5 Ways to Help Seniors Stay Mentally Fit

For a number of reasons, aging in place at home is important to many seniors. While there are many incredible benefits to staying home, being home alone can foster a sense of isolation and depression. Relationships both new and old can begin to wind down as time marches on, leaving many elderly folks with far less social interaction than they need for a healthy and fulfilling life. A caregiver, here are five ways you can help the seniors stay mentally fit.

Encourage Conversation

While your primary job as a caregiver is to provide for a senior's physical wellbeing, their mental wellbeing is just as important. That's why you should try to encourage conversation and interaction with both yourself and others. As some people age, they become more withdrawn and closed off compared to how they may have been in their younger years. While there are many reasons for this, one solution that often has good results is simply keeping a conversation going or urging them to talk more.

Assist With Internet

Depending on the age of the person you're caring for, the Internet may be totally foreign to them. Whether they're reconnecting with family and old friends on social media or simply finding new means of entertainment, helping a senior learn to use a computer is a great way to improve their ability to connect. Just remember to educate them properly on online safety.

Stay Fit

Good diet and exercise become even more important as we age. This makes it crucial for you as a caregiver to ensure that the seniors under your care are getting a good amount of exercise during each day and have healthy food to eat. These things help to improve mood, ward off weakness and disease, and potentially open up avenues for meeting new people at events like exercise classes.

Keep Busy

Retirement is often not all it's cracked up to be. In fact, many seniors continue working for years after retirement age for no other reason to simply have something to do with all their time. If your senior is not currently working, you can help fill this gap in time with constructive activities that occupy them like work used to. Finding chores that need doing, activities that use their brain, scheduled periods for walks or exercise, and skill development are all great ideas to start with.

Monitor Health

As the person most involved with a senior's care, it's on you to carefully monitor the health of those under your supervision. This means learning about new pains or discomfort someone is feeling, ensuring they take their medication, and more. It's all fairly simple but can be difficult for seniors to remember on their own, hence why you're assisting as a home caregiver.

With these five simple things in mind, you can help seniors stay mentally fit while they age in place. For more ideas and guidance on how to care for seniors, contact Senior Helpers of South Shore Boston. We offer a variety of services ranging from overnight senior care, live in home care, around the clock care, and more.