Five Tips for Helping Seniors Stay Active

As you grow older, it is not unusual to find yourself with less responsibilities when it comes to work and family, leaving you with more time on your hands. While you may have looked forward to this leisure time all your life, facing the reality of it can be different.

Adjusting to the significant increase in down-time that often accompanies our elder years can be more of a challenge than many people realize. It′s important to keep yourself active and involved in order to maintain your physical and mental well-being. You don’t want to become cut off or isolated from the world you live in. Inactivity can lead to depression and unhealthy habits, but where do you go when you have no where you have to be?

1. Volunteer Your Time

Now that you have a little time on your hands, why not volunteer? It not only provides a needed service to the community, but it can benefit you too. Being involved keeps you young and provides you with the opportunity to meet new friends.

There′s also a wonderful feeling of satisfaction that comes with knowing you’ve made things a little better for someone else. Hospitals, schools, animal shelters and many other places rely on the aid of volunteers to enable them to carry out their mission.

2. Join a Local Club

There are all kinds of senior clubs out there. There are clubs for people who play similar sports or have similar hobbies, there are book clubs, religious study groups, groups for painters, hikers, bikers and quilters. Find one that supports your interests and get going. You’ll get out of the house, learn something new about your hobby and you’ll meet new people with similar interests.

3. Travel

Traveling can be intimidating and difficult when you′re alone. This might be especially true as you age, but that’s no reason not to do it! In fact, tackling new challenges should always be a part of a healthy life. Why should growing older change that? Sure, you may not have the resources to travel across the globe, but so what?

There are plenty of interesting and beautiful places in America to visit that you’ve probably never been to (and may not even have ever heard of before.) In fact, there are no doubt plenty of wonders for you to see very close by to where you live. Go out and buy a travel guide to your own hometown to start. You’ll be surprised at all of the things you can see that you never even knew existed right under your nose.

4. Get a Companion Pet

You have probably heard that having a pet can help keep depression away and prolong your life. They help you relax, but they also help keep you active. Pets require care and attention and can provide a sense of purpose.

A pet will keep you interested in living and doing. At the same time you will be providing a home to an animal that needs one. There are a lot of rescue groups and shelters with great cats and dogs that need to be adopted, and some even have special rates for seniors.

5. Get a Hobby

There’s probably something you’ve always wanted to do or learn to do that you never had time for. This would be a good time for you to indulge. Learning something new is good for your brain cells and it’s exciting too.

You hear people complaining of boredom when they retire or when their children leave home and they find themselves alone. Don′t be one of them. Start with one thing to do that will get you out of the house and you’ll soon find others. This is your time, so enjoy it!