Maintaining a Good Mental Health in Our Silver Years

January 23 06:40 2020 by admin Print This Article

The way people perceive aging has changed drastically over the last decade. It is no longer equated to a dependent lifestyle and neither is it now considered a period during which mental health issues are inescapable. The proof of this is all around us as we see our senior citizens happily taking off on that much anticipated Europe tour or enthusiastically taking up a course through online distance education. Of course, we do have the advances in medical care and the availability of the best geriatric care to thank for this change.  For this happy trend to continue, here are a few pointers that we can follow to age happily and gracefully.

Planning Ahead for Retirement:

It is indeed extremely important to save enough before retirement. Even if we don’t plan to stop working completely (as many people nowadays prefer taking up part time jobs and some even try their hand at starting their own ventures), having a nest egg will give us the freedom of choice. If for some reason things don’t work out, we will always have the back up of our saved money. The importance of savings cannot be stressed enough as it takes away the mental burden where finances are concerned. Not being dependent on children or anyone else for money will boost our self esteem as well.

Also Read: Fall prevention tips for seniors

Healthy Diet:

A diet made up of fruits and vegetables along with a lot of water to stay well hydrated is key to a healthy life. Caffeine, alcohol and bottled drinks are best avoided. Smoking is a complete no-no as well.

Physical Exercise:

The benefits of physical activity are manifold. Not only does exercising release endorphins contributing to a mood lift, it boosts self confidence and also aids in a good night’s sleep. If you are averse to joining a gym, any kind of physical activity that you enjoy will serve the purpose. Exercise benefits not only physical health but mental health too. Regular exercise has been proven to have a positive impact on anxiety, depression, etc.

Mental Exercise:

Just like physical exercise, mental exercise is equally important. It is necessary to keep the brain active post retirement. How do we do this? Simple everyday tasks can be taken as a form of mental exercise, for example, memorizing the provisions shopping list instead of jotting it down; or trying out the crossword as we skim through the newspaper.

Spending Time with Friends and Family:

Spending time with children and grandchildren is a great way to alleviate stress. Of course we should keep in mind their schedules and be understanding when we are unable to spend as much time as we would like. We can actually use this as an opportunity to catch up with friends. Talking to friends will help us realize that we are not alone in the problems that we are facing. It will also give us a different viewpoint on situations, something we might never have considered before. Apart from all this, talking to friends is at times all the medicine that we need.

Reaching Out for Help:

It is important to remember that sometimes in spite of our best efforts to stay healthy and active, help might be needed. During times like these, we should not hesitate to reach out. Having a frank talk with someone close to us might be beneficial, if it is not, we should definitely seek professional advice. Availing the best geriatric care can definitely help overcome physical and mental challenges.

Volunteering:

Helping others is indeed a way of helping ourselves as it brings joy and a sense of purpose to our lives.

Adopting a Pet: Studies have shown that pets not only reduce stress, anxiety and depression but they have also proven themselves to be valuable companions as we grow older keeping loneliness at bay. 

Kauvery Hospital is globally known for its multidisciplinary services at all its Centers of Excellence, and for its comprehensive, Avant-Grade technology, especially in diagnostics and remedial care in heart diseases, transplantation, vascular and neurosciences medicine. Located in the heart of Trichy (Tennur, Royal Road and Alexandria Road (Cantonment), Chennai, Hosur, Salem, Tirunelveli and Bengaluru, the hospital also renders adult and pediatric trauma care.

Chennai – 044 4000 6000 • Trichy – Cantonment – 0431 4077777 • Trichy – Heartcity – 0431 4003500 • Trichy – Tennur – 0431 4022555 • Hosur – 04344 272727 • Salem – 0427 2677777 • Tirunelveli – 0462 4006000 • Bengaluru – 080 6801 6801