Guest blog: How to Perk up Your Perspective in Your Senior Years

-by Jason Lewis

How to Perk up Your Perspective in Your Senior Years

Growing older can be challenging.  When age is taking a toll and changes come along that you never expected, sometimes it can feel as if the ground is shifting under your feet.  Thankfully, you can bring everything back into focus with a handful of well-chosen lifestyle decisions.

Activity for ability

With the changes that accompany aging, many seniors tend to become less active.  Unfortunately, being sedentary can complicate things, especially long-term.  In order to remain independent, it’s best to keep your body as strong and able as possible.  The positive effects are so profound, some experts even equate exercise with medicine for aging bodies.  Being fit can help ward of many health conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, and heart disease.

Due to weather, difficulty with driving, and other factors, many seniors are reluctant to get out and about to get moving, but you don’t need to join a gym to stay active.  Instead, consider putting together a space at home where you can grab a workout at your convenience.  Maybe you have a spare bedroom or den that could be converted.  If space is tight, you can put furniture and other belongings in storage while you figure out what you want to do with it.  Use a search tool to find a nearby unit; for instance, River Campus Storage has 5’ x 5’ units available for $48, right in Rochester, so it’s an affordable resolution.

Do some decluttering

After clearing away space for your home gym, consider doing some decluttering throughout your home.  Clutter can mean tripping hazards as you grow older.  Daily Caring points out seniors are at increased risk for falls due to reduced strength, waning eyesight, poor balance, and lost flexibility.  On top of making it easier to get around your home, there are some surprising mental health benefits from decluttering, such as lowered anxiety levels, improved ability to focus, better productivity, and reduced stress.  Also, often lurking in clutter is an abundance of dust and germs, so tidying up can decrease troubles like allergies and illnesses.

Paring down can be challenging for seniors, especially if you have a lot of sentimental belongings.  Take your time, and choose a decluttering method that feels right for you, like filling one trash bag a day with items to donate to charity, or spending just five minutes at a time on decluttering.  In order to be able to focus your energy on paring down, think about hiring a housecleaning service for awhile.  That way when you’re stirring up dust and debris as you work, you won’t get bogged down with the housekeeping part of things.  The cost for hiring a cleaning service ranges from $60 to $340, with the national average coming in at $160.  While it might feel like a luxury, this could lead to a regular service that frees up your time and energy for more enticing activities.

Visit new places

Getting your home in order is a wonderful thing and it can make you much more comfortable being there.  However, it’s also important for seniors to try a change of scenery.  Orbitz cites research showing traveling can be a boost to your mental health.  It’s a chance to reframe your outlook, keep you from falling into a rut, and can even reduce your risk for depression.  Traveling is good for brain health because it challenges you to think differently and prompts you to use various parts of your brain.  It can also help you feel more positive, more relaxed, less stressed, and be more productive.

Of course, one important detail holds many seniors back from traveling: money.  Consider checking into your community for senior travel clubs.  It’s a great way to meet other seniors, keeping you socially active and connected, and some clubs focus on particular interests.  There are groups for women, or budget-oriented ones, or you can start your own club.  To give you an idea of costs, charter bus services run anywhere from $1,200 to $2,500 a day, which can easily be split among a large group.

As you strive to enjoy your golden years, a few simple changes can help you feel more grounded.  Consider being more active, decluttering, and enjoying a little travel.  Making a few different choices can go a long way toward helping you perk up your perspective on life!