Healthy ageing

As you age it is important to prevent health risks and promote older people’s social, mental and physical health.  Governments should be putting effort into the wellbeing and quality of life of people over 60, as the contributing factors belong to many different aspects of our lifestyle.

Here we put together some of the factors that are crucial to the concept of healthy ageing, along with a few tips.

Physical health

It is extremely important that people over 60 years of age start having more regular health check-ups. When we age, our bodies struggle to keep up sometimes, so it is advised that we look after ourselves more. We shouldn’t ignore any symptoms, so make sure you visit your GP if you’re feeling unwell.  Also, maintaining a good level of activity is important as prevention is better than treatment. The NHS has a guide on healthy ageing that also gives good advice for people living with frailty.

Maintaining a healthy diet

Nutrition is directly linked to our physical health and condition. Maintaining healthy eating habits is important no matter what your age, but it is of even higher importance as we get older. Certain foods allow for better function of body organs or other cognitive and physical functionalities in general. A balanced diet can prevent illnesses, diseases, as well as reduce the risk of cancer and diabetes.

If you are living on your own or with family, start taking small steps into adjusting your diet and start enjoying the benefits of healthy eating. If you are staying in one of our care homes you can stay reassured that we provide you with a delicious and nutritionally balanced menu.  

Personalised care

One of the most noticeable signs of ageing is that we become weaker and frailer. Sometimes we might need a bit of help with our daily routine. Having a carer or living in a lovely care home is something we shouldn’t be afraid to ask for.  Barchester care homes provide the best care possible to ensure that every aspect of healthy ageing, such as healthy diet, remaining active, life-long learning and physical health monitoring, is fully addressed. 

Life-long learning

Every society that cares about healthy ageing should be providing its older population with education opportunities. Life-long learning promotes not only mental, but also emotional health. This does not mean that older people opt for life-long learning in order to get qualifications and certificates; education throughout our life course improves our mental abilities while keeping the brain sharp, and can also be about pure enjoyment.

Remaining physically active

Healthy ageing is also about physical health. Leading an active life and engaging in regular exercise can have countless benefits for our health. Exercise can reduce the risk of illnesses, strengthen the heart and our core and fight those back aches. Most importantly, it makes us happy.

Barchester homes have a wide choice of physical activities such as walks, trips and visits to various locations, gardening or good old-fashioned work-outs. We promote activity as a vital part of older people’s healthy lifestyle.