As people get older, many do their best to maintain a lifestyle of independent living as long as possible. It’s estimated that the vast majority of Americans over age 65 want to continue living at home for as long as possible. Many don’t want to move to any form of senior housing or senior living communities until they absolutely have to, if ever. As a means of delaying the time to move to senior housing, many do their best to remain active and healthy as they get older, as this makes it easier to live in independent housing. This article will take a look at several ways you can stay active and healthy as you get older, in order to live more independently.
- Maintain a Healthy Diet: One way you can stay healthy as you get older is to maintain a healthy diet. The definition of a healthy diet might change as you get older, since the needs of your body can change over time. The type of diet that worked best in your youth might no longer be beneficial once you get past the age of 65. So the best way to stay healthy is to keep an eye on the type of diet that works best for your body’s changing needs, and this will help to keep you in a relatively good state of health where your diet and nutrition is concerned.
- Do Volunteer Work: One way you can stay active as you get older is to participate in volunteer work. About half of the adults aged 65 and older participate in some type of volunteer work. Volunteering is a great way to stay active since it gives you a regular activity to look forward to, and it also allows you to leave the house and maintain a social life. Volunteer work is also a good way to stay active because many volunteer positions don’t carry a high burden of stress, making them ideal for older participants.
- Exercise with Friends: Another way you can stay active and healthy at the same time is to exercise on a regular basis, either alone or with friends. Even if the exercise is as simple as taking a daily walk, it’s a good way to stay active and physically fit, even as you get older. And if you can exercise regularly with several friends, it allows you to stay socially active at the same time.
In conclusion, many people are naturally resistant to the idea of moving into senior housing even as they get older. In order to live independently as long as possible, many do their best to continue living at home by staying active and healthy. There are several ways you can do this, including maintaining a healthy diet, doing volunteer work, and exercising on a regular basis either alone or with your friends. Any combination of these things can help you stay active and healthy as you get older.
