Posted in: Health
There are parts of the United States now beginning to re-open, however the senior population in assisted living or memory care communities, as well as those more vulnerable to COVID –19, is still mostly under state-ordered quarantine.
Unfortunately, many seniors living at home during this extended quarantine can lead to social isolation, which then can lead to increased levels of depression and anxiety. In addition, older adults and those with disabilities are at increased risk for having mental health concerns.
In order to combat the negative symptoms often associated with social isolation, our community offers a full-time activity director who keeps seniors engaged with healthy, social-distanced activities.
Here are some other key factors to keeping healthy mentally:
- While some can find comfort from knowing all the facts, don’t forget to take breaks from constantly reading the news, or listening to information from conflicting news sources. For up-to-date, accurate information, go to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Website.
- If you or a loved one is living at home and don’t have access to an activity director, it can be easy to become stagnant. Remember to take care of your physical needs by:
- Exercising regularly
- Getting plenty of sleep
- Eating healthy well-balanced meals
- Go outside, or open a window to get fresh air if possible
- Mental health is incredibly important during this time of social isolation in order to combat feelings of loneliness, depression, anxiety, or stress.
- Make sure to stay connected with loved ones. There are many ways to stay connected, whether by telephone, email, mailing letters, texting, video chat, or social media. Don’t know how to connect? Ask our staff how we can help; we’re more than happy to walk you through how to see a loved one.
- Practice breathing exercises and mindfulness, which calms the mind and helps to ground yourself.
While these are unprecedented times, it is important now, more than ever, to take care of your mental and physical health during periods of extended quarantine.
If you or your loved one is looking for a community offering Independent Living, Assisted Living, or Memory Care in Yorktown, Virginia call us at (757) 798-8739 to get more details on how a senior living community like ours might just be a perfect fit.
