It’s easy to worry about our older relatives. Retirement can be a welcome and enjoyable time after years of working hard, but it can also be a time when older people find themselves lonely, frail and vulnerable.
Keeping busy is important for several reasons. Getting out and about helps with mobility and general health and wellbeing. It also helps older people to stay sociable, which becomes even more important the older they get.
Helping your older relatives stay busy in retirement can benefit their overall health and wellbeing, helping them live longer and stronger. Take a look at some of the things you can do below.
Help them stay active
Our bodies weaken as we age, but staying active through regular exercise is the key to enjoying a healthy retirement. There are different ways of staying active in retirement that can keep minds sharp and bodies strong. Walking and swimming are good exercises for older people, but a visit to the gym or more rigorous exercise is also possible if they’re fit and free from injury.
If your loved ones suffer from mobility issues and need additional care, then assisted living could be a great solution to help them get the care and attention they need. This can allow you to focus on keeping them busy and enjoy the time you spend together instead of the constant worry over their care needs.
Help them meet new people
Retirement can be a lonely time for older people, especially if they lose their partner and friends start passing away or moving. There are plenty of different places to meet new people after retirement, including some unexpected places. Help them find local community groups, or even volunteer together on a local project as a good way to meet some new people of all ages.
Get them a pet
Having a cat or a dog around can be excellent company for an older person, as well as keep them busy while they’re at home. Having a dog is a good motivation for getting out and walking, although there are some dog breeds that are better suited to older people than others. Make sure they feel confident taking care of a pet before you bring one home, and give them some help when they need it.
Help them enjoy time with children
It can be a wonderful thing when children and older people interact. It’s hard not to be busy when there are young kids around! Spending time around children can help renew excitement and interest, while kids will love learning from their grandparents.
Staying busy during retirement will help older people continue to enjoy well-rounded, active lives. While you might focus on their care and general health, you should also do your part to make sure they get out and about and keep busy. With so many different ways of helping older relatives stay busy in retirement, you’ll find that there are things you can also join in with to keep yourself busy too. Who knows, you might even find a great new hobby you can enjoy together!
These are really great and helpful tips! The joy of retirement is that you’ll have plenty of opportunities to experiment. It’s up to you to design the kind of life that you want to live.