The global health crisis coupled with strict social distancing rules has forced aging and seniors to stay indoors and deprived them of their lifestyles. At this stage of their lives, they experience many physical, emotional and social changes and staying at home for long hours, might get lonesome for them. They might lose interest in doing their chores or keeping themselves fit but what is important here is for them to adjust their lifestyles around the social distancing rules so that they can maintain their health. Here are a few tips.
- Make them feel involved: Try and get them to do simple in house chores like planning the meals, chopping vegetables while sitting, folding the laundry, looking after the plants or helping kids with their homework and so on. These activities keep them mentally occupied, away from depressing thoughts, and also provide some movement or exercise to them.
- Help them exercise the brain: An active and fit brain is essential for good health of older adults. Memory or word games, Sudoku, puzzles etc are brain exercises that will help in ruling out memory-loss illnesses like Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, as well as assists in brain’s executive function.
- Encourage walking in the home: As seniors aren’t allowed to go out for their daily walks or exercising routine, encourage them to walk the talk at home. For instance; if they have frequent video or voice calls with friends or other relatives, encourage them to keep walking around the house while talking on the phone. Ensure they have comfortable shoes.
- Keep meals simple: During the lockdown, one maybe tempted to try different recipes but when it comes to senior citizens, it is important to serve them simple, fulfilling meals that include veggies, and daal, and salads etc. Since their exercise is limited, keep sugar also under check.
- Get them busy in hobbies: Encourage them to pick up any hobby they used to previously indulge in or liked for example knitting, sewing, reading. Show them how to navigate youtube videos, or order books for them online.
A large part of good health is also love, care and attention. If you have aging people at home, take time out to chit chat with them and ask them after their health. Knowing that they are loved will keep them going through the tough times.