Many people associate getting older with losing independence, but that doesn’t have to be the case! Self-help practices for the elderly, like the ones below, can help older adults maintain autonomy in their daily lives and age with grace and dignity.
What is Self-Help? And Why Is It Important?
Self-help is the practice of improving or helping the self without the direct supervision or guidance of professionals. This practice is important for older people to help them maintain a sense of freedom and independence, sharpen their mental acuity, and develop a strong sense of self-worth.
5 Self-Help Tips for Older Adults
If you’re an older adult looking for ways to improve yourself or maintain your independence, the following self-help tips and actions may be worth exploring.
1. Get Involved in Advocacy Efforts
You are your own best advocate. If you want to help improve rights and social services for older people, make your voice heard by getting involved in advocacy efforts.
These efforts can include:
- Talking to your representatives about elder rights laws. You can learn more about U.S. bills regarding elder rights here, find your representatives here, and get prompts for phone calls to your representatives on major issues here.
- Attending town halls to make your voice heard on local legislation. You can visit your city’s official government site to learn more about your local town halls.
- Join an advocacy group to become more involved, such as the AARP.
2. Take an Exercise Class
An exercise class is a wonderful way to keep social while promoting physical well-being. Yoga, tai chi, and water aerobics classes at a local community center are all low-impact classes that can offer a great workout in a safe and social environment.
3. Attend Support Groups
Being independent doesn’t mean doing everything alone. Having other people to talk to about life’s hardest challenges—like bereavement or fighting cancer—can work wonders for your mental health and help you gain fresh perspectives. Even just joining a relevant social media group may help.
Examples of support groups and resources that many older people find helpful include:
- American Heart Association Support Network
- Cancer Survivors Network from American Cancer Society
- National Widowers Organization’s support group locator tool
- Parkinson’s Foundation’s Online PD Community
4. Audit a Class
A love of learning doesn’t stop at a certain age. Be a lifelong learner and broaden your skills and perspectives by taking a class.
Find a subject that interests you and then get in touch with your local library or community college. Many libraries, for example, offer financial literacy or technology literacy courses for seniors. Several colleges also let older adults audit courses for free or at reduced costs. See what’s available in your community—you may just be surprised at all the available opportunities that await you!
5. Healthy Sleep Habits
A core component of wellness is a good night’s sleep.
- Limiting alcohol consumption, especially right before bedtime
- Not drinking caffeine after noon
- Limiting naps to 30 minutes a day or less
- Keeping a consistent sleep schedule
- Sleeping in a comfortable environment
- Avoiding screens at least 30 minutes before bedtime
Self-Help Resources for Seniors and Families
The following resources can help older people live independently in their own homes or in specialized senior housing; they may be of use to you or an aging relative.
- Aging Ahead, an organization dedicated to supporting older people and navigating life while aging.
- Avista Senior Living, a network of memory care and assisted living facilities dedicated to providing quality senior care services to older adults and their family members, such as respite care.
- Eldercare Locator, a free tool from the Administration for Community Living that connects older people with senior care services in their area.
- Family Caregiver Alliance, which, among other senior services, helps family caregivers find support groups.
- Meals on Wheels, which offers free or reduced-priced home-delivered meals to older people who are housebound or have limited transportation options.
- National Center on Elder Abuse, an organization dedicated to helping prevent elder abuse and connecting families with social and legal resources.
- Self-Help for the Elderly (www.selfhelpelderly.org), a non-profit organization dedicated to helping San Francisco area seniors lead their lives with independence and dignity.
- The Senior Citizens League (TSCL), a nonpartisan senior group dedicated to promoting and protecting the rights of older U.S. citizens.
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which can provide guidance on taking steps to naturalization for foreign-born legal residents.
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which offers vouchers for affordable housing for low-income seniors.
- Medicare-certified Home Health Agencies locator tool, a tool that helps seniors find home health care providers that offer services like Alzheimer’s care, house cleaning, and hospice care. Services from these home health aides may be covered under Medicaid andMedicare, depending on the senior’s situation.
Growing older can be a time of great joy and learning—make the most of it with these self-help tips for the elderly.