Things change as we get older. It’s easy to feel like we don’t move like we used to, we don’t look like we used to, and we don’t think like we used to. However, that doesn’t mean you have to succumb to all the changes that come with aging!
It’s true that things are going to be different as you get older, but that doesn’t mean they have to make you feel like a different person. Feel like that same 20-something from your past well into your golden years with these tips.
Avoid Trips and Slips
Did you know there are over eight million emergency room visits every year due to falls? Some of these happen at work, some happen out and about, and some happen at home. If you’re a senior, your chances of experiencing a fall increase with age, and the likelihood of experiencing a full recovery from a fall decreases.
In many cases, it’s a trip or a slip that causes seniors to move into a senior living facility or a nursing home. If you want to feel like yourself, it means staying at home, and that means preventing trips, slips, and falls.
There are many things you can do to prevent an accident. Some of the other tips on this list will help, but so will modifying your home. A few tips for keeping your home fall-proof include:
- Install hallway lighting and nightlights in the bedroom
- Secure rugs to the floor, or get rid of them altogether
- Clear out the clutter so there are fewer things to trip over
- Install grab bars in the bathroom
Move Your Body
Moving your body to keep it strong is a great way to prevent falls in your home, but it can also make you feel younger. It doesn’t mean you have to train for a marathon in your golden years either! There are a lot of great exercises for seniors that will get your body moving without straining your muscles or your respiratory system.
A few low-impact exercises that will strengthen your muscles and increase your range of motion include:
- Dancing
- Walking
- Swimming
- Strength training
- Yoga
Exercise Your Brain
Exercising your body is important, as it can make your body feel more like it used to when you were younger, but exercising your brain is important too. As we age, it’s normal for our memory and brain function to decrease. That is unless we do something about it.
There are a lot of wonderful exercises that will keep your brain healthy and active. It could include those brain-training apps you may have heard about, but completing a puzzle, gardening, or learning a new language can help too.
If you really want to give your brain a boost, work your memory muscles. Instead of relying on your phone book to find a number, try and memorize your loved one’s phone numbers. Doing math in your head is great for your brain too!
Stay Social
It’s normal to have fewer friends as you age. It’s especially true when you’re raising a family, as you may not have a lot of time for friends when your kids are young. However, it is important throughout our lives, and it’s especially important as you get older.
Staying social will make you feel more like your old self, especially if you reach out to old friends! Ideas for making new friends include taking a senior fitness class, traveling, or getting to know your neighbors. If you’re so inclined, you can connect with new people on social media.
Make New Memories
Seniors are known for living in the past. They love to reminisce about old friends, when children were younger, and old adventures. However, being young means not only connecting yourself to your roots, but it means making new memories!
Making new memories is great for your brain, but it’s also great for your interpersonal relationships. That’s especially the case with the younger people in your life. Invite a loved one out to dinner or learn a new skill with a friend. It will give you both something to talk about instead of them listening while you drone on again about that one road trip you took with the kids 40 years ago.
Just because things change when you get older doesn’t mean you have to feel like you’ve lost yourself! There are many things you can do to feel like your younger self as time continues to march forward.