How can Aged Population have an Independent Living?

Being independent is being self-reliant. Independence with respect to making decisions, finance and most importantly health. If we are independent with respect to health, that is when we have truly won! And importance of independence can be experienced the most by aged population because they are the ones who have to depend on people around them. Somewhere their ill health and lifestyle do not allow them to live life their own way. So I would like to narrate some great tips that older population can pursue for an independent physical and mental well-being.

If you are unable to relax yourself physically and mentally, how will you be able to be active? Relaxation is very important and one of the very first steps towards an independent living. Here are some ways for relaxation.

• Inhaling deeply by nose and blowing the air out slowly by mouth is a breathing technique that helps reducing anxiety, stress issues and promotes relaxation.
• Taking a warm water bath, putting up a hot water bag or towel on your back relaxes the muscles around that region.
• Meditation and listening to mild music are also helpful in destressing the mind.

Exercising is another important steps for an independent lifestyle. Exercises and movement are the keys to the same. Exercises helps your body muscles to activate and prevents you from having any physical ailments.

• Walking at your own pace in your compound or at home.
• Easy leg and arm movements without stressing them much.
• Mini squats and mini with support of wall at the back.
• There are many geriatric clubs around that conduct exercise programmes for older population. Also online group exercise sessions work wonders.

Dementia (loss of memory) is one of the most common problem in geriatrics. And it is one of the reasons as to why the older population have to depend others for their daily living. So here are few techniques you can use to compensate with your memory issues.

• Write a diary of day to day things happening with you at the end of the day and try to recall each one of them while writing.
• When you have to remember an activity, tie a knot on your handkerchief or window curtain where you sit by. When you look at the knot it will help you remember what did you tie it for.
• Create an activity table.

Many elder ladies are fond of weaving, embroidery, cooking and much more. Such hobbies are helpful in keeping you busy and stress free and also gives more of an independent lifestyle. Reading, singing and many a times teaching kids helps you keep yourself self sufficient on terms of your mental health. Your hobbies can actually help you earn sitting at home and once you become aware of using internet technology, there are multiple ways you can earn online. This will also help you to be financially independent.

There are numerous geriatric groups which help you relieve stress and also pose a great companionship for you. Joining such groups specially for elder people gives sense of encouragement, relieves your daily stresses, helps you make friends with many people and most importantly improves your physical health. There are multiple benefits of such groups. Many of them do conduct online sessions where they target different aspects of mental health.

I hope I could convey in my best way about how the issues of elderlies can be tackled. Never forget that one day you too are going to be in their shoes and you are going to age one day. It is important that we need to make them self-reliant so that they don’t have to depend on others for the rest of their lives. It will help them reduce their physical and mental health problems. You can devise your own ways on how to be independent when you age.