Tips from our clients for a long and happy life

Following on from our post on Ikigai, the Japanese philosophy of living your later years with purpose, we asked some of our centenary clients what their top tips are for living a long and happy life. This is what they said:

Know when to ask for help – This isn’t always an easy thing to do. The anxiety of being a burden or having a stranger come into your home are genuine concerns. Our comprehensive matching process between our clients and their carers ensures that these ‘strangers’ soon become friends.

Remain in your own home – At Bright Care we believe home is best. Retaining independence, dignity and privacy is high on the list of priorities for our clients. With in-home care to support with the day-to-day tasks, as well as the companionship our carers provide, this allows our clients to remain in their own home throughout their later years.

Appreciate the outdoors – Being able to get out and about is vital to many of our clients. Our carers can provide support with going for walks, assisting with light gardening, and partaking in outdoor hobbies, activities that they perhaps no longer feel confident in doing alone.

Stay motivated and mobile – Remaining active isn’t always easy as you get older. Our carers motivate their clients to move within their abilities, even if this entails having a chair dance or preparing food together. 

Remain mentally active – Mental activity is known to be a great way to stay mentally healthy. Interacting with our care staff, sharing memories and life stories, doing the crossword or playing a game, all of these things will help to retain mental agility in later years.

Have someone to talk to – Loneliness can be one of the hardest parts of getting older. With in-home care, there is always someone to talk to on a regular basis. Our carers can help to take their clients out to meet friends or attend family gatherings, adding to the social interactions that stave off feelings of isolation and loneliness. 

Engage in hobbies or interests – Continuing to do the things you love is a part of what our companionship style of care provides. Whether it is driving their clients to a class or group, or supporting them with a hobby at home, we understand how important it is to our clients to continue with their interests as they get older.

Eat healthily and stay hydrated – Making nourishing food is a part of our care philosophy. Our carers can help prepare simple and healthy meals with their clients. To find out more, read our brief guide to good nutrition or elderly people from dietician, Lorraine McCreary.

Sleep well – Getting a good night’s sleep on a regular basis can help to increase energy, improve concentration, allow for cell repair and refreshes your immune system, which in turn can help to prevent diseases. 

Reduce stress – This can be achieved in many different ways, depending on your personal preferences. Our carers can help to support their clients with many of the activities that are known to reduce stress, such as Thai Chi or meditation classes, listening to music or mindfulness podcasts, exercising, socialising or spending time in nature.

Enjoy who you are – Being happy with who you are and how you live your life is a vital part of long-term happiness. This applies to all ages and is great advice from our centenary clients. 

Having a purpose – as we mentioned earlier, Ikigai comes from the Japanese philosophy that physical wellbeing is directly affected by your mental and emotional health. Having a defined sense of purpose in life can directly influence how healthy you are. 

Get in touch to if you are interested in our caring at home for the elderly

If you are interested in more tips for helping older people live at home more comfortably, read our top eight tools.

When caring at home for clients in their later years, our Bright Carers can help your loved ones continue thriving and maintain a sense of purpose.

If you would like to join our team caring at home for those in later years, please get in touch.

If you would like to know more about the companionship care we offer, our team can talk you through the options available, please get in touch.