5 Great Tips for Staying Healthy as a Senior

5 Great Tips for Staying Healthy as a Senior

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The Importance of Protecting Your Health as You Age

It’s common knowledge that we unfortunately become more prone to certain health issues, illnesses, and diseases as we age. This is because as we enter our golden years, our body’s immune system naturally weakens and slows down, putting seniors at a higher risk of infection, sickness, and other potential problems.

Additionally, many seniors currently suffer from other common health problems that may make them more susceptible. Whether you live in an assisted living facility, a nursing home, a retirement community, or a private residence, you’ll likely be pleased to know that there are a number of ways to stay healthy as you continue to age gracefully. 

What can I do to stay healthy as I get older?

Contrary to popular belief, staying healthy as you get older has a lot more to do with what you can control as opposed to what you can’t. Diseases like the seasonal flu, pneumococcal disease, COVID-19, and other infections can be staved off just by sticking to a few essential healthy habits, including:

Practicing Proper Self Care

As you get older, it becomes even more important to ensure that you are practicing good physical and mental wellness, as doing so can help boost your immune system. 

Eating well, getting plenty of sleep, exercising regularly, and getting recommended amounts of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients is essential to your health during your golden years.

Practicing Good Personal Hygiene

One of the best ways to lower your risk of contracting infection is by adhering to a high-quality hygiene regimen.  

For everyone, this includes washing your hands properly and frequently, cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces, and avoiding touching your face, ears, eyes, nose, and mouth whenever possible. For many seniors, this also includes properly disposing of medical waste.

Limiting Close Contact with Others Who Aren’t Feeling Well

A great way to reduce the likelihood of contracting an illness is to avoid coming into close contact with others who are not feeling well or showing symptoms of illness, such as a runny nose, frequent sneezing or coughing, fever, and chills. 

This is especially important during the holiday season, as this is the time of year when you are most likely to come into close contact with others indoors.

Wearing Your Mask to Protect Against COVID-19

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has taught us a great deal about viral infections and how they spread. The world’s foremost medical experts advise taking the proper precautions to protect yourself from infection at this time, but those same rules can be applied in a number of situations. 

In other words, COVID-19 isn’t the only disease that can be prevented through the proper use of personal protective equipment; so too can the flu, Group A streptococcus, measles, and many others.

Receiving All Necessary Vaccines

Recent developments in medical research and science have made one thing perfectly clear: vaccines can help save lives. This is especially true for seniors, as our ability to fight off infection can dramatically decrease over time. 

Currently, there are many life-saving vaccines available to seniors that are covered under Medicare, including seasonal influenza, COVID-19, hepatitis B, HPV, and many more. Be sure to always consult your doctor about which vaccines or vaccine boosters that can most benefit you as you age.

What resources can help me stay healthy as a senior?

The senior population often has far more resources available to them than they realize when it comes to promoting a healthy lifestyle and good mental wellness. Many of these services are available through your Medicare or Medicare Advantage plan, including SilverSneakers, while others are specifically tailored to assist older individuals with their daily needs.

If you have questions about your current Medicare plan or would like to know more about how you can get Medicare coverage for your healthcare needs, don’t hesitate to reach out to a friendly, experienced, and licensed insurance agent, such as those available at websites like MedicareInsurance.com, today.