With age comes wisdom, confidence, and senior discounts. The downside is that with age also comes frail bodies, increased risk for disease, loneliness, and the inability to do the things we once could.
While it’s not all bad, it’s certainly not easy. And, it’s not something any of us can avoid. Therefore, it’s always a good idea to be prepared. There are all kinds of things we can do to be more ready for old age. For example, saving money for retirement, writing a will, ensuring we have the best medical coverage available to us, and taking care of ourselves to prevent getting frail earlier than we might have otherwise are all excellent first steps.
However, there are some things that are sometimes overlooked. Check out these three things we must do to prepare for old age.
Prepare Your Home
Let’s be honest—we’d all prefer to age gracefully in the comfort of our own home. This seemed evident in one study that actually found that senior citizens fear moving into a nursing home even more than they fear death. One of the best ways to prevent needing to move into an assisted living facility is by remodeling our homes to be better accessible for our aging bodies.
Everyone needs bathroom access, therefore, it may be best to start by considering a handicap bathroom design that will be accessible for any mobility issues in the future. For older folks, some expenses may even be covered by Medicare.
Keep Your Health In Check
According to familydoctor.org, preventive care is especially important the older we get because diseases become more and more common as we age. An annual wellness exam is the best way to make sure everything is going okay, get any vaccinations we may need, and to receive guidance on the other medical screenings we should be getting now that we’re aging. This is the best way to live as long and as happily as possible. Plus, the quality of life is extremely important to maintain a positive outlook.
Another thing to consider for optimal quality of life is our hearing. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), around one in three people between the ages of 65 and 74 have hearing loss. They also explain that having trouble hearing can lead to people having difficulties understanding their doctor’s instructions, hearing alarms (like the phone or a smoke alarm, for example), and it can affect the quality of life by making it hard to socialize leading to feelings of loneliness. Therefore, considering getting a hearing aid can be a great way to improve our quality of life in our later years (check out https://www.soundrelief.com/location/hearing-aid-centennial/ for more information).
Remain Physically Active
The quote “stop moving, start dying” was made clear in a recent Swedish study reported on my Help Guide that found that being physically active was the “number one contributor to longevity.” From light exercise (consider taking more walks with loved ones) to physical training aimed towards seniors, any amount of moving for as long as we can is going to benefit our health in a positive way.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, inactivity becomes more prominent as we age. This is unfortunate considering that they also note that being physically active can reduce the risk of falls, help with pain management, lower blood pressure, and improve mood. Starting now and making sure we say active into old age is going to help everything necessary to maintain a healthy, happy, and fulfilling lifestyle well into the “golden years.”
Tip: Consider signing up for a senior exercise class to stay active while being social with people our own age.
