How to Help Older Adults Rediscover Meaning in Life
By Home Care Assistance Des Moines 9 am on
Living a purposeful life can increase independence and boost self-esteem in the senior years. Having meaningful activities and goals can enhance abilities and lead to better physical and mental health. Here are some ways to help seniors find a sense of purpose.
Find Engaging Activities
A sense of worth and purpose can often be found in the things seniors do each day. Working in a garden may seem like a simple activity, but it can have many health benefits. Seniors may look forward to getting up and completing the gardening activities, knowing they’re achieving something while having fun. Find engaging activities for your senior parent by making a list of his or her dislikes and preferences, then take that list and find fun, stimulating, and enjoyable activities, which may include volunteering, gaming, or dancing. Socializing and engaging in meaningful conversations can often help seniors regain a sense of purpose. For families living in Des Moines, respite care can be a wonderful solution when their aging loved ones need companionship and socialization a few hours a week or just need minor assistance with daily household tasks. At Home Care Assistance, we thrive on helping seniors maintain their independence while living in the comfort of home.
Encourage Exercise
Working out the mind and body can lead to engaging daily practices. Encourage your loved one to try stimulating exercises such as yoga, walking, and hiking. While completing the activities, your loved one can focus on positive things, including the goals he or she wants to achieve. He or she can regain mental strength and clarity with daily practices that include physical exercise. Even completing a hike through a neighborhood trail can provide your loved one with a sense of purpose. Exercises are engaging practices, and the activities can keep seniors physically fit during the retirement years, reducing their risk of depression and various age-related health issues.Some seniors need help to exercise safely. If your elderly loved one needs help maintaining a high quality of life while aging in place, reach out to Home Care Assistance, a trusted provider of Des Moines home care services. Our caregivers provide transportation to and from medical appointments and social events, nutritious meal preparation, assistance with daily exercise, and help with everyday tasks like bathing, grooming, and light housekeeping.
Promote Creativity
Finding things of interest is the best place for seniors to start when they’re searching for a purpose in life. Purposeful activities can often be found in creative aspirations. Keep in mind that one of the fundamental aspects of being human is the ability to express creativity. Exploring their creative side can provide seniors with a sense of meaning and lead to more fulfillment. Some artistic interests can lead to part-time jobs and other opportunities. For instance, if your loved one enjoys journaling, he or she could become a blogger and even make money from the works he or she creates.
Suggest Becoming a Part of a Group
Being surrounded by other positive individuals can help seniors look into themselves and find goals that keep them going. While attending the groups, your loved one will gravitate to like-minded members and could even start a new club, such as a book group or an art meetup. The objective of belonging to a group is to bring purpose to your parent’s life, regardless of what that may be. Your loved one may even discover new interests that he or she never had the determination or courage to pursue. Learning more about who and what he or she identifies with at this stage of life could lead to new goals and purposes.In Des Moines, elderly home care agenciescan be a great boon to seniors. With the help of the caregivers at Home Care Assistance, your aging loved one can lead a happier and healthier life. We offer a revolutionary program called the Balanced Care Method, which encourages seniors to eat nutritious foods, exercise and socialize regularly, and focus on other lifestyle factors that increase life expectancy. We will work with you to create a customized home care plan that’s suited for your loved one’s unique needs. Call the Home Care Assistance team at (515) 264-2438 today.
