Avista Assisted Living in Prescott | Evergreen Village
It’s not only about living longer; it’s about living healthily and happily for longer. The changes that come along with aging can make it more challenging to maintain good health and wellness. Your mental and physical health significantly impacts your quality of life. While some changes are certainly out of your control, there are things you can do to ensure you age gracefully.
Exercise Regularly
Exercising daily helps you stay strong and healthy and lowers your risk of chronic illnesses such as arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, and more. It improves your overall strength, mobility, flexibility, balance, and endurance. Beyond that, it has mood-boosting effects and improves your sleep. It’s a win-win!
There are many different exercises, each with its own benefits. Be sure t do a mix of aerobic, flexibility, balance, and strengthening to get the best benefits. Yoga, pilates, walking, cycling, and resistance training, are great ways to get your body moving.
Keep a Well-Balanced Diet
Diet plays a crucial role in your mental and physical health. Diets high in sugar and processed foods can significantly affect psychological and physical health and increased risk of chronic diseases.
Eating healthy increases energy levels, lowers disease risk, boosts immunity, and improves overall mental and physical health. The ideal diet should be low in saturated fat, with loads of fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, oily fish, and only small amounts of low-fat dairy and lean meat.
Drink eight cups of water daily to stay hydrated, as dehydration is a common issue in seniors.
Get Enough Sleep
As we age, many of us have trouble getting – or staying – asleep, leaving you feeling tired and grumpy. Sleep is a crucial pillar of support for good mental and physical health. While you sleep, your body and mind can recover from the physical and mental demands of the day.
Getting enough sleep improves cognitive function, balance, and immunity, lowering your risk of chronic disease and helping you maintain a healthy weight.
Establish a bedtime routine, and include a cup of chamomile tea before bed.
Strengthen Your Relationships
Healthy relationships with friends and family can support overall well-being by providing a sense of belonging. Get connected on social media, try video chatting and consider volunteering in your community to meet new people.
Get in the Great Outdoors
Going outdoors supports good mental and physical health. Sun exposure, within reason, gives you much-needed vitamin D, which can support good bone health, muscular and cognitive function, and immunity. Going outdoors can also relieve stress and improve overall mental health and mood.
Take a walk, ride a bike, or sit outside to read or birdwatch. Shoot for 15-20 minutes in the sunshine each day to get your vitamin D boost.
Adopt a Pet
Animals can also support good mental health. They combat feelings of loneliness, lower levels of anxiety and depression, and encourage physical activity. Check with your assisted living community to learn about their pet policy.
Participate in Your Favorite Activities
Making time for what you enjoy helps you feel a sense of enrichment, lowers stress levels, and boosts your mood.
- Maintain religious or spiritual practices to give you a sense of purpose and connection to something greater.
- Get active by taking a dance or yoga class.
- Attend a lecture to learn something new.
- Put together a puzzle with friends, participate in arts and crafts, or play cards.
- Make time to enjoy the arts by attending an event in your senior living community or outside the community by visiting a museum or a performance.
Make time for your hobbies, but ensure you also set aside time to rest and recharge.
Look After Your Teeth
Brush your teeth twice a day and floss daily. Floss helps to prevent gum disease by removing pieces of food and plaque from between the teeth.
Leaving tartar and plaque to build up will cause soreness or bleeding gums. Caring for your teeth is more than just about your oral health – it’s connected to your overall health. Gum disease can be linked to diabetes, strokes, heart disease, and rheumatoid arthritis.
Ensure Healthy Aging with Assisted Living in Prescott
Choose an assisted living community that focuses on enrichment by offering different activities, events, and classes. Residents must get involved, focus on their mental and physical wellness, and connect with others.
At Evergreen Village in Prescott, AZ, our resident’s physical and mental health is our top priority. We offer a range of amenities and services to support our residents’ overall wellness and strive to create an environment in which they thrive.