and about more, look into activities that are available in your local area and consider joining community groups. Perhaps you could join a choir, you’d like to become a member of the local golf club, or you fancy learning to dance. Whatever your interests, there are bound to be opportunities out there. Use the Internet to find out more.

When it comes to mental health, it’s also crucial to recognize that talking can be beneficial. Many people keep things to themselves and it’s particularly common for older generations to adopt a stiff upper lip attitude. It’s good to be strong, but there’s nothing wrong with sharing concerns or worries or telling a partner or a close friend that you’re feeling low or that you’re upset. If you do find it difficult to manage your emotions, and you don’t feel comfortable opening up, you might find that creative activities help you express yourself. Painting, drawing, and writing, for example, can help you get things off your chest without making you feel like you’re in a therapy session.

Image via https://www.pexels.com/photo/old-couple-walking-while-holding-hands-906111/

Maintaining an active lifestyle

You might think that as you get older, it becomes increasingly difficult to live an active lifestyle. While this may be true in some cases, many people exercise on a regular basis well into their 70s, 80s, and even their 90s. You might find that the kinds of activities you undertake change as you age, but there are myriad active pursuits that are suited to older people. You don’t have to be in your 20s to join a gym or be in your 30s to enjoy salsa classes or Pilates. Give different activities a go, and look for sessions and classes that are tailored to your level of fitness. Some sports centers also offer sessions that are designed for older people.

Exercising has a range of benefits for people of all ages, and it can help to protect the body and mind and prevent potentially life-threatening diseases. When you lead an active lifestyle, you’ll find that you feel more energetic, and you can also take advantage of social opportunities. Regular exercise increases strength, suppleness, and fitness, but it can also make you feel more confident, enable you to meet new people and provide opportunities to develop new skills. Exercise is also a natural stress-buster, and it can make you feel amazing.

If you don’t like the thought of walking into a gym on your own, or you’ve never really exercised before, there’s nothing to be worried about. There are all kinds of activities you can try, and you don’t have to spend all your time on a treadmill to get fit. Take friends to a dance or an aerobics class, or go to a beginner’s session and be open to meeting new friends. Start walking or jogging with a neighbor, or think about joining local groups or teams in the community. You might find that there are lots of activities for people your age that you didn’t know about. Use the Internet, contact local community centers and sports facilities and ask friends, neighbors and former colleagues if they know of any groups or clubs that might be of interest.

When it comes to exercise, it’s hugely beneficial to realize that every little helps. If you struggle with pain, or you don’t have the mobility or flexibility to take part in classes or to engage in a full-blown workout, even the simplest things, like walking around the block, can work wonders for your physical and mental health. Being out in the fresh air is also proven to benefit wellbeing and make you feel happier and less stressed and anxious.

If you have injuries or health problems that limit your ability to exercise, and you want to try and be more active, don’t hesitate to ask your doctor or physical therapist for advice. They will be able to recommend activities that are suitable. If you have back pain, for example, you may find that swimming helps.

Image by https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aerobics_class.jpg

Beating the habits of a lifetime

You might think that there’s no point in trying to give up bad habits if you’re in your 60s, 70s, or 80s, but the sooner you try, the better. If you’re a smoker, for example, you’ll start to enjoy the benefits as soon as you quit. It may not be possible to reverse the damage completely, but your health will improve. Giving up smoking, especially if you’ve been a smoker for a long time, is challenging, but it can be done. Today, many people who want to quit smoking start vaping instead. Vaping doesn’t expose you to the same chemicals as cigarettes, and it can help you to wean yourself off nicotine. You can buy e-cigarettes, pods and affordable 120 ml bottles of vape juice online. Another option you may want to look into is swapping cigarettes for nicotine patches, gum, or spray. This can help to curb cravings without exposing you to harmful substances. You might also find it easier to give up if people around you quit and if you set yourself a time limit, for example, giving up for a month. If you can do this, there’s every chance that you can quit for good.

Smoking is not the only lifestyle choice that can impact your health. Drinking too much alcohol can also have negative implications. Many people drink too much without even realizing that they’re doing it, and this is often the case with older people. If you’re used to having a few glasses of wine with your evening meal, for example, you could be exceeding the recommended weekly intake every week. Keep track of how much you drink, and if you are drinking too much, try and reduce your intake.

Picture source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-photo-of-two-people-toasting-with-red-wine-2101186/

Enhancing brain power

It’s well-documented that aging affects memory. As you get older, you might become more forgetful. It’s common to experience memory problems, but there are ways of enhancing brain power and boosting your memory. One of the most important things to do is keep your brain ticking over. When you retire, and you go from working to having more time to yourself, you might find that you don’t use your brain as much. Fill your time with activities that engage the brain and challenge you. Solve puzzles, play games that involve strategizing, for example, chess, read books, and take part in quizzes and memory tests. Take time to chill out and relax, but make sure your brain is active too.

Image courtesy of https://pixabay.com/photos/chess-checkerboard-the-board-king-4067149/

Making changes to your diet

Your diet is vital for good health. The foods you eat should provide your body with valuable nutrients. If your diet lacks nutritional content, you may find that you’re more susceptible to illness, your energy levels are low, or you’re prone to symptoms linked to vitamin or mineral deficiencies. Try and ensure that your diet is varied and balanced, keep an eye on your sugar, salt, and saturated fat intake, and make sure you incorporate foods that have nutritional value. Swap refined and processed foods and takeouts for wholegrain, complex carbohydrates, fresh ingredients and home-cooked meals, and aim for 5 portions of fruit and vegetables per day. If you’re not a brilliant chef, look for simple, healthy recipes you can rustle up in a matter of minutes.

Concept of healthy food- fresh vegetables

Image from https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/45958587865

As you get older, you come to realize that your health is something that should never be taken for granted. While the risk of developing health problems can increase as you get older, there are multiple ways you can protect your health and wellbeing and ensure you get better with age.

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