11 Ways of Elder Life Management (7th is Influential)

Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be, the last of life, for which the first was made..Trust God..See all, nor be afraid!

Robert Browning

Everything becomes more challenging when we age. Retirement and aging bring about a significant drop in our overall quality of life. Many senior people lead a miserable life due to the lack of proper care and motivation. 

Here, comes the necessity of elder life management. Only fulfilling their medical needs does not sound enough. You must meet their emotional and mental needs too. 

You should help them to experience a positive view of life. This trait is capable of alleviating even some medical issues.

So, in this article, I will present to you 11 effective ways to improve the quality of life of senior citizens. Let’s dig in! 

11 Ways to Improve Quality of Life for Elderly Persons

Are you looking for ways to improve the elder lifestyle? No worries because we are here to provide you the exact solution. You can make their life happy and enriched by following these 11 unique techniques. So, why are you waiting? Start reading now!

1. Encourage Outdoor Activities

Sometimes, it becomes tough to engage elderly persons in outdoor activities. That’s why you should continuously inspire them to spend more time outside.

Make sure they go outside every day to calm themselves or take physical exercise. It will help them to keep their body and mind balanced and positive.

According to a report of NCBI, elders who take physical exercise three times a week are more active and engaged in social interactions.

Regular physical exercise imparts numerous health benefits. It improves the immune system.  Most importantly, it prevents stroke and heart disease by lowering blood pressure.  Besides, physical activities improve sleep quality, release stress, and increase stamina.

Furthermore, you can give them a green place where they can make a garden and enjoy the exotic healing power of nature. There are lots of ways to stay active during the day, and you have to choose the best options for your near and dear ones.

Again, motivate them to start their 100 days productivity challenge to be more efficient. 

Thus, you can improve the quality of life for elder persons by engaging them in outdoor physical activities.

2. Take Care of Their Mental Health

You cannot ensure an elderly quality of life without taking care of their mental health. So, take initiatives to change their state of mind from dullness to asperity.

Researches have shown that seniors who are mentally active suffer less from Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Similarly, a dynamic mind is essential for the overall improvement of health and wellbeing.

To improve their emotional state, you can arrange different types of mind-engaging efforts. Your activities may include Sudoku, puzzle, or any sorts of brain-stimulating games.

Again, you may inspire them on getting back into reading or writing that will help them to maintain a sound mind. Attending lectures will also improve the quality of life of senior citizens.

3. Spend More Time With Them

When people grow old, they become less active and most of the time stay at home. It means they have enough time but not enough companions to talk to or tasks to perform. As a result, life becomes a standstill to them.

Therefore, to bring joy to their life, you should spend more time with the seniors in your family. They will feel happy and excited if you do so.

If your parents are the elders in your family, regularly visit them. Gossip with them so that they don’t feel alone. Even you can go to a family outing. It will change their view of life. 

However, if you struggle to find out how to spend quality time with your parents, you can go through the following article.

Top 10 Quality Time Spending Methods for parents

4. Increase Social Interaction

We are social beings and cannot live alone. But the grim truth is that old age confines us into the four walls. Life becomes pale for the elders. Science has proven that lonely and isolated senior citizens have shorter lifespans and are more prone to dementia.

Therefore, it’s your sacred duty to fill their life with colors. So, what can you do in this situation? The answer is you have to enhance social interaction for them. Help them to stay in touch with family, friends, and community.

Here are some suggestions you can follow.

5. Help Them to Keep Depression Under Control

Depression is a usual phenomenon in old age. In this stage of life, people become more isolated. Even their brain can stop working at some points.

Pew Research Center showed that more than 6.5 million people in the United States aging over 65 become the victim of depression.

The organization also stated some stressful events such as losing the life partner, retirement, financial crisis due to joblessness, physical immobility, moving away from children, etc. as the prime causes of depression.

Again, medication can be the cause of depression.

It is worth pointing out that depression is one of the most key factors of mental disorder, heart disease, and even suicide.

So, you should help the elders in your family to nip the depression in the bud. Visit a doctor; go to a therapist or a psychologist if necessary. Maintain a sound relationship to aid them to erase all the negative thoughts from their mind.

6. Make Them Feel They are Important

For the unlearned, old age is winter; for the learned, it is the season of the harvest. 

Hasidic saying

One of the most unique techniques for elder life management is to help them feel they are useful and needed.

Basic human psychology reveals that everyone, ranging from the very young to the very old, expects to emerge as an effective and useful individual.

Therefore, be cautious while caring for the elders. Act in such a way that they are compelled to believe you need their help.

It may happen they really cannot perform the tasks smoothly. But try to make them understand they are at least contributing.

It will create a sense of freedom and self-confidence in them. Thus, you can change their mind and change their life eventually.

You may ask them to do the following tasks which they can really execute.

7. Improvement of Financial Management

Next-generation finance management for senior citizens is a significant way to improve the life of the elders. Money holds a crucial part of our life.

If it is not managed properly, an individual has to suffer in the long run.

Studies show that most older people suffer from financial crises. Now, the question is why does it happen? Well, there are several reasons for the economic problems of elderly persons. 

Besides, the young generation holds a misconception that aged people are burdens to the national economy. A WHO report says,

Finally, we need to counter the perception that as people enter later life, they become an economic burden for society, one that is shouldered by the younger generation.

For example, here we will share a real-life experience. Let’s start. Joe was a Govt. employee. He got a handsome salary to run his family.

After meeting all the necessities, the man also managed to raise a fund in his bank account.

Throughout his life, he struggled to support his children and other family members. After retirement, they bought a house with all the saved money in the name of their first son.

As days passed by, Mr. Joe became old and faced old-age poverty. His sons no longer took care of him. The harsh reality forced him to take shelter in an Old Home. Now, what is the meaning of life to him?

He feels like a burden. The unspeakable sacrifices for happiness seem to be meaningless to him.

But things could have been different if he thought of his old days. The story teaches us that we should not entirely become dependent on others. We must save for the days when we won’t be able to earn.

However, leaving assets for the next generation is not a bad idea. But it should be managed properly. According to a report in The Economic Times,

Asset allocation decisions for seniors is a tough one to make. If one is leaving assets behind for the next generation, investing for growth is a sensible choice to make.

The Economic Times

Tips to Elder Finance Management

You can do the following to improve the financial condition of the elder persons in your family.

8. Enhance In-Home Safety

Safety is a crucial resource for life management. When you work for increasing in-home security, the elders feel satisfied and happy.

For this purpose, you can contact a home safety service providing company to carry out an assessment to identify the risks in your home. 

Besides, you can hire a caregiver so that the elderly needs are fulfilled timely and accurately. Provide him/her with detailed information about the older persons. It will ensure better performance.

Establish discipline in your family and ask everyone to assist the elders when needed.

9. Introduce Them with Modern Technology

Nowadays, technology appears to be a life-saving agent for us, especially for older persons.

For example, safety tools like alert systems, intercoms, mobile phones, heart monitors, etc. have contributed a lot to improve the life quality of the elders.

Again, advanced technological discoveries have opened a new era for us making communication easy and simple. The world is now a global village.

It’s not a big deal to stay in touch with your loved ones even if they are on the other side of the world.  

So, introduce the seniors to technology so that they can communicate with their friends and other family members. Again they can enjoy various programs on TV.

This opportunity will aid them to pass their time joyfully. Their monotonous life will turn into a valley of enjoyment. Most importantly, they will feel a sense of connectedness and freedom.

Moreover, you should not forget to teach them how to organize their digital lifestyle.

10. Ensure Proper Health Care Services

Health is wealth and we all know that when people grow old, they face numerous health issues. So, it is important to take proper health care and ensure healthy living at home.

To improve elderly life quality, you must take them to a doctor regularly for a checkup. Make sure they take medicine in a prescribed way if required. This will reduce their stress level when they fall sick.

11. Help Them Finding Meaning and Happiness in Old Age

Learn to light a candle in the darkest moments of someone’s life. Be the light that helps others see; it is what gives life its deepest significance.

Roy T. Bennett

The elders are at the twilight of their lives losing physical and mental strength. Therefore, you should bring fun into their lives as much as you can. Make sure they eat and sleep well.

Inspire them to go out of the house and pass time with the community as much as they can. Make their daily necessities handy.

Ensure their medications are in order. It will assist them to enjoy life rather than focusing on side effects and other symptoms.

Lastly, let them feel how much you care for them. Know what they love to eat. Eat dinner together. Go outside and take pictures with them.

All these things will instill happiness in their life and improve their quality of life. 

How can we make our elders happy?

Answer: You can certainly make your elders feel happy by doing the following things. So, let’s check them out!Go for a family outing.Allow them to follow their passions.Take pictures with them.Present them gifts for productive activities. Ensure health care service.

How do you make an elderly person feel useful?

Answer: At old age, people want to prove that they are still useful and needed in the family. So, to establish their belief, you can follow the below tricks.Seek advice from them.Show interest.Engage them in creative activities.Praise their work and give compliments. Play indoor games with them.

What do seniors want most?

Answer: People become lonely when they are at the old stage of life. When we asked the seniors, they confessed that staying connected with family and friends is the most significant aspect in old age to improve the lifestyle quality. Secondly, they prioritize financial means. 

What do seniors fear most?

Answer: The answer is loss of independence. A research conducted by the Disabled Living Foundation reveals that most of the elder citizens are more concerned in losing their freedom than the fear of death. 

What do seniors struggle with?

Answer: The majority of the seniors more or less suffer from the following issues.Osteoporosis.Arthritis.Hearing impairment.Depression and loneliness.Financial crisis.

Wrapping Up Elder Life Management 

 The secret of a good old age is simply an honorable pact with solitude.

Gabriel García Márquez

An elderly person can get a great life if she/he can manage life properly at an early age. Your future is not seeable. But you can project. Scheme for a better elder life and implement those.

Financial freedom is one of the basic needs of human beings. It’s more crucial for elder people. This story-based phenomenon can help you to better understand the future scenario.

So what’s next? Share the article if you think it’s worth sharing for improving the lifestyle of your aged loved ones. Comment below if you have anything to know about elder life management.

Thanks for staying with us. 

Manage life, enjoy life!