Living Longer and Healthier

For the last twenty years, people are living longer and are remaining healthier during the last years of their lives. Past research discovered that people usually have poor health during the last few years of their life, however, due to advancements in medicine and nutrition knowledge, people can now remain healthier into their later years.  Working in the senior care Los Angeles arena for more than fifteen years we have learned some valuable insights. Here are some suggestions how to feel great and be healthier long into your latter years:

1. Diet. Ward off fatigue in the afternoon.  Many adults have problems with fatigue during the afternoon hours.  In order to avoid this, drink water and eat foods such as prunes that are filled with antioxidants.  These types of foods can energize the body and jumpstart your brain.
2. Exercise Your Brain. Do exercises from the neck up.  Finding ways to exercise the brain is very important for elderly adults.  This does wonders for keeping memory loss conditions such as Alzheimer’s and dementia at a distance.  Consider doing things like word game puzzles and memory exercises.  For instance, walk around the neighborhood and look for seven blue items during your walk.  Once you get home, try to remember where they were located.
3. Share meals.  You will eat less if you dine with a partner.  This is an excellent weight loss strategy.  In addition, it keeps you social.  This is simple for the person who lives in an elderly community setting.  It would be wise for elderly adults who live alone to have more meals with their friends and family.
4. Experience the Unusual. Do something out of the ordinary. You tend to get brain tired when doing the same things over and over again. Change your eating habits and try something new.  For instance, try eating fresh peaches instead of canned ones.  Also, switch up your route when going to the grocery store.
5. Reduce salt. High blood pressure can decrease your cognitive function and lead to strokes.  This is a condition that gets worse as you age.  As you get older your sense of taste seems to change also. This makes you want to eat more salt as a result.  Cut back on your salt and take up more exercises like dancing.  Doing these things will help increase your cognitive function and help with your blood pressure as well.
6. Exercises.  Start doing exercises that make you stronger and flexible.  Add a few balance exercises to your lifestyle.  Try doing things such as yoga, water exercises and anything that can increase your center of gravity.

There’s nothing better than being healthy in your senior years.  For more information about healthy senior living contact our Los Angeles caregiving agency at: (323) 650-2211.