As you age, you understand the importance of focusing on your physical well-being. You try to stay active, eat healthy, and engage in a fitness routine that enhances your physical health. But how much attention are you paying to your emotional well-being? As you age, emotional health aspects can play a more significant role in your quality of life.
Emotional well-being encompasses a senior’s self-esteem, optimism, purpose in life, and sense of belonging. There are five critical components to maintaining emotional well-being, and they include:
- Resilience and coping
- Being productive and making a contribution
- Social interactions and connections
- Basic needs and overall comfort level
- Sensory enrichment
These five pillars are critical to a senior’s emotional and social well-being. Why is emotional health important? Emotional health aspects have been directly linked to anxiety, depression, and even suicide in seniors. Seniors need to focus the same amount of attention on their physical health as they do on their emotional well-being.
5 Ways to Improve Emotional Well-Being and Mental Health
Staying upbeat and mentally healthy can offer a variety of health benefits to seniors. Maintaining a positive quality of life can help fight off isolation, age-related issues such as anxiety and depression, and improve a senior’s physical health by giving them energy and focus.
Below are just five simple ways to start making your emotional well-being part of your routine as you age.
1. Get a Support Animal
Whether you live at home or in a senior living community like Heritage Senior Living, you can reap various mental health benefits from owning a pet or engaging in pet therapy. Caring for a dog or cat can give seniors a sense of purpose in life and help them boost self-esteem while also staying active.
2. Stay Active
If you’re already focusing on your physical well-being, then keep it up! If you aren’t, incorporating daily exercise into your routine is a great way to stay active, boost endorphins and remain social. Consider joining a senior-friendly exercise class or fitness program to help you stay accountable and to make sure you focus on improving mobility and balance.
3. Play Games
Spend time putting together a puzzle, plan a family game night, or take up sudoku. Playing games is a great way to prioritize your mental health and keep your brain stimulated. It’s also an excellent way to make new friends and have some much-needed fun.
4. Volunteer Your Time
There is no greater feeling in the world than helping people in need. For many seniors, volunteering is a great way to find purpose every day and make new friends. Find local organizations where you can volunteer your time in a way that matches your abilities and helps you improve your mood, boost brain power, and strengthen your body.
5. Consider Therapy
When you think about therapy, you might picture lying on a couch. That’s not what we’re talking about. There are so many different kinds of therapies you can benefit from as you age. Look into aromatherapy, bright light therapy, humor therapy, massage therapy, nature-assisted therapy and more. Find the right fit for you, and start managing your stress in a healthy way.
The importance of socialization and emotional well-being for seniors is all-encompassing. Improving your outlook on life can help feed the mind, body and spirit in a way nothing else can. Find ways to enhance your emotional well-being regularly, and you’ll start to see positive changes in yourself and the people around you.
Focus on Your Mental, Physical and Emotional Well-Being at Heritage Senior Living
For active seniors looking to thrive while living fulfilling lives, look no further than Heritage Senior Living. Our continuing care retirement community offers life-enriching programming designed to support seniors in mind, body and soul. We invite you to learn more about our independent living community and to contact us today with questions or to schedule a tour.
