Healthy Aging Tips

[SeaBreeze]

Healthy aging: Tips for coping with change As you age, there will be periods of both joy and stress. It’s important to build your resilience and find healthy ways to cope with challenges. This ability will help you make the most of the good times and keep your perspective when times are tough. Focus on the things you’re grateful for. The longer you live, the more you lose. But as you lose people and things, life becomes even more precious. When you stop taking things for granted, you appreciate and enjoy what you have even more. Acknowledge and express your feelings. You may have a hard time showing strong emotions, perhaps feeling that such a display is inappropriate and weak. But burying your feelings can lead to anger, resentment, and depression. Don’t deny what you’re going through. Find healthy ways to process your feelings, perhaps by talking with a close friend or writing in a journal. Accept the things you can’t change. Many things in life are beyond our control. Rather than stressing out over them, focus on the things you can control such as the way you choose to react to problems. Face your limitations with dignity and a healthy dose of humor. Look for the silver lining. As the saying goes, “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.” When facing major challenges, try to look at them as opportunities for personal growth. If your own poor choices contributed to a stressful situation, reflect on them and learn from your mistakes. Take daily action to deal with life’s challenges. When challenges seem too big to handle, sweeping them under the carpet often appears easier. But ignoring the problem doesn’t make it go away; it allows both the problem and your anxiety to build. Instead, take things one small step at a time. Even a small step can go a long way to boosting your confidence and reminding you that you are not powerless. Healthy aging: Tips for finding meaning and joy A key ingredient in the recipe for healthy aging is the continuing ability to find meaning and joy in life. As you age, your life will change and you will lose things that previously occupied your time and gave your life purpose. For example, you may retire from your career or your children may move far away. But this is not a time to stop moving forward. Later life can be a time of exciting new adventures if you let it. Healthy aging means finding activities that you enjoy Everyone has different ways of experiencing meaning and joy, and the activities you enjoy may change over time. If you’re not sure where to get started, try some of the following suggestions: Pick up a long-neglected hobby Play with your grandchildren or a favorite pet Learn something new (an instrument, a foreign language, a new game) Get involved in your community (volunteer or attend a local event) Take a class or join a club Go on a weekend trip to a place you’ve never visited Spend time in nature (take a walk, go fishing, enjoy a scenic view) Enjoy the arts (visit a museum, go to a concert or a play) The possibilities are endless. The important thing is to find activities that are both meaningful and enjoyable. Whatever your preference, taking time to nourish your spirit is never wasted. Some healthy aging tips...Read more here: http://www.helpguide.org/life/healthy_aging_seniors_aging_well.htm

 

[Elzee]

I like these tips and suggestions. They don't have to cost you any money. Sometimes, what we need is a good nap. My hubby and I were feeling a little under the weather this past week and realized we just need to take naps to help us get through this under the weather business. It worked and now, we are over whatever that under the weather was all about. Now that the weather has turned rainy and cooler, we are feeling better. Such is life. All we can do is look for that silver lining. And be grateful for what we have. Sunny health on a rainy day. Time for our hobbies and a game of gin.

 

[TWHRider]

I can't get the link to open but it's mid-afternoon and good Ole Hughes.net must be very busy

I know not everyone can live on a farm, nor do they want to BUT ---- farm work does one of two things to a person:

1. Keeps you in great physical condition because there's so much work to do and great mental condition because nobody has time to think about being sick, under the weather, depressed or anything. Regardless of "the situation" ya just have to keep plugging away because, plain and simple, the chores don't stop if one is having a bad day.

2. You just flat out drop dead of heart failure from doing all of #1 and whomever's left behind either keeps chuggin' along until they have heart failure or they sell the farm and move into a retirement community - lol lol lol lol

 

[SeaBreeze]

I can't imagine the extent of all the chores of farm life, tending to the animals, etc. I'm grateful that my jobs were fairly physical when I was working, I feel like I'm in better shape for it. But like you say, unlike the farm, you can call in sick if you're having an "off" day. :winter2: