June 24th marks the beginning of the summer version of Self-care Month. The month ends on July 24th. These two dates were chosen specifically because self-care is something that should be practiced “24 hours a day and seven days a week.” That’s an important message for your senior and for you as well. Working through creating a self-care plan may be a lot easier than either of you suspect, so it might be time to give it a try.
What Does Self-care Mean?
Self-care is when a person is involved in and aware of their health needs, both physical and emotional. Then, that person chooses activities, habits, and plans that support improving wellness. For your senior, self-care might feel like something that is becoming more difficult for her to do. That doesn’t have to be the case, however, especially with help from you and from in-home care providers.
Why Self-care Is So Important
There are lots of misunderstandings about self-care. It’s misinterpreted as being selfish by some people and by others as activities that are strictly recreational, like a bubble bath or a manicure. What self-care truly offers for people is a way to cope with the stressors of life, improve energy, improve self-esteem, and improve overall health and well-being. The activities that your senior might consider self-care can range widely.
Self-care Doesn’t Have to Mean Your Senior Is on Her Own
As with so many aspects of her life as she grows older, focusing on self-care does not mean that your senior has to be alone in that quest. You can help her to choose self-care activities and habits that will help her to meet her goals. And elder care providers can assist your senior in the daily hands-on tasks involved in achieving what she sets out to do.
Put Together a Self-care Plan with Your Senior that Works for Her
Sit down with your elderly family member and talk with her about what she wants from this time in her life. She may want to start making changes to her diet. Or she may want to become more physically active. It can also be a good idea for her to explore ideas like mindfulness and meditation to see how those might help her to have better health. In-home care providers can help your senior to put together a daily routine and stay on target.
Re-evaluate the Plan Periodically to Adjust for Changes
Any good plan is going to need to be examined now and then to make sure it’s still applicable. Give your elderly family member time to adapt her new habits and routines and to start to see results. If she changes her mind or changes her goals, the plan can change, too. That’s the true beauty of self-care, because what you’re trying to do is make improvements not force yourself to do things that don’t make sense for your goals.
Keeping your senior happy and healthy is your primary goal as her family caregiver, too. Helping your elderly family member to embrace self-care helps you to get farther along on the way to meeting that goal.
If you or an aging loved-one is considering In-Home Care in Bloomington, MN please contact the caring staff at Great Oak Senior Care, Inc. today. (952) 767-4925
- Monitoring Blood Pressure With Home Care - August 15, 2023
- Four Ways Post-Hospital Care Can Help Your Loved One - August 1, 2023
- Good Diet and Optimum Health With In-Home Care - July 11, 2023
