Are healthy New Year goals on your list?
A new year is a great time to renew our commitment to healthy living. Read this post and find 3 printable freebies to help you along the way! We all struggle with self control regarding our health: difficulty following through on doing what we know is good for our body, and avoiding what we know is not. Why is it so hard? We know we feel better when we exercise and eat healthy, but there are so many things to distract us and tempt us. Somehow, we have to believe that the end result is worth the effort.
Although I am a physical therapist, this blog is for general informational purposes only. Please be sure to follow your personal health care team’s advice. See the medical disclaimer.
Research has shown us that the healthy benefits of regular exercise are numerous (Medline Plus). Reminding and convincing ourselves to do the right thing may take time and planning. There are many creative things we can do to help improve compliance, including setting goals. When it comes to our activity level, having a list to check and watching our progress as we get closer to our goals, can help keep us motivated!
Another way to improve our health is by eating the right heart healthy foods. Three goals of a heart healthy diet are: limiting unhealthy fat (keep arteries clear), limiting sodium (to not increase blood pressure), and to maintain healthy glucose levels (prevent blood sugar spikes). Setting goals for amount and frequency of food intake can help us develop healthy patterns of eating and drinking.
Lastly, taking the time to make goals regarding our environment can help us achieve greater safety. Cleaning and organizing our environment, acquiring helpful equipment, and adjusting areas that are not safe can contribute to decreased risk of fall and help to maximize overall independence. Many areas can be considered and adjusted, and it might be overwhelming to update everything at once. Likewise, a hurried fix can lead to missing important changes. Having a checklist and goals can be extremely helpful for this important process.
Senior goals for healthy activity this year:
A new year is a great time to reconsider our activity. Regular exercise is beneficial to more than just our muscles. Exercise can increase our strength, but it may also improve our posture, balance, heart health, reduce chronic pain, improve our mental/ cognitive health, and more! Performed correctly, a good exercise routine can help increase your mobility and decrease your risk of falling, as well as help you stay healthy. Many seniors I work with participate in a daily walking program. However there are other physical activities that provide important health benefits as well!
Along with Cardio exercise (walking, biking, etc) it is important to perform regular stretching, strengthening of muscles, balance activity, and deep breathing. Likewise, a good program has bone stimulating activity to prevent bone loss. A thorough exercise program is vital for maintaining your mobility. Likewise, if you want to continue participating in dynamic activities such as golf, pickelball, fishing, etc. you will benefit from regular exercise for injury prevention!
Keeping a log of your exercises allows you to ensure follow through, as well as track the variety of activity. Writing down your achievements allows you to track your progress and see your improvements. This feedback can be motivating to improve or to continue!
Here is a daily log that can be used to record activities. Customize it with your exercises and self care, and enjoy this first FREEBIE!!
For more detailed info see these posts: Low Cost Home Exercise Strengthening Equipment, balance exercise, golf preparation, pickelball safety, walking tips.
Bonus tips: make sure your activity includes socializing and emotional connection. Church groups and exercise groups are great ways to support your emotional “heart” health.
New Year goals for healthy eating:
A new year is a great time to review your food intake health. I love the idea that food is natural medication for our body. There are many foods that set us up for good health, and promote the systems of our body to work well. How about flipping the script and using the positive concept of getting as many whole healthy foods as you can into your daily diet? Even replacing one habitual unhealthy item per month will end with 12 healthy changes by the end of the year! For that to happen, we must get healthy foods into our shopping bags. Here is a list of a variety of ‘general consensus heart healthy foods’. Save and print this form- you can put it on your fridge for keeping track of goals for positive eating which may lead to improved followthrough (reminder, this is general info, follow your personal health care team’s instructions for any specific dietary needs you may have). Here is a second printable freebie: a checklist of general consensus healthy foods for improved grocery shopping!
Extra tips: stay hydrated, and take your medications faithfully and correctly. Likewise, slow down and be mindful when you eat. I find that a meal time prayer helps me do this!
Goals for seniors and a safer environment:
Starting a new year is a great motivator to assess our environmental health. Prevention of falls begins with a safe and healthy environment. Yes, accidents happen, but as we age our bodies are less resilient to challenging surfaces and unexpected changes in our living spaces. The more we do to set up our environment to be safe, the less likely we will be to face to those unexpected challenges. Falls can not only lead to painful strains and fractured bones, for the elderly, they are the leading cause of injuries that lead to fatality. (Lively, 2021) Unfortunately, many falls for the elderly take place in their own home. I have witnessed the aftermath of many patient falls over the years while working in home care. Here are just a few tips that I would recommend for setting goals for the safety of your environment:
1 Clear and stabilize the pathway from the car to the front door, and between all the major living areas in the home (bedroom to bathroom, bathroom to kitchen, etc.).
2 Make sure the chairs being used are safe and supportive.
3 Prioritize sleep, and if at all possible sleep in a bed.
4 Keep frequently used kitchen and bathroom tools in easy reach (limit reaching and bending).
5 There are many different types of equipment available to purchase and use in your bathroom to improve safety. Grab bars, toilet risers, bath seats, etc. A fifty dollar purchase could help prevent a very time consuming and expensive fall recovery! An Occupational Therapist is a specialist in bathroom safety and set up. Every person and bathroom is unique, so I highly recommend pursing an individualized assessment if you are struggling in any way with bathroom activities. Ask your physician for a referral.
6 Move about in the home simulating all of the tasks you would need to do throughout the day, and look for anything that might hinder safety: getting in and out of bed, getting dressed, accessing medications, preparing food, getting the newspaper or mail, answering the telephone, reaching for laundry detergent, etc.
7 Maintain the fit and safety of: hearing aids, glasses, supportive shoes, clothes that are easy to get on and don’t drape at the feet, safety necklace, walking aids, and any other medical equipment. Check cane tips periodically for wear.
8 Make sure stair rails are secure, and 2 rails is usually better than one.
9 Use handouts and signs created for senior care as reminders and organizers of health information. This inexpensive packet contains over 25 pages (including a “goals” page) to get you or your loved one health organized!!
Bonus tips: Set up your exercise area or equipment to increase your followthrough. If you can see it, you will be more likely to do it.
Here is a third freebie: a cleaning checklist that can help you achieve many of these environmental goals!
***Clinicians: If you enjoy learning about nutrition and health, consider gaining CEU credits with this awesome course: Food as Medicine, by PESI (affiliate link). I just finished it and loved it! This comprehensive training is filled with actionable techniques that you can use immediately! Sign up today through my affiliate link to register.
For more detailed info on these topics check out:
9 Creative Ways to Improve Compliance
I would love to hear what goals you have set for this new year! Get your health organization journey started by subscribing to the blog for a few more printable FREEBIES, and a weekly email with information for senior health and senior caregiving.
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