The thought of not working and spending every day watching television, vacationing, and sleeping in is great until it happens, which is why adjusting to retirement is difficult for many seniors. Below are some common post-retirement concerns for American seniors and tips to handle each issue.
1. Memory Loss
Cognitive decline is sometimes part of the aging process, but there are steps seniors can take to reduce its effects. The concern for seniors is that they’ll no longer take on responsibilities that stimulate their minds and boost their memory and cognitive skills. To handle this issue, your elderly parent should consider keeping his or her mind stimulated by working part-time or volunteering.
2. Physical Inactivity
Aging adults have a higher risk of living a sedentary lifestyle post-retirement, which is bad for the heart, bones, and immune system. Your loved one should find ways to remain physically active each day, whether he or she goes on walks through the neighborhood, takes up gardening, or works out at the local gym.
In Richmond, elder care agencies can be a great boon to seniors. With the help of the caregivers at Home Care Assistance, your aging loved one can lead a happier and healthier life. We offer a revolutionary program called the Balanced Care Method, which encourages seniors to eat nutritious foods, exercise and socialize regularly, and focus on other lifestyle factors that increase life expectancy.
3. Safety
Seniors are targeted more than most age groups when it comes to financial scams and abuse. You can reduce your loved one’s risk of identity theft and elder abuse by checking on him or her regularly, monitoring his or her credit reports, installing a security system in his or her home, and providing safety tips for using the Internet.
4. Reduced Income
During the retirement years, it’s common for older adults to experience a reduction in their social security or retirement benefits. Loss of income can be difficult for seniors because of expenses like healthcare, prescriptions, therapies, and more. Your family should look for grants and other resources that assist aging adults living on fixed incomes.
5. Inability to Maintain Larger Homes
The big house your loved one purchased decades ago is likely empty during the retirement years, as you and your siblings have started your own families. Maintaining a larger home could be financially, physically, and mentally stressful for your parent, and he or she may want to consider downsizing to a smaller place or moving in with you or your siblings.
6. Poor Eating Habits
Even with more free time, seniors often find it challenging to prepare healthy meals, which is why malnutrition is a big issue for older adults. They may have difficulty paying for nutritious options, so they choose unhealthy ready-made meals instead. Moving around the kitchen is also a challenge for seniors with limited mobility, poor memory, and vision impairment. You can help out with meal prep, ensuring your loved one has access to the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients his or her body needs.
7. Isolation
Loneliness, boredom, and depression are common post-retirement concerns for seniors because coworkers and customers no longer surround them. Living alone can also increase isolation. However, visiting your parent regularly and promoting social activities he or she enjoys can reduce the risk of isolation.
For families living in Richmond, respite care can be a wonderful solution when their aging loved ones need companionship and socialization a few hours a week or just need minor assistance with daily household tasks. At Home Care Assistance, we thrive on helping seniors maintain their independence while living in the comfort of home.
8. Denial
Seeing their health decrease can be difficult for aging adults, especially those who raised children or led teams before retirement. Help your loved one transition to retired life by giving him or her purposeful tasks to take on. Having a sense of purpose could boost your loved one’s self-esteem and provide him or her with hope.
Not every senior has the same care needs, which means they don’t all need the same type of home care service. You can rely on Home Care Assistance to provide individualized care plans to meet your elderly loved one’s unique care needs. Our holistic Balanced Care Method was designed to help seniors focus on healthy lifestyle habits such as eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and maintaining strong social ties, and our Cognitive Therapeutics Method offers mentally stimulating activities that can stave off cognitive decline and delay the onset of dementia. Rely on the professionals at Home Care Assistance to provide high-quality compassionate care for your loved one. Give us a call today at (804) 207-4746 to learn about our flexible in-home care plans.