Guest post from Rhonda Underhill

Changing your health for the better is never
easy. For seniors with long-held habits, it can feel nearly
impossible. If your
senior loved ones are trying to make changes to improve their health, why not
give a gift that helps them along their journey to healthier Aging?

About Aging Parents understands how hard it
can be to find the perfect gift for someone you really care about. These five
holiday gifts are a great way to show your support and help your senior loved
ones achieve their health and wellness goals in 2022.

Fitness devices and gadgets

Finding the motivation to get up and Exercise
can be difficult regardless of your age. However, there are some modern gadgets
and devices that can help seniors who need a little incentive to get off the
couch. A smartwatch, for example, can help them track how many calories they’ve
burned, how many steps they’ve taken, and other important information.

Convenient nutrition

A balanced Diet is one of the pillars of senior
health, but age-related changes make it tough to keep up with home-cooked
meals. Whether your seniors struggle to get to the grocery store, lack
motivation for meal planning, or are simply habituated to an unhealthy diet, a meal kit delivery service
simplifies Healthy Eating. With a subscription service like Blue Apron or Hello
Fresh delivering healthy ingredients in easy-to-follow recipes right to their
door, adopting a healthy diet couldn’t be easier.

Another way to keep proper nutrition super
simple is with a superfoods-charged beverage. With the right ingredients
blended into one antioxidant and nutrition laden option, seniors can simply sip
vitamins and minerals to keep them strong and healthy. Pair it with a durable,
personalized to-go tumbler for the ideal gift!

Send them back to school

Seniors are in a unique position to understand the old saying, We never stop learning. That’s why
helping them go back to school – whether helping them to register or paying for
a class – is a great way to give them something positive to focus on. Also, the
flexibility
of online programs means virtually any schedule and interest can be easily
accommodated.

A YMCA membership

The YMCA is the perfect place for seniors who
want to become more active but are intimidated by gyms. While YMCAs have all
the fitness amenities of other gyms, they also offer senior-friendly classes like aquatic workouts
for people with arthritis, Yoga for seniors, and balance training. Better yet,
many YMCAs offer discounted membership rates for older adults.

Furry or feathered companionship

Pet ownership offers amazing health perks to
seniors. The benefits range from improving heart health to improved
socialization. Unfortunately, pet ownership is also something many seniors set
aside, usually due to the commitment it involves, yet they often miss the
companionship of an animal.

If that sounds like your loved one, consider
encouraging them to add a furry or feathered companion. Some pets are
particularly well-suited to seniors, like birds and
rabbits, and in some respects, they are smaller commitments than some pets,
such as in terms of lifespan, space, and responsibility.

You can even get all the goodies for your
loved one so they can pick the individual animal that really speaks to them.
For instance, bird lovers might enjoy a birdcage kit, and there are full
outdoor setups for rabbits. A pet companion can be an
amazing pick-me-up, and be the mental and physical boost your loved one loves
most.

A rideshare gift card

Senior health goes beyond the physical. The
National Institute on Aging points out that maintaining an active social life
is just as important for healthy aging, especially when it comes to a senior’s mental health. Unfortunately, physical
limitations make it difficult for some seniors to get out and connect with
friends.

If it’s no longer safe for your senior loved
ones to drive, give them the gift of transportation with a giftcard to Lyft or
Uber. With access to ride-share services, seniors can get out of the house
without getting behind the wheel — and you can enjoy the peace of mind of
knowing they’ll get to their destination safely.

Whether your senior loved ones are in good
health and just need a little something extra or have a long way to go toward
their wellness goals, there’s a gift that can help them get there. However,
while these gifts will set seniors on the path to better health, there’s one
gift Money can’t buy: your support. Whether it’s rides to the gym or
motivational text messages, make sure your senior loved ones know you’re
cheering them on.

Image via Unsplash 

Originally Published on https://www.aboutagingparents.com/

Kathy Quan Blogger & Author

Kathy Quan RN BSN PHN is an award-winning blogger and author. She has been an RN for over 30 years. Most of those years have been spent in home health care and hospice where she has worked as a field nurse, a nursing supervisor, branch manager and in quality improvement. Today she works part time in hospice as a Quality Improvement specialist.