Creating a schedule is an excellent way to stay organized and get the most out of life. This applies at any age, but creating a good schedule can be especially important for seniors and those who care for them. When a person moves into retirement, the structure can disappear from their life. An inactive, passive mode of living can develop if a senior does not take care to remain busy. That’s where a schedule is so helpful.
A schedule is also valuable for seniors as they age, particularly when cognitive decline starts to appear. Seniors with memory problems can quickly become disoriented and confused, which can make life miserable and cause many problems. Again, having a schedule can help. Short-term memory lapses are easier to navigate if the same schedule is followed daily.
With all that in mind, here are four vital tips to follow when making a schedule for a senior to follow. These tips will be valuable information for seniors and caretakers, family, or anyone else assisting a senior.
Include Social Activities
When people stop working, their interactions with others can be drastically reduced. Older seniors can worsen the problems as long-time friends pass away. This, however, is a very unhealthy pattern. Humans are naturally designed to be around one another. A lack of social connection is often a significant factor in depression and other mental problems.
It’s good for seniors to get out of their homes (as long as they are still physically capable) and around other people. The value of meeting new people never goes away. However, it may be higher for older people, for who trying new things is key to slowing brain aging.
Have a Consistent Schedule
Seniors are not well-suited to spontaneity. Activities can take much longer to complete for older people, making planning more important. Moreover, as mentioned before, seniors who begin to experience declines in memory can benefit significantly from having nearly the same schedule each day. Finally, a consistent schedule allows seniors to handle aging-related declines gracefully.
Stay Active
Aging is an inevitable process, it’s true. However, the rate at which declines in physical and mental capacities occur is most certainly not inevitable. The best way for the body to remain relatively capable is to keep moving. Exercise of any sort, from the robust to simply gardening or taking walks, is extremely valuable. Every senior should make it a priority to get moving every day. Specifically, scheduling physical activities is essential.
However, there are a few caveats regarding exercise for older folks. Older bodies are not as capable as they once were. Injuries can be much more damaging for seniors as well. These facts mean that hardcore workouts are usually not a wise choice. Light forms of cardio that emphasize stretching and flexibility (such as yoga or tai chi) are excellent for seniors. So is swimming, which places little stress on the joints. Generally, consulting a doctor about which exercises to perform is smart for seniors.
Don’t Schedule Too Much
Older folks are better suited to a slower lifestyle. Physical infirmities mean it takes longer to do things as a person ages. More rest in between activities may be necessary since seniors have less energy than they once did. While remaining active is still essential, there’s a balance between being too busy and doing nothing. It doesn’t make sense for a person to spend their retirement stressed by having too much on their schedule.
Retirement means a lot more free time. Still, this free time can be a double-edged sword. If seniors do not schedule their time well, they can feel a lack of meaning. Boredom can develop into more serious mental problems, such as depression. On the other hand, scheduling is also helpful for ensuring a senior remains socially connected and physically active.
At Baxter Senior Living, we ensure our residents have an abundance of activities they can get involved with. In addition, our Anchorage assisted living community is an excellent place to meet new people and become part of the Baxter family!
