Senior Care: Tips & Tricks
Happy Senior’s Month!
We know it can be hard to stay healthy and active during quarantine - our Geriatric Day Hospital is here to help. They have compiled a list of tips to help our seniors stay healthy while they are at home.
Physical Health
Number one tip: it’s very important to keep a routine
Avoid excessive sleep - aka boredom sleeping
Be sure to take your medications on time
Get dressed every day - PJ’s are for when you’re sick!
Keep hydrated. Be sure to add glasses of water to your routine
Limit alcohol intake – alcohol consumption can increase during times of stress, isolation, and boredom. Seniors should restrict their consumption to no more than 2 drinks daily and not every day
Eat healthy – unhealthy snacking can increase during prolonged periods of boredom and home isolation. While there is nothing wrong with enjoying an occasional treat, choosing healthy alternatives is important
If you have to go grocery shopping, try to go when the senior’s hour is available – consult your local grocery store
Keep moving – don’t forget to get up and move about and stretch so as to avoid excessive sitting
Mental Health
We are social beings - hence human interaction being a very important part of our daily lives. At a time we can’t physically connect the way we usually do, be sure to connect by phone with friends and family regularly.
Do not fill your day with constant news – this can be overwhelming and can alter one’s mood. It’s good to be informed, but then move on to reading a good book or enjoying other activities.
Many people have fond memories of colouring as children. There are many adult colouring books available. This is a calm activity that can be relaxing and enjoyable.
Some resources:
“A Friendly Voice” is a phone line designed to provide an option for connection for persons 55+ who may be feeling lonely or isolated. The phone line is open 24 hours a day: 613-692-9992
Seniors without Walls – phone line that provides health and wellness seminars, educational lectures, brain-stimulating activities and general conversations. Call 613-236-0428 ext. 2323 or go to scww@thegoodcompanions.ca for more information
Mental health crisis line – 613 722-6914 (24 hours a day)
Distress Centre – 613 238-3311 (24 hours a day)
Cognitive Health
It’s important to keep our minds sharp. Just as physical exercise is important, it is also important to exercise our brains.
Add variety to your daily cognitive activities. You would never go to the gym and only work on one side of your body. This holds true for our cognition.
Engage in various forms of stimulation, like:
Crosswords
Word searches
Sudoku
Jigsaw puzzles
Listening to music
Reading a book
Sewing
Meditating
Playing computer games
Post submitted by our Geriatric Day Hospital Social Worker.