Stress is something that affects us at all stages of life, but seniors often find themselves stressing about things that weren’t as worrisome when they were younger. From health concerns to facing losses of various sorts, there are many things seniors can find overwhelming. To learn more about common sources of stress, and to explore some of the things seniors can do to reduce some of the worry and anxiety they may experience as they age, read on.
Physical Limitations
As you age, you may find yourself worrying more frequently about getting sick, falling and injuring yourself, and losing your ability to live independently. According to AARP, however, you may be able to prevent pain and injury as you age if you regularly practice exercises like walking, swimming, yoga, and lifting weights—as these can all help to keep your body strong and flexible as you grow older.
Additionally, eating a nutritious diet that includes plenty of healthy fats, whole grains, lean proteins, dietary fiber, and vegetables will keep you strong, healthy, and energized as you age.
Moreover, you may find yourself worrying about your ability to see, hear, smell, touch, and taste as well as you could when you were younger. If your senses begin to decline, you may also fear that you’ll lose your independence and ability to drive a vehicle. It can even affect how you form relationships with others, and keep you from enjoying life as well as you once could.
However, a vision rehabilitation specialist, orientation and mobility specialist, or primary care physician can help you to cope with your declining senses and explore ways of maintaining your independence as you age.
Funeral Planning
In addition to the physical limitations that often accompany the aging process, most seniors experience a great deal of stress and anxiety when they think about their final arrangements and how their families will pay for their funeral, burial, or cremation when they pass away. However, advance funeral planning can help seniors to alleviate some of this stress while also ensuring that their families are taken care of financially as they grieve the loss of their loved one.
While some additional expenses vary depending on whether seniors choose to be buried in a cemetery or cremated, the average funeral costs about $9,000. As such, it’s important for seniors to create a funeral plan that states their final wishes and includes funds for covering the cost of their final arrangements.
Some options may include purchasing final expense insurance, prepaying their funeral, or opening a payable-on-death (POD) bank account. Make sure you check your options carefully. Final expense insurance is best purchased with a well-established company. Both POD and funeral prepayment carry their own drawbacks and risks as well, so do some research before you invest in a plan.
Losing Loved Ones
As we age, our friends and family members will continue to grow older as well—and we may find ourselves worrying about the loss of our loved ones and what we’ll do when our closest companions have passed on. However, there are a few things we can do to relieve some of the stress we may be experiencing. These include:
- Adopting an animal companion.
- Forming relationships with the people we meet.
- Exploring a new hobby or activity.
- Spending time with the children in our lives, whether it be our grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or friends of the family.
- Volunteering our time, skills, and talents.
Stress is a Normal Part of Life
According to the American Institute of Stress (AIS), stress is a normal part of life that affects each and every one of us, but the negative effects of stress are much greater in seniors—sometimes even contributing to memory loss or weakened immunity.
As such, it’s important that seniors get the help they need if they’re feeling weighed down by stress or begin to experience worrisome symptoms like memory loss, irritability, sleeping difficulties, or heart palpitations. Connect with a therapist if lifestyle changes don’t help.
Aging isn’t easy, but acknowledging your greatest stressors and finding ways of managing them can take some of the anxiety out of growing older. Take care of your physical and mental health and get help as needed. You can’t stop time, but you can find ways to eliminate some of the stress and anxiety that often accompanies the aging process.
Kent Elliot
Guest Blogger
Dragon Intuitive