5 Healthy New Year's Resolution Ideas for Seniors
You are never too old to set goals, change behaviors, or chase dreams. Check out our top 5 healthy New Year’s resolution ideas for seniors.
Welcome to 2022! There has never been a better time to set goals, change behaviors, chase dreams, and prioritize health. For some seniors, choosing and pursuing a New Year’s resolution can be challenging as many older adults have accomplished so much in their lifetimes already. The truth is, New Year’s resolutions can be as big or a small as an individual wants them to be. For seniors, we recommend setting a combination of goals that focus on physical, mental, and emotional engagement. Creating resolutions to improve or maintain health is important for everyone, but, can be especially critical for older adults and their ability to remain independent for as long as possible.
For seniors that don't know where to start, here are 5 healthy New Year’s resolutions to consider focusing on in 2022.
Make Exercise and Nutrition a Priority
Did you know that the most popular New Year’s resolution is living healthier? In fact, according to a recent Forbes article, 23% of people set the goal of living a healthier lifestyle at the beginning of a new year. Setting a New Year’s resolution to exercise and eat healthy is popular for good reason, it has the power to positively impact so many other areas of a person's life. Exercising more and maintaining a healthy diet is a goal that anyone can pursue, including older adults.
For seniors, the most important part of pursuing an exercise and nutrition program is to start small and stay within physical limits. Because overexertion can lead to injury, older adults should talk to their doctor before beginning an exercise and diet routine.
Here are some additional tips for seniors wanting to improve their physical health.
Kick Bad Habits
Another New Year’s resolution that can improve the health of seniors is kicking bad habits. A few examples of bad habits that can negatively impact a senior's life include overeating, smoking, drinking, not getting enough sleep, and so on. Most people can think of at least one bad habit that they could try and kick in 2022.
For seniors setting the goal of kicking bad habits in 2022, Healthline suggests following the eight steps below for breaking bad habits.
Identify your triggers.
Focus on why you want to change.
Enlist a friend’s support.
Practice mindfulness.
Replace the habit with a different one (a healthy one).
Leave yourself reminders.
Prepare for slipups.
Let go of the all-or-nothing mindset.
Be Social
Social interaction and positive relationships are important. Unfortunately, many seniors feel isolated and desire connection. A report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) points out that more than one-third of adults aged 45 and older feel lonely. These statistics increase with age. Isolation and loneliness can lead to health problems including depression, anxiety, dementia, and heart failure.
If a senior is feeling isolated or alone, finding new ways to connect with others is a great New Year’s resolution for 2022.
Here are some tips from the National Institute on Aging on how seniors can remain connected.
For seniors needing companionship, Comfort Keepers provides companionship services to help provide the engagement that they need.
Learn a New Skill
It is never too late to learn a new skill! Studies have shown that seniors who learn new skills can strengthen connections in their brains. Seniors should think about things they have always wanted to learn and set the goal of achieving it. Learning new skills does not need to be for any altruistic gain other than fun and stimulation.
Here are some tips seniors, and other adults can use to learn new skills in 2022.
Get More Sleep
No one ever said that New Year’s resolutions had to be complicated or advanced, sometimes the most important resolutions are small goals, with huge rewards, like getting more sleep. Poor sleep habits can cause a plethora of problems including diabetes, hypertension, and weight gain. There are several steps that seniors can take to get adequate amounts of sleep including setting a schedule, avoiding late naps, and staying away from nicotine.
Here are some additional tips for getting a good night's sleep.
2022: The Year to Crush Goals
New Year’s is a great time to focus on taking steps towards self-improvement and better health. For seniors, creating goals can help them overcome obstacles, be more engaged, and find peace.
