Aged Care Facility or At Home: Elders Aging Beautifully is Possible with a Little Help
One of the things that we cannot control is aging. Regardless of our lifestyle, aging is still unavoidable. If you have lived a healthy lifestyle, you are guaranteed to have a much better health as you age. This is commonly seen in different facilities whenever we engage ourselves with our residents. There are many factors that could make our elders happy whether they are at home or at the aged care facility; certainly one of which is the fact that they have lived a healthy and active life in their younger years that somehow helps in delaying the process of aging. It is always nice to see that some residents feel younger than most people their age as they join different daily activities. They make sure to live each day stress-free and happy. And as many would agree, aging is all in the mind after all. It should not hinder us to be the person we have always wanted to be.
It is never too late to start a healthy life. With a little effort, and if taken seriously, healthy lifestyle is easily achievable. We should never stop encouraging our elders to aim for good habits. To ensure one’s aging gracefully, we must encourage eating a healthy and balanced diet, do regular exercise, and get a good amount of rest and sleep. We must also help them in achieving a peaceful mindset to make sure that they are able to cope with their everyday lives being in an aged care facility. It is also worthwhile that we consistently reiterate the practice of “looking after themselves and other people” for it is our goal to help them age with a lovely spark. Keep their fire and joy in living.
We must let them interact with people their age while sharing their common interests as it keeps them occupied emotionally and physically in a good way. Allow them to express their feelings without barriers. And most of all, listen to their concerns intently. With all these being in mind, we are creating an environment not just full of activities to fulfill but an environment where love and care truly exists.
We should enlighten our residents and their families on the reality of coming to care and it doesn’t mean that they are automatically sick or abandoned but is only being introduced to another journey of their lives. Offer them the choice of staying at home by themselves or having caring individuals around them that could aid in maintaining quality life.
The facility provides several ways for them to age beautifully—interact with others and build strong friendships overtime, develop recreational programs to be more proactive, organized different social to capitalize on establishing relationship.
Wherever they chose to spend their old age, it is important that we all contribute to their aging journey with respect and dignity.
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