If you are looking for a meaningful activity your elderly loved one can engage in to keep their minds sharp and boost their mood, have you considered journaling? Just doing so for 20 minutes a day can bring about massive benefits for older adults, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be done the old-fashioned way. If preferred, you can start a journal on your computer or even download a specific app for it.
Read on to find out more about the importance of journaling!
Leave a Record for Future Generations
Of course, your loved one may decide that their journal is private, and that’s totally fine. But they may also decide to start a memoir that you and future generations can look back on in the future. From recording their life experiences to sharing family histories, this journal can even become a treasured heirloom!
Manage Stress in a Healthy Way
We all deal with stress, regardless of how old we are. Journaling is one way of getting your emotions down on paper and in the process, better understanding how you are feeling at any given time. This allows for better self-expression, allowing your loved ones to track their anxieties and prioritize their fears. During periods of grief or stress, journaling can be a lifeline.
Keep the Mind Active
Many older adults may be worried about cognitive decline and memory loss, especially if they have been experiencing symptoms of a memory-related condition. To this end, journaling can help to keep the mind active for as long as possible. Calling to mind past decisions, actions, and events can give the mind a good workout and compensate for memory loss in some way.
Tackle Feelings of Depression and Anxiety
As much as journaling can help your loved ones make better sense of the events in their life, it can also improve their mood. Age-related depression is common as older adults are faced with many changes at this point in their lives.
Journaling has been shown to help with tackling feelings of depression. Research has revealed that individuals who are living with medical issues are more enthusiastic about daily activities if they keep up the practice of journaling for 20 minutes a day! Why not try it out and observe the same effects on your loved one?
Come to SummerHouse Bay Cove for Memory Care and Assisted Living
We understand the needs that older adults go through at this transitional point in their lives, and at SummerHouse Bay Cove, we are here to ensure that your loved one can live as fulfilling a retirement life as possible. Whether memory care or assisted living is more suitable for your or your loved one’s needs, you will find a wide range of amenities in place to keep your mind sharp and occupy your time with. This includes but is not limited to: A card and games room, a secure waterfront veranda, an onsite barbershop and beauty salon, and so much more!
