With the evenings getting brighter for the next few months Home Instead Waterford is encouraging people of all ages and abilities to get involved in physical activity as a means of promoting a healthy lifestyle while having fun and socialising with others.
Physical activity is a fundamental aspect of a healthy lifestyle and can help improve cardio fitness, muscular endurance and bone strength. It can reduce the risk of diseases such as cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, while also being attributed to positive mental and social well-being. It is recommended that people over the age of 55 years should be getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity 5 days per week.
General Manager of Home Instead Waterford Steven Tubbritt endorses this message, “Even if exercise wasn’t always, or ever, your thing when you were younger, it’s not too late. No matter your age, make exercise a priority, whether that’s going to the gym, swimming or walking, whatever activity you choose makes the most of the longer evenings and gets you out of the house. Older relatives can make the most of free bus and train travel to meet friends, connect with nature and visit new places this summer. One thing we learned during the pandemic was that Ireland has so much to offer. Neighbouring counties are full of sites and places to visit.”
Spending too much time isolated and disconnected from other people can really affect a person’s health, including an increase of 50% in the risk of developing dementia for older adults. About one-quarter of adults over the age of 65 are socially isolated. With daytime hours freed up, you have time to take classes in everything from art to philosophy. You could even do some volunteering. Or call that friend you’ve been meaning to catch up with and turn your talks into a weekly walk, class, or other event.
Home Instead CAREGivers see the benefits of this every week. They encourage their clients to get out and active, when possible. They can go for a walk, shopping or visit a friend with you, enabling you to do the things you want to do but feel you cannot on your own.
For some people, retirement isn’t so much a choice as a feeling that they’re being pushed out. That their retirement announcement ultimately stems more from a perception that coworkers think they’ve aged out of being useful.
Researchers call this driver of retirement as the “the worn-out syndrome.” It’s too easy to let ageism determine how you live. Staying busy with meaningful work, including volunteering, keeps the brain active. If you enjoy work, find a place that will appreciate your contributions no matter your age.
Home Instead provides services to ageing adults in their own homes and is approved by the HSE. Its CAREGivers help clients maintain their independence by assisting them with activities of daily living such as personal care, meal preparation, laundry, shopping, and light housekeeping.
To find out more about Home Instead Waterford call 051 333966 or 058 75298 or visit www.homeinstead.ie
