Increasing happiness in older adults is one of the most important issues that should be evaluated by the family and caregiver of the elderly. Aging is a natural process that most of us will experience. During this time, we may encounter various problems that negatively affect our psyche, such as the death of a spouse, the death of a child, and all kinds of unfortunate events.
Diseases that can make the elderly involved, sad, depressed, and isolated, and they can no longer feel happy. But it is the people around the elderly who should take steps to keep them happy and avoid depression. In this article from the humanhealthmag website, we will examine the strategies for creating happiness in the elderly. Because we believe that the people around them can play a big role in making their elderly happy.
How To Increase Happiness in Older Adults
According to the definition of the World Health Organization, old age is over sixty years. This period is realized for all people who have survived the events of the day and have passed through youth and middle age. It can be said that aging is a part of the life process of every person. Over time, various physical and mental illnesses are among the factors that have a great impact on this path. But the question arises for us, what are the ways to keep the elderly happy?
A significant part of the population of any society is made up of the elderly. If we create favorable conditions for the elderly to live with hope, the problems of society and, as a result, the problems of families will decrease. Therefore, to improve the lives of the elderly, we must create a psychologically safe environment. My elderly mother is never happy! Now let’s examine together the ways of increasing happiness in older adults:
1) Conversation with the elderly
The elderly love to talk about their experiences with their children and those around them. Listening to their conversations and using their experiences is part of what makes them happy. Sit back and watch their faces to be happy. This small act can create a good and happy feeling in them. Sharing daily issues with the elderly will make them feel better. Talk about the:
- Kind of life in the past that was easily possible
- Experiences and disappointments of their children
- Education and work of older children
- Important things that the elderly have done with difficulty in their lives
- Current social and political issues
2) Look at your senior’s face
One of the things that can increase happiness in seniors is to have face-to-face contact with them. Whenever you want to talk to a senior or they want to tell you something, make sure to make face-to-face contact with them and look at their face. By doing this, you can create a positive feeling and peaks of happiness in the senior.
3) Hugging the elderly
Another way to cultivating happiness in old age is to hug, touch and massage them. Due to loneliness, a simple caress makes them feel good and can make them happy like a massage. Massage for seniors can reduce their stress by releasing the hormone oxytocin.
4) Gardening
One of the activities that can help increasing happiness in older adults is the use of flowers and plants and gardening. Buying gardening gifts for elderly and gardening made easy for seniors will boost the spirit of the elderly and entertain them. Growing plants can remind your elderly person of their youth and raising and educating their children.
5) Challenging the Elderly
Elderly people may have specific motivations or goals in their personal lives that they were unable to achieve when they were young. If the elderly person is mentally healthy and has a hope for life, we can find motivation in him/her and provide the conditions for implementation. By doing this, we bring happiness to the elderly.
Learning a new skill involves active interaction and uses working memory, long-term memory and other cognitive functions. A study published in the Journal of Psychological Science showed that unfamiliar and mentally challenging tasks provide the most mental and social motivation for the elderly. You can challenge the elderly to break records in exercise for seniors over 75, walking and swimming, which is good for their health, or to perform arts such as painting and sculpting in a competition together.
6) Walking and physical activity
Aerobic exercise helps a lot in increasing happiness in older adults. Aerobic exercise is the type of exercise that brings a large amount of oxygen into the lungs. Exercise causes the body to secrete the “feel good” hormone called endorphin, which fights stress. How to get elderly walking again? If the elderly person is in good spirits, be sure to encourage them to exercise. For this, you can also encourage them to join the elderly who exercise in the parks in the morning or go where do older adults hang out. If not, and you do not have a very healthy elderly person, adjust some kind of exercise for them according to their conditions.
7) Providing celebrations and celebrations
Try to create events such as anniversaries or celebrations to thank your senior for their efforts. Retirement party ideas for mom, outdoor retirement party ideas or ideas for military retirement party are some articles that you can read and get ideas for this topic.
One of the things that can make the senior happy and happy at these events and at the same time entertain him is to ask him/her to tell you a story. Telling a story from the past or telling an episode of a movie or series or telling the news can give your senior a positive feeling.
8) Don’t ignore love in the elderly
Be kind to the elderly to increase their happiness. Affection can make the elderly happy and cheerful. When the elderly realize that those around them are affectionate towards them, they become full of energy and regain strength. Be sure to show affection to the elderly in different ways. You can do this in different ways. Such as:
- Assist elderly with daily living activities
- Talking to them
- Carrying or kissing them
- Helping them do some of the things they are unable to do
Try to visit your seniors once a day and if work conditions do not allow you, at least ask how they are doing via video call. This will awaken a sense of happiness in them.
9) Doing mental activities
One way to increasing happiness in older adults is to do a series of activities that engage the mind of the elderly. For example: by playing memory board games for seniors such as puzzles and solving Sudoku, we can strengthen a person’s mental abilities and make them happy.
10) Don’t forget to involve your elderly in your work
Be sure to involve your elderly in various tasks. You can ask for help from the elderly and their experiences to prepare special meals, buy special equipment, or even participate in light household chores. Elderly people can participate in services that are appropriate to their individual abilities and interests. Helping others creates a sense of purpose and success, and as a result, increases life satisfaction. Taking care of grandchildren and children is another way for elderly people to be happy.
11) Doing social activities
Regardless of age, social connection is a key factor increasing happiness in older adults. Elderly people are more at risk of social isolation of seniors. Because their children and grandchildren may be away from home, widowed, and their social networks may be smaller. In various studies, research shows that people who have more or better social relationships live longer and healthier lives.
Participating in social activities and improving socialization for elderly, such as traveling in groups of the same age, can also be considered one of the ways to increase happiness for seniors; So create conditions so that seniors can also participate in these activities.
12) Include the elderly in your daily activities
If you want to make the elderly happy, you must give them confidence. When an elderly person feels valued, they will be more cheerful and cheerful. It is great for the elderly to be part of friendly groups and socialize with them.
Try to ask your elderly person for help when you are planning to do things, even simple tasks like cooking or buying a house will bring them joy and will revive their value. Ask them to tell you their experiences on different and even minor issues. Like the recipe for a certain dish, etc. When the elderly person sees that you care about them and want to use their experiences, they will feel valued.
13) Support for an elderly person with Alzheimer’s
If your elderly person has amnesia and Alzheimer’s, be sure to support them. Even if they repeat the same thing over and over again, never laugh at them, and tell this to younger family members as well. Be sure to write down important things that your elderly person should not forget, such as taking pills, on a small piece of paper.
Concluding Remarks
Old age is one of the different stages of human development, at which people are more likely to suffer from depression. People around them can play a big role in making their elderly happy. Increasing happiness in older adults is one of the most important issues that should be evaluated by the family and caregiver of the elderly. By several methods, you can help increase happiness in the elderly so that they can live a better life during this period. For example:
- Parents are very interested in flowers and plants. By giving them soil, such as gardening and preparing pots and flowers, you create a fun place for them.
- Some parents love animals very much. You can get decorative birds or talking birds for them. In best pet for senior woman, you can find the best pets to entertain your elderly.
- If you have children, let the elderly take care of the child, they will like it.
- Some elderly people are interested in movies and series. Fulfill their wishes and prepare attractive movies or elderly video games for them.
- According to their studies, prepare magazines and books for them.
- Taking the elderly to sightseeing, traveling, etc. can be good and exciting entertainment.
- Don’t forget about music therapy for seniors. Playing appropriate and happy music can boost the spirits of the elderly and help improve their mental state.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the name of the hormone of happiness?
Hormones are chemicals that circulate in the blood and affect our mental and physical state. One of these important functions of hormones is to help regulate our mood. Some hormones, such as dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, and oxytocin, help to enhance positive emotions, including happiness and pleasure, and for this reason they are called happy hormones.
What is the effect of using happy colors in a nursing home on the mood of the elderly?
The rooms of the nursing home should be decorated with happy colors. In addition, the uniforms of the nursing home staff can be designed using happy colors. This will allow the elderly in the nursing home to encounter happy colors every day, which is a good way to improve their mood and maintain their mental health.