Does your senior spend almost all of her time indoors? That isn’t unusual at all, especially if your senior is having trouble with health issues and feeling under the weather a bit. But there are big benefits to spending time outside, even if it’s just a few minutes at a time. Home care assistance can make it easier for your elderly family member to get out of the house, whether that’s to a nature trail or into the backyard.
Fresh Air Can Be Revitalizing
Spending a little bit of time every day outside can do a lot to perk your senior up, both physically and mentally. Air inside can get stuffy this time of year, so when it’s nice out, it can be relaxing to sit outside in a bit of sunlight and just be for a little while. If your aging family member has plants outside or birds to watch, that’s even better.
Sunlight Boosts Vitamin D Levels
There are significant health benefits to sitting in the sun for a few minutes, too. Sunlight helps to stimulate production of vitamin D, which is crucial for bone health and general well-being. If your elderly family member tends to be low on vitamin D levels, spending a few minutes each day in the sun can help her to rebuild it. She’s also less likely to burn herself by getting some sun in the fall and winter, although it isn’t impossible if she spends too much time in the sun. Your senior can also get vitamin D from her diet. Meal prep help from home care assistance can ensure your senior is eating a balanced diet with plenty of nutrients.
Being Outside Can Clear Mental Cobwebs
Being in nature and just being outside for a little while can do so much for your senior’s mental health. There’s something about outdoor time that allows the brain to clear itself for a little while. If your senior has a tough time with meditation but still wants to find ways to clear her mind, time outside might be exactly what she’s looking for to accomplish that feat.
Your Senior Might Be More Active
It’s also possible that your elderly family member gets motivated to be more active in general by going outside more often. The physical act of going outside is activity, of course. But she might find herself inspired to do things like take a walk, even if that walk is just a few rounds of the backyard. Over time, she might even find that she expands on that activity and starts to choose to be even more active. Home care assistance can remind your senior to be more active, especially if that’s something that her doctor has recommended that she try.
Finding ways to improve your senior’s quality of life doesn’t have to be incredibly complicated. Sometimes it means helping her to prioritize simple activities like spending time out in the fresh air when the weather is nice enough for her to do so safely.
If you or an aging loved one is considering home care assistance in Eden Prairie, MN, and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.
