Hello everyone and welcome back to the Daily
Senior Safety Advice Podcast. This is the podcast
where we talk about simple, practical ways to
help older adults and their families really,
stay safe, independent, and confident at home
and in everyday life. I'm Esther Cain, a retired
occupational therapist, a certified aging in
place specialist, and a dementia care specialist.
I am so glad that you're here today. And for
more helpful tips and resources beyond this podcast,
please visit our website at seniorsafetyadvice
.com. Now this is March and March is Mobility
and Independence Month and today I want to talk
about the mental benefits of staying healthy
or staying active. Now when people hear the word
active they often think of exercise classes and
long walks or going to the gym and for many older
adults that can feel a little overwhelming. Some
may think I'm too old for that, or my body just
doesn't work like it used to. Mine doesn't either,
believe me. But here's the good news. Staying
active does not have to mean doing anything extreme.
It can mean walking to the mailbox. It can mean
light stretching in a chair. It can mean watering
plants, folding laundry, dancing in the kitchen,
or taking a short walk with a friend. And this
is important. Staying active is not just about
your muscles or your joints or even your heart.
It also helps your mind. I saw this so often
when I worked with older adults as an occupational
therapist when people stopped moving. They often
started to feel less interested in the day. Their
mood dropped, their confidence dropped. Sometimes
they became more anxious, more withdrawn, and
even more forgetful. But when they found simple
ways to move again, even in small amounts, they
often seemed brighter, more alert, and more engaged.
That change, those little changes really matter.
One of the biggest mental benefits of staying
active is that it can help improve your mood.
Movement helps your body release chemicals that
support a sense of well -being. You may not notice
it right away every single time, but over time
activity can help you feel calmer, lighter, and
more emotionally balanced. And another thing
that I've noticed over the years is that activity
can give people a real sense of purpose. When
you get up and do something, even something small,
your day begins to feel more meaningful. There
is a difference between sitting all day because
you choose to rest and sitting all day because
you feel stuck. That feeling of being stuck can
slowly affect your mood and your outlook. I remember
a video many years ago where they encouraged
people to clean their sink, kitchen sink and
kitchen every night before they get to bed. And
the purpose of that was it's such a simple task
to do. Well, I guess it depends on how many dishes
you have, but it can usually be a simple task.
But the point was that you did something and
you went to bed knowing that you did something
and you are prepared for the next day. Little
things like that. Simple routines can really
help. You know, maybe you can take a short walk
after breakfast. Maybe you do a few stretches
while your coffee is brewing. Maybe you put on
music and move around the house for five minutes.
These little actions tell your brain, hey, I'm
still part of my life. I'm still engaged. I'm
still moving forward. That message, as simple
as it may seem, is very powerful. Staying active
can also help reduce stress and anxiety. And
as people get older, it's very natural, actually,
for anxiety to increase. I've seen it a thousand
times, if not more, in my own mother and in myself.
When people worry, they often sit and think and
think and think. The mind keeps circling the
same fears over and over and over again. Movement
can interrupt that cycle. It gives the brain
something else to focus on. It changes the rhythm
of the day. It often helps to release built -up
tension in the body as well. And that helps to
contribute to lower anxiety. Now here's something
interesting. Activity does not only help when
you're feeling down. It can also help to protect
your mental sharpness over time. Physical movement
increases blood flow, including that blood flow
that is so important to your brain. That matters
because your brain needs that support to work
well. I'm not saying that staying active prevents
every memory problem. It doesn't, of course.
But I am saying that movement supports your brain
health, attention, and alertness. It can help
you feel more awake, and it can help with your
focus. It can even help with sleep. And sleep,
of course, as we all know, affects your memory,
your mood, and God only knows it affects your
patience. Poor sleep can, of course, make everything
harder. Sometimes I have heard from older adults,
that say to me, I just don't feel motivated.
Heck, I say that to myself. I understand that,
believe me. Motivation can be hard when you feel
tired, lonely, in pain, or even discouraged.
But one of the biggest myths is that motivation
has to come first. Very often, action actually
is what comes first. You do a little bit, and
then you feel a little bit better. then that
better feeling makes it easier to do a little
bit more. That is how momentum starts. Not with
a big burst of energy, with one small step. For
some people, staying active also helps with confidence.
This is especially true after a fall, an illness
or a hospital stay. When something scary happens,
it is common to pull back. People become afraid
of moving because they do not want to get hurt
again. Who can blame them? That fear makes sense.
But too much fear can lead to less movement,
and less movement can lead to weakness, more
dependence, and even more fear. It becomes a
cycle. Gentle, safe activity can help to break
that cycle. As an occupational therapist, I always
looked at activity as something personal, not
just exercise in a general way, but meaningful
activity. What does this person enjoy? What feels
possible? What would fit into their real life?
For one person, that might be gardening. For
another, it might be walking around a store.
For someone else, it might be standing up and
sitting down from a chair several times with
good support. The best activity is often the
one you will actually do. And this is important
for caregivers as well. If you are helping an
older parent or spouse, try not to push too hard
or make activity feel like punishment. Instead,
connect it to something pleasant. Ask them to
join you in watering the flowers. Take a short
walk together. Turn on music that they love.
Invite movement in a gentle way. That often works
better than lectures. And if the activity can
be useful, purposeful, well, that's just another
added bonus. Social activity also plays a role
here. When movement happens with another person,
the mental benefits can be even greater. A walk
with a neighbor, a chair exercise class, or even
walking around the house while talking on the
phone can help reduce loneliness. And loneliness
has a real effect on mental health. Sometimes
it is not only the movement that helps, it's
the connection. And if you can combine the two,
you are going to have a powerful day. If you're
listening today and thinking, yeah, I haven't
been very active lately, please do not be hard
on yourself. This is not about guilt. It is about
possibility. You do not need to become a different
person overnight. You don't ever need to do that.
You just need a gentle place to begin. So start
small. Stand up during commercials. Walk to the
end of the driveway once, twice. Stretch your
arms and legs in a chair. March in place for
one minute. Put away laundry one piece at a time.
Take one extra lap around the kitchen. Those
small efforts count. They truly do. And if you
have health concerns, balance issues, pain or
dizziness, It is wise to talk with your doctor
or therapist before starting something new, talking
like a physical therapist or occupational therapist,
because safety really matters. The goal is not
to push through pain or to do too much. The goal
is to support your mind and your body in a way
that feels safe and realistic. Over the years,
I have seen so many older adults, so many of
my patients often do best when they stop chasing
perfection and start honoring consistency. And
that is really the key, being consistent. A little
movement done regularly can do more for your
mental well -being than one big effort that leaves
you exhausted. So today, I want to leave you
with this thought. Staying active is not about
proving something. It is about supporting your
mood, your confidence, your mental sharpness,
and your sense of connection to life. It is one
of the kindest things you can do for your mind.
So pick one simple way to move today. Just one.
Then do it again tomorrow. And that is how change
begins. All right. I want to thank you so much
for being here with me today. I hope this episode
encouraged you to see movement in a simpler and
kinder way. For more tips, support, and helpful
resources for older adults and family caregivers,
please visit our website at seniorsafetyadvice
.com. And if you're looking for Aging in Place
professionals, then visit aginginplacedirectory
.com. And please subscribe to the podcast or
our YouTube channels, and I'll look forward to
being with you again. Thank you.