Are you a senior who is looking to thrive and stay healthy in retirement? Well, contrary to myth and legend, you don’t need a magic fountain to do so. In fact, all you really need to stay healthy and vibrant in your golden years are some tweaks to the choices and habits you make in your daily life, which includes checking these to-dos off your list.
Come to Terms with Your Care Needs
If you find it difficult to care for yourself on a daily basis, then your first step toward a better quality of life should be to research local assisted living options. Sites like A Place for Mom can make this process less complicated and trained advisors can help you select the right senior housing option to fit your care and well-being needs. With the annual cost of assisted living in Colorado sitting at around $49,140, finding the right facility is very important and having helpful information at your fingertips, such as whether each facility offers social activities, can make finding the perfect fit less stressful. Socialization in senior living can be important for your quality of life because these social opportunities provide a boost to both your physical and mental health. Not only can assisted living make life easier, but it can come with some added perks.
Manage Your Mental and Emotional Well-Being
Moving to assisted living can be a major life transition, but having help with daily living, resources for social connections, and access to added perks could be the positive change you need to preserve your emotional health. If you are not quite ready to move into an assisted living community, however, there are some other mental health steps you can take to enhance your golden years. Diet and exercise can preserve your emotional health, and finding ways to relieve stress can also help you maintain a better mood. When it comes to your mind, staying sharp can also reduce your risk of cognitive impairments.
Maintain Your Physical Strength and Health
Healthy aging is all about striking a balance between your physical and mental health. These two aspects of your health are closely connected, and improving one will undoubtedly improve the other. For example, seniors who exercise regularly tend to be less at risk for chronic diseases such as diabetes and stroke, but these seniors are also less likely to be impacted by mental health issues, including anxiety and depression. Exercise can also make it easier to sleep and easier to avoid serious falls, the latter of which can be a serious risk for older adults. So by combining strength training with other healthy aging workouts, like yoga and walking, you can provide a big boost to your physical and mental health while also reducing your fall risk. To enhance those benefits, you should also find simple ways to stick to a nutritious, healthy diet.
Understand Your Medicare and Care Options
The final puzzle piece that can help seniors live a healthier and more fulfilling lifestyle during retirement is finding the right healthcare coverage to fit their increasing care needs. For many seniors, this means using Medicare guides to select the right Medicare plan. Gaining more coverage for things like prescription medications, preventative care, and even the SilverSneakers program can make taking care of your mind and body easier and more affordable. If you are still considering a move to assisted living, keep in mind that Medicare offers little coverage when it comes to this or any other forms of long-term care. In addition to researching Medicare options, you may want to look into ways to cover assisted living costs.
Thriving in retirement can be simple but it does require some work on your part. Because at the end of the day, you have the power to preserve your health and well-being as you grow older. So, start making the choices now that will help you live a better life for years to come!
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Karen Weeks is a Senior Lifestyle blogger. After retirement, she struggled to find a new sense of purpose which lead her to learn a new skill and took a computer course. She created Elderwellness.net – a resource for seniors who wish to keep their minds, bodies and spirits well.