Seniors deserve to live happy and fulfilled lives. They have spent their younger years working, caring for family, and preparing for the future. However, many individuals find they don’t have a high quality of life for several reasons. What can be done to combat this?
Factors Affecting a Senior’s Quality of Life
Health issues often negatively impact a senior’s quality of life. Chronic pain and ongoing medical treatment interfere with their ability to enjoy life, and they may suffer from anxiety or depression as a result of these health issues.
Countless seniors find they are isolated due to limited mobility. Some men and women cannot get out to community events and activities, and they see very few people every week. Many men and women aged 50 and older struggle with social isolation or loneliness, and this negatively impacts their health.
Their home environment often plays a role in this. If they feel uncomfortable or unsafe in their home, they become at higher risk of injury, social isolation, loneliness, and depression. Numerous men and women find moving to assisted living In Palmdale results in an immediate improvement of their quality of life. Why is this the case?
Regular Medical Care
Transportation serves as a barrier to regular medical care for many elderly individuals. They no longer drive and must rely on someone to take them to and from appointments. This leads to them feeling as if they are a burden on others, so they may forego regular medical care. When a person moves to an assisted living community, staff members ensure they get the medical care they need in a timely manner.
Physical Exercise
Americans live longer today than their ancestors. To ensure their senior years are enjoyable, they need to engage in regular exercise and physical activity. Doing so helps to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, stroke, and certain types of cancer. It likewise reduces their risk of dementia and mental health issues. In addition, a person who engages in regular physical activity reduces their risk of injury and falls. A reputable assisted living community offers regular physical activity and exercise opportunities for residents to improve their quality of life.
Mental Exercise
A senior cannot neglect their brain when exercising. When a person becomes bored or lacks stimulation, they may become depressed and experience cognitive decline. Brain games help to prevent this by keeping the individual sharp and in a good state of mind. Assisted living communities keep board games and puzzles on hand for seniors along with books to stimulate the mind.
A senior may wish to learn a musical instrument or spend time journaling their life for future generations to read. Take a class or learn a new hobby. Remaining mentally active helps to protect a senior from boredom, so choose a community that provides plenty of opportunities for a person to train their brain.
Social Activities
Senior living communities often employ an activities coordinator to ensure residents are stimulated and have numerous opportunities to interact with others. This may involve volunteering or having residents engage with pets from a local shelter to socialize them and make them more adoptable. Certain communities run an adopt-a-grandparent program to allow residents to engage with young children. This helps to reduce social isolation while giving the senior a purpose. They are helping others and receiving benefits at the same time.
Ask if the community offers family meals and outings. Meals serve as the ideal time to bring individuals together and brighten their days. However, the community should offer other options to bring people together, such as book clubs, arts and crafts activities, and game nights.
Each senior determines what is important to them when it comes to quality of life. Every person has their own perspective on what this means, and a senior living community should take this into account. It must factor in these different requirements and ensure every resident has what they need to improve their quality of life. When choosing a community for a loved one, take this into consideration and learn about the socialization opportunities for residents. These opportunities should cover the areas mentioned above and more for a higher quality of life for residents.
About Palm Vista Senior Living:
Palm Vista Senior Living offers everything seniors need to live their lives the way they desire. They don’t need to do anything other than enjoy life while living in this community, as the staff maintains a vibrant social calendar. The community offers assisted living and memory care to better meet the needs of all residents.