A holistic approach to maintaining overall wellness as you age.

Key takeaways:

• Healthy aging is a holistic journey encompassing physical health, mental well-being, social connections, and financial security. Balancing these aspects is crucial for a fulfilling senior lifestyle.
• Regular physical activity, such as walking or swimming, along with a balanced diet and supplements, can support physical wellness and slow down the aging process.
• Social engagement and community support play a vital role in enhancing mental well-being and overall quality of life.
• Managing stress through relaxing activities and getting adequate sleep are essential for maintaining good mental health and cognitive function in older adults.
• Financial wellness becomes increasingly important as we age, and effective budgeting and debt management can protect older adults’ economic security during retirement.

The golden years can be truly golden if we take the right steps. But it isn't always easy figuring out what those are.

We’re talking about more than just staying active or eating well – although these things matter too. But we’re also talking about keeping every aspect of your life as an older adult healthy, including social connections, mental stability, and, yes, financial security.

Without a conscious effort to maintain wellness in all aspects of your life, achieving that coveted balanced lifestyle can remain elusive. That's why we've compiled the following tips to help you navigate this journey with grace and vitality!

Importance of wellness for seniors

The journey to healthy aging starts with wellness. A holistic outlook, encompassing physical healthiness, psychological well-being, communal links, and financial steadiness is important. In fact, the World Health Organization says that maintaining wellness in all four of these areas can help older adults age gracefully and live longer lives.

Which isn’t all that surprising. After all, all facets of wellness are interconnected in some way or another. Maintaining good physical health often leads to improved mental well-being, as does maintaining a strong social support network. In turn, sound financial planning reduces stress levels associated with economic insecurity among seniors, which can lead to improved mental and physical health.

In order to truly understand the importance of holistic wellness for seniors, let’s take a closer look at each of the four aspects of good overall health.

Physical wellness

It probably won’t surprise you that the same general recommendations for physical health apply to seniors as to anyone else – eat right, exercise, and see your doctor regularly. With that said, however, it’s important to note that seniors face special challenges when it comes to meeting these wellness goals.

A balanced diet is the cornerstone of good health, but eating right is often easier said than done for seniors. For one thing, our appetites tend to diminish with age, so sometimes, we just don’t want to eat. And for another, our ability to absorb some nutrients tends to decrease with age. So sometimes we need a boost. Nutritional shakes and/or dietary supplements can often help. For example, the National Institute on Aging recommends calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 supplements for seniors.

When it comes to exercise, it’s true that your body won’t do the same things it used to. But that’s no excuse for sitting on the couch. In fact, exercise is more critical than ever for seniors, as it can not only keep you fit but also help maintain your sense of balance, helping prevent potentially devastating falls. 

The CDC recommends that older adults get 150 minutes per week (half an hour per day for five days) of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes per week of vigorous-intensity exercise, plus additional muscle-strengthening and balance-enhancing activities at least two days per week. And if you’re physically unable to meet these recommendations, the CDC advises being as physically active as reasonably possible. 

Social wellness 

A supportive social network of friends and family is important at any stage of life, but the fellowship and friendship that come from being part of a group can drastically raise the standard of living for seniors. Unfortunately, many seniors withdraw from the world for various reasons, which can have a devastating impact on their health.

To maintain social wellness, seek out and participate in activities with fellow seniors through local senior centers or religious organizations. Becoming an active member of a retirement community is another excellent way to stay socially engaged while enjoying shared activities and interests. You can also volunteer your time at local charities, which is a great way to meet people of all ages and cultivate new friendships in your community.

Engaging in social activities can also help you maintain personal hygiene, another area that seniors who become disengaged often let slide. Remember that cleanliness is important for maintaining good health – and good relationships! 

Mental wellness

Let’s face it: getting older isn’t always a lot of fun. We lose friends and family along the way. We lose the sense of purpose that comes with having a job and raising a family. Our bodies start to wear down and we have to deal with aches and pains we’ve never experienced before. So it’s easy for many older people to slip into depression, which can have terrible repercussions on their overall health.

It’s important, therefore, to focus on maintaining good mental health. It’s a cornerstone of overall wellness in older adults that impacts virtually every other area of health. And one huge aspect of maintaining mental health is stress management because stress can affect older adults worse than any other age group. 

Perhaps not surprisingly, many of the recommendations for maintaining good mental health are the same as those for physical and social health, starting with eating a balanced diet and getting regular exercise. Engaging in relaxing, enjoyable activities also plays an essential role in maintaining mental health. Hobbies such as gardening or painting not only keep you engaged but also stimulate creativity and mental function, which supports brain health. Making sure that you get enough sleep also supports mental health and may even help prevent you from getting sick.

Financial wellness

As we age, financial wellness also becomes increasingly crucial, especially for people who haven’t been able to save up as much money as they would have liked. While money pressures sometimes seem insurmountable, there are some simple strategies you can use to cut costs and make your retirement savings and Social Security go further. You can even consider going back to work part-time, which can not only provide some extra income but keep you engaged with people and activities. 

You can also explore options for saving money on necessary expenses such as prescription medications – and that’s where ModRN Health can help.

Final thoughts

Embracing wellness in our golden years is a journey, not a destination, a journey that requires a holistic approach to the four key aspects of overall well-being – physical, mental, social, and financial health. And ModRN Health can help with all four. Our free, easy-to-use online tool can help you find the lowest prices on prescriptions in your area, thereby supporting your physical health with access to the medications you need while also easing the stress of high drug prices and helping you save money. Plus, you can earn Rewards Points for maintaining social health by recommending our service to family and friends. 

Simply visit our website and sign up for a free account today to start enjoying the peace of mind that comes with saving money on your prescriptions.