Your senior’s health is a big part of her life. But if the focus is on illness rather than on wellness, she might not see all the ways in which she is still well.
Adjust Her Diet
What your elderly family member eats can play into her overall health and well-being. If she’s eating a lot of processed foods or foods that don’t have high nutritional value, that’s going to have a big effect on her health. Work on adjusting her diet to one that is full of the nutrients that she needs, to help her to feel better mentally and physically.
Add Exercise to Her Routine
Talk to your senior’s doctor about how exercise might help her. Even a modified routine of very light exercise can help your senior’s body to get the endorphins and other benefits that it needs. She may start to sleep better and she may start to crave healthier foods to support the extra movement her body is doing.
Assess Her Mindset
When someone’s mindset is stuck in negative, that’s a problem. Shifting negative self-talk to positive self-talk is one way to adjust her mindset. When she says or thinks something negative, encourage her to turn that statement around to a more positive framework. Instead of focusing on being tired, for instance, encourage her to focus on how rest helps her to feel better and to do the things that she wants to do. So “I’m tired” can become “I need to rest.”
Focus on Her Social Life
If your elderly family member isn’t spending time with other family members and friends like she did in the past, she might be feeling isolated. It’s difficult to maintain a positive attitude when someone feels alone and forgotten. It might be time to bring in senior care providers who can spend time with her and engage her in activities and conversations.
Include Positive People Around Her
You might want to talk to the people who spend the most time with your elderly family member and let them know what you’re trying to do. They can offer more help when they understand that you’re trying to shift the focus to one of positivity and wellness. When the people around your senior have positive attitudes, those can rub off on her.
When the focus of your senior’s attention is primarily on negative aspects of her life, that has a profound effect on her mental health. Shifting that focus toward wellness and positivity can take time, but it is possible. Don’t expect your elderly family member to change her experience overnight.
If you or an aging loved one are considering senior care in Columbus, MT, please contact the caring staff at SYNERGY HomeCare Billings today at 406-839-2390.
