Elderly Care in Williamston MI
Studies show that keeping a senior’s mind active decreases the risk of various forms of dementia. In addition, an active brain supports not just mental, but emotional well-being as well and can reverse declining memory.
Ensuring an Active Mind
As a family caregiver, one way to ensure your loved one’s mental capacity remains strong is to engage them in new activities. Learning something new and complex is shown to promote synaptic density—decreasing the likelihood of neurodegeneration diseases such as dementia.
New and Unusual
How can you find new things for a parent to do? There is a world of opportunities and choices, and few will experience even a fraction of all the possibilities the world offers during a lifetime. A better question may be: how do I engage a stubborn parent in a new activity? Trying it together may be the key.
Music
Choose a new musical instrument to learn. It’s possible that your parent may have always wanted to learn a particular instrument and just never got around to it. There may be considerations based on physical impairments such as arthritis or COPD, but most instruments can be adapted to meet individual needs. The most important point to consider is if they have a love for the instrument or the sound it produces.
Exercise
Age may bring a slowed gait and decreased flexibility, but if you can move, you can exercise. Trying a new routine is a great way to stimulate the brain as well as the body. Tai Chi, Yoga and water aerobics are excellent exercises for seniors and ones that they may have never tried before.
Creative Side
Their will likely be an area in arts and crafts that they have not experienced yet. Senior Community Centers offer an abundance of selections from jewelry making, ceramics, water color and more.
Research
Have a talk about what your parent may have always wanted to do but never tried. This is a sure-fire way to ignite passion, an all-important aspect of living. Did they always want to be a writer, an actor or a photographer? Consider signing up for a class in their field of choice. Get books from the library on the subject. Participate in the local theater group. You never know, you might find your own passion along the way.
Elderly Care Providers
Helping someone find their passion, experience something new, or join classes on their desired topic takes time. If you find it’s hard to include them in a day that’s filled with all the regular tasks of living, consider the aid of an elderly care provider. They can take over some of your to-do list so that you have time to explore possibilities with your parent, or they can help jumpstart your parent into a whole new learning experience.
If you or an aging loved one are considering elderly care in Williamston, MI, please contact the caring staff at Seniors Helping Seniors of Lansing. Call today: 517-332-9953.