Caregivers in River Oaks, TX

With all of the duties associated with the care of an aging parent or loved one at home, finding time to help your loved one remain physically and mentally fit can be tough. Exercise is always being touted as a key element to combating serious health conditions, however, implementing exercise into your loved one’s daily routine can seem unrealistic.

As your loved one’s family caregiver, it is important that you understand that there are many benefits of encouraging your aging parent or senior loved one to get fit. But it is equally important to know that exercise in seniors is not limited to walking, stretching and light weights.

Have you ever given much thought to the benefits of encouraging mental fitness? Mental fitness can help reduce your loved one’s risk for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease by improving his or her mental agility. Not sure how to accomplish this? Let’s learn a little more about the benefits of meditation in seniors.

What is meditation?

Meditation is fitness for the mind and body. When meditating, your loved one should sit quietly with his or her eyes closed for 10-20 minutes. While sitting, he or she should silently repeat a word, sound or phrase that has special meaning.

Tips for meditation:

• Meditate in a quiet place
• Be free from distractions
• Sit, don’t lie down
• Relax your muscles
• Breathe through your nose
• Don’t set an alarm
• Ignore intruding thoughts or worries

The benefits of meditation

Meditation has been proven to have many mental, physical and emotional benefits to senior health. Let’s take a look at a few:

Improves Memory
The parts of your senior loved one’s brain that controls memory may be greatly stimulated during meditation. This stimulation can improve your loved one’s short and long-term memory.

Reduces Stress
Your loved one is likely to experience a significant amount of stress during this stage in his or her life. Losing independence, declining health and losing loved ones are all common sources of stress in seniors. When stressed, your loved one’s body has a “fight or flight” response resulting in increased pulse rate, blood pressure and blood flow to the muscles; and faster breathing. According to WebMD, meditating for as little as 10 minutes every day can control stress, decrease anxiety and even improve cardiovascular health.

Keeps the Mind Sharp
Some mental benefits of meditation in seniors include better focus, increased creativity and a quicker wit.

Helps with Sleep
Stress and worries can often lead to insomnia in seniors. Learning to meditate can help your loved one fall to sleep better.

Additional benefits of meditation in seniors include:

• Boosts the immune system
• Combats loneliness
• Decreases anxiety
• Teaches relaxation
• Helps to better deal with pain
• Be more relaxed and deal with pain
• Teaches to enjoy the moment

Never underestimate the value of sitting still. If your parent or loved one is overwhelmed with stress, looking to improve his or her memory recall or is at risk of dementia, why not give meditation a try.

Source(s):

http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/meditation-natural-remedy-for-insomnia
http://seniorplanet.org/meditate-for-the-health-of-it/

If you or an aging loved one are considering caregivers in River Oaks, TX, please call the caring staff at At Your Side Home Care. We will answer all of your senior care questions. Call today: (832) 271-1600.

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Donna Wrabel, LMSW

Co-Owner at At Your Side Home Care

For most of us, the word "home" evokes warm feelings of comfort, security and well-being. For older adults, home also means holding tight to cherished memories and maintaining self-esteem and independence. When illness, injury or age make life a little more challenging, remaining at home in a comfortable, familiar environment encourages recovery and enhances the quality of life. Home can be defined as a private residence, an independent or assisted living facility or even a short term stay in the hospital, we recognize the additional benefits provided by a personal, professional assistant.

Our Certified Nurse Aides, 24-Hour Live-in Assistants and Home Health Aides are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We also provide the security and confidence of 24-hour Telephone Assistance, so fast, reliable help is always available when it's needed. To learn more about our homecare services see our homecare services page.

Different people need different levels of homecare. To meet the requirements of our clients, At Your Side Homecare maintains consistent staffing levels of caring professionals. Homecare service is available for as little as a few hours a week, or as many as 24 hours a day, seven days a week

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