September kicks off the start of fall weather, football, and so much more. Another special part of September is that it’s Healthy Aging Month! Whether you’re the child of an aging parent or someone who wants to be proactive about their age, read through our list below to learn about facts that can help you or your loved one live to the fullest.
1. What you eat matters.
Your diet is still important when you age, and if you focus on eating well, you can actually reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. You can also manage your chronic diseases you already have through healthy eating.
If you want tips for choosing healthy meals as you get older, click here, or for more general information about eating healthy as you age, click here.
2. You can still find exercise that you love.
Exercise is great for almost anybody. It combats health conditions and diseases like heart disease and high blood pressure. It improved your mood and gives you better energy.
Although you body might not feel the same as it used to, there are plenty of ways for you to get exercise. If you’re interested, check out this website that can help you ease into an exercise schedule you like and that you’ll be proud of!
3. Restless sleep can be fixed.
As you age, you may find yourself waking up more at night, and that’s okay. This could be because of physical discomfort, the need to use the bathroom, or some other factor. The Mayo Clinic has eight suggestions for getting better sleep as you age, but we’ll give you three here:
- Keep your sleep environment as dark as possible. This includes limiting lights from the television, computer screen and mobile devices. Light disrupts your body’s natural sleep rhythm.
- Stop drinking fluids within two hours of bedtime to minimize trips to the bathroom.
- Limit daytime napping to just 10 to 20 minutes. If you find that daytime naps make you less sleepy at bedtime, avoid napping altogether.
4. Depression is not a part of aging.
You might be tempted to think that depression is just a normal part of growing older. It is not. Older adults are at a higher risk for depression, and often it can be misdiagnosed or under-treated. If you feel like you know an older adult that might need help with their depression, encourage them to seek help. You could even offer to go to the therapist or physician with them.
If you know someone that is in immediate crisis:
- Call 911
- Visit a nearby emergency department or your health care provider’s office
- Call the toll-free, 24-hour hotline of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255); TTY: 1-800-799-4TTY (4889) to talk to a trained counselors
5. There are plenty of resources to help you age well!
Looking for a way to be the best you as you age? Take advantage of the numerous resources that can help you learn more about healthy aging, like:
- This healthy aging podcast series by the CDC
- HealthyAging.net
- Your primary care provider
- And so much more!
For personalized aging care, talk to the Family Health Clinic.
At the Family Health Clinic, we have providers that specialize in adult healthcare. We would be happy to see you and talk to you about how you can take care of your body as you age. If you would like to make an appointment to learn more, call (800) 321-5042.
Medicare Assistance
Medicare open enrollment is October 15th – December 7th.
If you need help navigating your Medicare choices or if you have questions about Medicare, contact Barb Hickner, SHIP Counselor, at 765-564-3016, EXT 2015. You can also learn more on our Financial Assistance page.
Resources:
Get more restful sleep:
Depression:
