September is Healthy Aging Month, a national reminder that small daily habits shape how we feel in the years ahead. Preferred Care at Home of MetroWest Boston helps elderly parents in Framingham and nearby towns keep those habits going at home.
Five healthy habits for older adults carry most of the weight in a healthy lifestyle after retirement. Each one has an easy first step and a part a caregiver can take on.
| Habit | Start this month | Where a caregiver helps |
|---|---|---|
| Daily movement | A walk after lunch and heel-to-toe steps down the hallway | Walks alongside and keeps floors clear of clutter |
| Steady sleep | The same bedtime and wake time every day | Keeps the evening routine on track |
| Meals for strong bones | A calcium food at breakfast, such as yogurt | Plans meals and does the grocery run |
| Time with people | One standing weekly plan with a friend | Brings conversation and rides to events |
| Regular checkups | Book the Medicare wellness visit | Rides along and shares notes with family |
1. Move Every Day, and Practice Balance Before the Ice
Adults 65 and older need at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week, according to the CDC. Its guidelines fill out the week with two more pieces:
- Muscle-strengthening work on at least two days, like lifting light weights
- Activities that improve balance, such as heel-to-toe walking along a counter
Balance is the part most people skip. We treat it as fall prevention, and we’d start it in September, well before New England ice glazes the front steps.
Short winter days add to the risk, because dark comes before supper and the driveway is hard to see. A walk at midday, in daylight, is the safer habit to build now.
Your caregiver walks beside your loved one on the daily loop around the block. Between walks, light housekeeping keeps hallway floors clear of clutter and loose rugs.
2. Protect Your Sleep as the Days Get Shorter
Adults 65 and older need 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night, per the CDC.
Short autumn days make it easy to doze off in a chair by late afternoon and then lie awake past midnight. The CDC suggests the same bedtime and wake time every day, and turning off screens at least 30 minutes before bed.
It also recommends a cool, quiet bedroom and no caffeine in the afternoon or evening. We’d guard the bedtime routine as closely as the morning one.
Our caregivers keep the evening on track, from a light supper to lights out, and overnight help is available when nights get restless. If sleep problems last for weeks, bring them up at the yearly checkup in tip 5.
3. Eat for Strong Bones, and Make Meals Easier to Cook
Women 51 and older need 1,200 mg of calcium every day, according to MyHealthfinder, the federal government’s health guide. Men need the same amount from age 71, MyHealthfinder adds.
MyHealthfinder also reports that four in 20 women over 65 in the United States have osteoporosis, and one in 20 men. Good calcium foods on its list include:
- Milk, yogurt and cheese
- Tofu with added calcium
- Collard and turnip greens
- Orange juice or cereal with added calcium
Vitamin D helps your body take in calcium, so ask your doctor before adding a supplement.
The harder part is often the cooking. When shopping and standing at the stove wear a person out, meals can shrink to toast and tea.
Our homemaker care covers meal planning and the grocery run, so yogurt at breakfast and greens at dinner actually happen. We’d choose a simple meal that gets eaten over a perfect one that doesn’t.
4. See People on Purpose
Loneliness and social isolation raise the risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and dementia, according to the CDC.
Older adults are one of the groups the CDC names as being at higher risk of loneliness. Connection lasts when it lives on the calendar, like a Tuesday coffee with a neighbor or a Sunday call with a grandchild.
We’d put social time on the care plan as firmly as a doctor’s visit. Companion care brings conversation at the kitchen table and a ride to the places your loved one already enjoys.
For Creole-speaking households, our office matches a caregiver who speaks both English and Creole.
5. Book the Yearly Checkup and Bring Every Pill Bottle
- Book the yearly Wellness visit, which Medicare covers once every 12 months.
- Put every bottle in one grocery bag, vitamins and over-the-counter sleep aids included.
- Write down any falls, near-falls or sleep problems since the last visit.
- Bring a family member or caregiver to take notes.
Medicare says the visit includes a review of your current prescriptions and a written checklist of the screenings and vaccines you need. A full bag gives the doctor the whole picture of what you take.
Our caregivers give medication reminders and rides to appointments, but they don’t change doses or judge how two drugs interact. That review belongs to your doctor or pharmacist.
If you live out of state, our Transparency Room portal shows caregiver notes and visit times, so you can see the checkup happened.
Where a Caregiver Makes These Habits Stick in MetroWest
Our office at 945 Concord St. in Framingham sends caregivers to seniors across MetroWest, including Natick, Ashland, Holliston, Sudbury, Hopkinton, Wellesley, Sherborn, Needham and Newton.
Brent Auslander opened this office after visiting his grandmother in a Florida assisted living facility and finding she wasn’t being kept clean. That memory is why we’d rather help a parent keep small habits at home than step in only after a crisis.
Every caregiver goes through our 7-step screening, from background checks and reference checks to ongoing quality monitoring. We send experienced and trained caregivers, including CNA and HHA professionals, matched to your loved one by personality. When a parent needs hands-on help, our personal care adds assistance with bathing and dressing.
Questions Families Ask About Staying Healthy as You Age
Does Medicare charge for the yearly wellness visit?
You pay nothing if your provider accepts assignment, according to Medicare. Coinsurance can apply if the doctor adds tests or services the visit doesn’t cover.
How few hours of help can we start with?
You can start with 1 hour a day, and care can grow to 24 hours with 24/7 availability for urgent needs.
Will long-term care insurance help pay for a caregiver?
We accept long-term care insurance. What it pays depends on your policy, so keep it handy when you call and we’ll go through the billing with you.
Can a caregiver keep these habits going for a parent with dementia?
Yes, dementia and Alzheimer’s care is a signature service of our office. Those caregivers are trained in memory care approaches and behavior management.
Start With One Habit and One Call
Call our Framingham office at (508) 375-7174 to talk through which habit needs a hand first. Or use the Get Care Now form, and Brent Auslander’s team at Preferred Care at Home will get back to you.
