Supporting one’s immune system is vital for fighting off viruses and infections. The immune system is a whole system throughout the body, so there are multiple ways to improve immune health. If you are caring for your elderly loved one, there are some tips you and home care providers can help them with to support their immune system.
Eat Healthily
How well does your elderly loved one eat right now? Does it seem like they are missing a lot of vital antioxidants and vitamins in their diet? If so, this could be causing them to become ill much more often that the norm. If this is the case, it would be helpful for you and home care providers to encourage your elderly loved one to eat vegetables and fruits every day. It would also be good to remind them to limit their sugar intake and processed food consumption. If your elderly loved one would stick to eating healthier and they are still getting sick a lot, you or an elder care provider should take them to their doctor for an assessment.
Exercise
Another great option for boosting immune system health is exercising. There are many senior citizens who don’t exercise much at all. They may walk around their block every once in a while, but when it comes to daily or regular exercise, they may not do much or anything at all. If this is the case for your elderly loved one, there are numerous exercises they can start doing to boost their immune system health. Some of these exercises include dancing, swimming, and other types of low-impact exercises. Gardening and carrying clothes up and down the stairs are great workouts for senior citizens.
Reduce Stress Levels
How is your elderly loved one’s stress level most of the time? Everyone gets stressed at times, but they should have the proper coping skills to work through the stressors quickly. Did you know that the immune system can’t fight off antigens as well when the body is under stress? This means, if your elderly loved one is stressed, they are much more likely to get sick. If you are worried about this with your elderly loved one, encourage them to practice yoga and mindfulness techniques. By reducing their stress levels, they can make a positive change to their immune system health.
Get Better Sleep
Your elderly loved one can boost their immune system health by getting better sleep, too. Studies show that senior citizens who get between 7 to 9 hours of sleep most nights are less likely to get sick. The primary reason for this is that some cells in the body are repaired when the body is asleep. By having these cells repaired, there will be healthier cells to fight off infections.
Conclusion
Are you taking care of your elderly loved one? Do you worry about their immune system health? If so, there are many tips that can reduce their chances of getting sick. Your elderly loved one can start with the tips above.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Home Care in Phoenix, AZ, or anywhere in the East Valley, please contact the caring staff at Legacy Home Care.
Call (480) 777-0070
Sources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8316087/
Legacy Home Care has been serving the valley since 2007. We are family owned and operated with over 75 caregivers. We offer a customized care plan that includes services such as: Hourly Senior Home Care, 24-Hour Home Care, Dementia Care, Personal Care and Companion Care. Also ask us about our Veterans' Home Care program.
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