7 Best Tips for Promoting Seniors’ Health & Wellness

The best way to live a healthy life is to ensure that our brains and bodies function at their optimum level. How you live your life plays a major role in determining your health. Several habits harm your health, including smoking, drinking alcohol, and not exercising enough.

Seniors have always ignored health promotion activities meant to promote their health. A long time ago, in the early 1990s, it was recognised that advancing in age had some health implications and that this needed to be promoted.

Senior citizens tend to have more chronic conditions or multiple sclerosis than younger people. They often have a limited capacity when it comes to their functional capabilities. It is important to consider these limitations when designing health promotion programs for seniors. In addition, professional health promoters need to become more involved and offer more individualised approaches.

Checklist for Healthy Ageing

• Promoting brain health and well-being through education and training
• Seniors have the potential to promote physical health as well.
• The following ways will help identify and treat some common problems associated with ageing, such as falls, memory problems, depression, isolation, and incontinence among seniors. Falls, pains, memory problems, depression, and isolation can occur in seniors. This article also explains how to manage any chronic condition properly.

As you age, taking primary health care of your body and keeping it as healthy as possible is vital.

World Health Organisation Definitions of Health

The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines health as total physical, mental, and social well-being. Health, however, refers to more than just an absence of disease or its treatment. To be healthy is to be a source of resources that can be used in everyday life, not just a means to an end. To be healthy is to be a source of help that incorporates personal and social resources.

Health promotion gives people greater control over their health, and their quality of life is improved. Health promotion aims to utilise health practically to enable individuals and organisations to be more productive, social, and economical daily. Among the reasons why a certain group of people might be singled out for health promotion or public health could likely be epidemiological reasons, such as interventions that target disadvantaged and vulnerable populations. This paper focuses on the promotion of age-related health and public health care for seniors. Various interventions for health promotion can be undertaken, ranging from small-scale programs to large-scale national programs.

7 Proven Ways to Promote Physical Health

1. Make sure you exercise regularly

Exercise increases mobility and strength in seniors. Provided you don’t do too much or get injured, it can improve almost every aspect of your physical health.

The Journal of American Medical Association published a 2014 study that demonstrated sedentary individuals aged 70-89, who exercised in a structured way, had a lower risk of major mobility disabilities. Researchers have shown that even less exercise than recommended is healthy. Remember to do something each day rather than nothing at all. The most important thing is finding an activity you enjoy, and walking is a very popular activity. In addition, seniors might benefit from structured classes that take them through their daily exercise routine while supporting them.

Exercise is important for everyone, whether a young adult or a senior citizen. Exercise should be incorporated into all four categories for senior citizens, i.e. to enhance strength, endurance, balance, and flexibility.

2. Do not smoke at all

The main reason is that smoking adversely affects your physical and mental health. The effects of smoking are particularly damaging to the lungs, and smoking also increases the chance of a stroke or heart condition. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) caused by tobacco use is characterised by a long list of problems that can continue to happen for many years.

The great news is that it is possible for someone who has suffered from smoking-related health problems to quit smoking. By quitting smoking, the chances of you dying prematurely will be reduced, and you will live longer and healthier.

Nicotine addiction can make quitting smoking difficult. Three to six per cent of people who leave without help succeed. Combining counselling with medications is a proven way to quit smoking, and there is a 30% success rate. Several attempts may be required.

3. Sleep adequately

According to research, sleep deprivation is associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease, inflammation in the body, and a compromised immune system. Sleep loss can also lead to fatigue, affecting mood and physical activity.

As people age, they may get less sleep and may have fatigue or persistent sleep problems. Most sleep problems in seniors can be easily corrected when properly evaluated.

4. Do not over-work yourself

Chronic stress may lead to physical health problems, including insulin resistance, cardiovascular disease, and reduced immune function. A study suggests that acute and chronic stress increases inflammatory activity and the ageing process in the body.

It is of note that financial stress, relationship stress, and caregiving stress are the most common causes of stress in seniors. Taking a common, habitual approach, such as exercising, meditation, relaxation techniques, and improving sleep, and combining these ideas with strategies that help you manage stress may be the answer to reducing chronic stress.

5. Make sure to maintain a healthy weight

It is well known that obesity is a major risk factor in the development of disabilities in later life. A body mass index (BMI) of greater than 30 indicates obesity, which is associated with aggravating the symptoms of arthritis. It is also related to several health issues, including cancer, diabetes, and hyperglycaemia.

Researchers have shown that even if overweight or obese people lose 5-7 per cent of their current weight, they will be able to have a more positive effect on both their physical and psychological well-being.

If you are a senior, keep in mind that accidental weight loss has been a major concern for health professionals when it comes to your health.

Low-fat diets are recommended for many health reasons, including weight loss and preventing cancer. When considering what weight loss strategy you should try, it is advisable to research all your options before making a decision. The seniors are not recommended to lose weight on an intentional basis.

6. Make sure that you follow a healthy diet

It is well known that diet directly impacts one’s physical health, and many people are aware of this fact. Seniors may have a higher need for calories and protein since malnutrition becomes more common as they age, which can play a role in their frailty.

According to experts and the general population, there is still a lot of debate on which foods should and shouldn’t be included in a healthy diet. It is important to recognise that diet has a very different impact on each individual. One should always pay attention to how your body reacts to the diet you are following, and therefore, you must follow your body’s reaction to the diet you are following. According to research, most people can benefit from the Mediterranean diet if they consume high levels of fibre and low amounts of saturated fat, and fewer added sugars.

7. Making alterations to your nutrition to strengthen microbiomes

New evidence states that the microbiome (specifically the symbiotic bacteria) present in our gut greatly impacts our health. Many factors, including healthy food, age, and various other factors influence the gut microbiome.

Regarding optimising a person’s microbiome, certain foods have been proven beneficial for certain individuals, and researchers are currently researching the benefits of fermented foods and probiotics. Eat veggies and cut out processed foods and sugars for better gut health. Much research is being conducted in the field of cognition and ageing, focusing on the impact of the microbiome on the human body.

Conclusion

The health and fitness of seniors help them keep their bodies away from illness. The above-listed ways will surely help seniors in promoting their health.

FAQ

What is health promotion for seniors?

Increasing or maintaining one’s functional capacity, maintaining or improving self-care abilities, and keeping a social-network active are core aspects of senior health promotion. As part of this health promotion, the aim is to increase and maintain independence, self-sufficiency, and a longer, healthier lifespan.

How can individuals promote health and wellness into late adulthood?

The benefits of exercise for older people have been well established. In addition, it reduces the risks associated with cardiovascular disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, osteoporosis, colon cancer, and breast cancer. There is also a decrease in the risk of falling and injuries related to falling.

How can nurses promote health?

Through encouragement and education, nurses provide the catalyst for healthier lifestyles for the people they deal with, helping make it easier for patients to receive preventative treatments such as counselling, screenings, and vaccinations.