Senior Mental Health: Strategies for Emotional Well-Being

In recent years, medical health professionals have been focusing more on mental health and its effects on every part of our lives. Mental health encompasses our emotional, psychological, relational, and social well-being and directly affects our physical health. Although mental health is important at every stage of life, senior mental health has particular significance in ensuring a high quality of life. 

In this article, you will find some effective strategies and actionable steps to promote emotional well-being and high quality of life for seniors. One step to consider is finding an assisted living community. Many seniors find the stress-free lifestyle and readily available services and amenities can be a positive move toward great mental health. For instance, the Mission at Agua Fria makes it easy to incorporate the strategies discussed below into everyday life since we take a holistic approach to health and wellness for our residents. 

Stay Connected to Others

Meaningful relationships with others are key to maintaining a high quality of life, well-being, satisfaction, meaning, and purpose. Thanks to technological advances, we now have a wealth of tools at our fingertips to stay connected socially with friends and family, even if they are physically far away. Email, video calls, texts, and social media make it easy to maintain relationships and interact daily. 

Engaging socially with friends and family in close physical proximity is important, too. Libraries, local community colleges, senior recreational centers, gyms, senior drop-in daycare centers, and assisted living communities are all great resources for finding clubs, interest groups, or classes that might interest you. Participating in activities that engage you mentally and physically is a good source of stress relief (more on that in the next section), but it also provides opportunities to meet like-minded people and develop a thriving social community. 

Reduce Stress

We all experience stress in our lives. Stress can make us feel anxious and make it difficult to sleep, which takes a toll on our mental health. Stress can also negatively affect our physical health, straining our immune systems. Thankfully, there are several easy, healthy ways to reduce stress in your life. 

Try to incorporate some of the following strategies into your daily routine:

Exercise

Not only can exercise increase your physical health, but it can also elevate your mood and dramatically improve senior mental health. Even mild, low-impact exercises like walking, yoga, dancing, cycling, golf, Tai Chi, and swimming have many benefits, including producing endorphins, hormones that enhance your sense of well-being. Exercise also helps you sleep better at night, another key to reducing stress and anxiety.

While exercising, it’s easier to focus on your body and breathing and forget what is stressing you out, especially if you can exercise outdoors and enjoy some sunshine and nature. The most important thing to remember is to choose an activity you truly enjoy, making it easier to stay consistent. Group exercise classes or even walking with a friend can add an element of social interaction and help keep you accountable.

Are you worried you don’t have enough time to commit to regular exercise? Even short bursts of physical activity can be helpful. If you can take a 10-minute walk around the neighborhood, it’s a great place to start.

Mindfulness

Although meditation practices have been around for thousands of years, especially in faith communities, mindfulness practices have become much more mainstream in recent years as research has demonstrated the mental and physical benefits, including helping address chronic pain.

Whether you engage in prayer, yoga, or breathing exercises, take a mindfulness class, or use mindfulness-based interventions available online or in apps on your phone, the key to mindfulness is slowing down, breathing deeply, and training yourself to focus on the present in a calm manner. 

Some people find that writing down their thoughts can be a helpful way to recognize why they are feeling stressed. Combining this journaling with mindfulness practices can be very effective in stress management.

Pets

Owning a pet can have surprising health benefits, including reducing cortisol (the stress hormone) and encouraging exercise. Establishing a routine and caring for a pet helps you focus on the present and gives you purpose. A pet’s companionship and unconditional love can also be a welcome source of comfort and joy that boosts your mood daily. Pet ownership can also be an easy bridge to social interaction as you meet other pet owners while taking your dog for a walk or at the pet store, or find groups of pet lovers online.

Purposeful Engagement

People are happiest and most fulfilled when they have a purpose. Pursuing hobbies and activities you enjoy can bring a sense of accomplishment and fun, especially when doing them with friends. Volunteering to share your expertise or to lend a helping hand in your community is another excellent way to engage and feel productive. Finally, challenging yourself mentally by continually learning and maintaining your curiosity about the world and people around you will help keep your mind active, an important aspect of mental health.

How The Mission at Agua Fria Helps With Senior Mental Health

At the Mission at Agua Fria, we care for the whole person by focusing on our residents’ physical, mental, and spiritual health. When it comes to the senior mental health strategies discussed above, you will find everything you need here.

• Social connections – Scheduled outings, game nights, movie nights, sing-a-longs, and more all provide ample opportunities to form a thriving social network.
• Exercise – Group exercise classes and physical and occupational therapy in our wellness center are tailored to every skill and mobility level.
• Mindfulness – Yoga is available in our beautiful surroundings. We also offer on-site non-denominational services.
• Pets – Our apartments are pet-friendly, so feel free to bring your furry companion.
• Purposeful engagement – Our residents can participate in lifelong learning through classes and cultural outings, as well as enjoy cognitive games and therapies that keep them mentally sharp. 
• Maintenance-free lifestyle – Housekeeping and linen service, dining services, and chauffeured transportation mean that you have the luxury of free time to pursue new interests and hobbies without stressing about the small stuff.

We know you’ll enjoy living in our community, so contact us today to schedule an in-person visit. We can’t wait to show you all the ways we can help you and your family thrive!