Reasons Your Senior Needs to Get Outside This Summer

By Zandrea Durham | July 3, 2024 | Comments Off on Reasons Your Senior Needs to Get Outside This Summer

Many seniors avoid the outdoors during the summer due to the extreme heat, but the truth is they should be getting outside every single day. Your loved one may want to avoid the outside temps during the hottest times of the day but home care providers will encourage your loved one to go outside before 10 am and after 4 pm. This means your loved one will get the benefits of being outside but they will avoid high heat times and any skin damage from the sun being high in the sky. When it comes to being outside this is not a fool-proof plan they will still need to monitor how much fluids they are consuming and always think about keeping their skin covered and protected. However, this is the time that will be the most comfortable to be outside.

Here are some of the amazing benefits of being outdoors.

Being Outside Allows a Senior To Be Connected to Nature

Home Care Jeffersonville GA - Reasons Your Senior Needs to Get Outside This Summer
Home Care Jeffersonville GA – Reasons Your Senior Needs to Get Outside This Summer

Your loved one should feel connected to the outside world and the best way to do that is to get outside. A senior who spends time outside will be able to watch insects, watch birds, and talk to neighbors who are also out and about. Being connected is one of the best ways to feel less socially isolated. When a senior is surrounded by nature they are around things that are alive which gives them a sense of belonging in their environment. This is a crucial feeling to being healthy while aging in place.

Nature Is a Natural Mood Booster

By just stepping outside and being in the moment with nature a senior can get a natural mood boost. The sun plays a significant role in the amount of vitamins a senior gets and physical activity will help promote serotonin which is responsible for the feel-good feelings in your body. A senior’s anxiety will naturally decrease when they go outside and this can be a good way to maintain a good mood. They may be experiencing anxiety about getting older or other issues that involve aging in place and being outside is just one of the many ways to control that fear and anxiousness. Your loved one may also need more help from home care to help reduce any fear and anxiety about aging in place.

It Encourages Movement

Going outside means your senior loved one will naturally move around more. They will walk outside, walk on the deck, and even walk in the yard. Movement is always going to be a number one focus for seniors who want to age on their own. The more they move the more likely they will be able to age in place for longer and continue to live healthily.

Nature Can Help Reduce Stress Levels

Being outside means a senior’s heart rate will slow down, cortisol levels will reduce, and dopamine will rise. This all leads to a reduction in stress levels. Your senior loved one should be focused on reducing stress during their days and weeks.

If you or an aging loved one are considering Home Care Services in Jeffersonville GA, please get in touch with the caring staff at Angels of Mercy Private Homecare Services, Inc. today at 478-745-5111.

Angels of Mercy Private Homecare Services is a Trusted Home Care Agency serving Macon, Warner Robins, Perry, Gray, Milledgeville, Forsyth, Cochran, Jeffersonville, Eastman, Fort Valley, and the surrounding areas.

Zandrea Durham
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