In a Pandemic, Parker Suggests Five New Year’s Resolutions for Seniors
HIGHLAND PARK, NJ – January 1, 2021 – Healthier bodies. Healthier minds.
In this challenging year, there’s not much more one can ask for but good health. Achieving that goal for seniors means much more than sitting on the couch and hoping good wishes can do the trick.
“The key is to interact with other people,” said Lori Morell, Director of the Health & Wellness Center at Parker. “And, of course, we all need to social distance from the refrigerator.”
Morell, who plans and implements health, wellness and fitness services to residents, community members and employees of Parker, has compiled a list of five recommended New Year’s resolutions for elders, with the expectation that the pandemic will last for a few more months. Morell is urging seniors to find ways to exercise their bodies and minds at home, until many in-person programs re-open.
Her Top Five:
- Make Better Nutritional Choices.
When you are confined to home, and experiencing stress, it is common to find solace through food. But it needs to be the right kind of food, such as fruits, vegetables, grains, etc., that can accommodate the sometimes finicky diets of older people. Avoid processed foods, wherever possible, as they can lead to heart disease and other serious health ailments. - More Exercise.
Yes, we’ve all heard it before. But when people are at home for weeks and months on end – and now with winter here – it is easy to become a couch potato. Morell said there are a number of great virtual exercise programs that Parker provides, as well as health apps and other technology that encourage people to get up and move in the comfort of their own homes. Exercise is critical to maintaining muscle mass and filtering healthy oxygen to the brain.
A rule of thumb: for every hour that you sit, walk for five minutes.
“Consider sitting to be the new smoking; you need to quit,” Morell said. “If you walk for five minutes an hour, six times a day, you have met the daily exercise requirement for people aging at home. Just 30 minutes a day can really have an incredible impact.” - Build Connections
Seniors are often retired, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t continue to network via technology, such as Zoom or FaceTime. In fact, the more connections we have with others, the better. Low interaction could bring on early dementia in those who are already at risk for the disease. Individuals may have difficult times forming conversation. Not interacting much with others can sometimes cause older adults to become stifled when they do speak, developing a dialect of limited sentences and topics. So, we all need to keep on talking in 2021. The more you interact, the better your brain reacts. - Learn Something New
Elders who continue learning have the chance to share with others, and engage in conversations on topics that are new and exciting. Seniors should try to learn something new every day, gaining a renewed sense of purpose during a time when many feel despair and lack of purpose. This focus can be in the form of joining an online discussion forum, trying a new crossword puzzle, reading the newspaper on a daily basis or doing a craft or art project. The benefits are numerous, from building memory strength, to making new friends to enjoying a sense of accomplishment. Moreover, learning new hobbies such as woodworking or gardening helps retain physical abilities and fine motor skills. - Help Others
There is nothing more satisfying than helping others. Our elders have so much to contribute, with years of experience and now the extra time to give back. As we all look forward to 2021, it is the ideal time for elders to decide how best to dedicate their well-earned recreational time. It could be leading a chat on Zoom, writing a short story or making check-in calls to others.
“The opportunities are really endless,” Morell said.