How Older Adults Can Stay Healthy Throughout the Pandemic Holidays

COVID-19 has fundamentally changed how our country functions. The restrictions imposed by the pandemic can make it particularly challenging to stay healthy. Add these difficulties to the standard challenges posed by the holiday season, and it may start to feel like prioritizing your health is impossible right now.

However, keeping yourself healthy is still possible. You may just need to change some aspects of your routine. Below, you’ll find a guide that older adults can follow to keep themselves healthy throughout the pandemic holidays.

Keep Yourself Active Without Risking Your Health

You don’t need to go to the gym or sign up for group classes to keep yourself fit. Even though some older adults’ gyms may be open, it’s generally not a good idea to visit them right now due to the health risks they represent. However, you still have plenty of safe options to choose from to get your physical activity in for the day.

If you live in somewhere that’s warm year-round, then consider getting outside for some brisk walks or jogs. These activities are much safer than visiting the gym and will keep you in comparable shape.

There are also countless ways to stay active without ever leaving your home. For example, you can begin a routine that’s as simple as completing basic exercises like push-ups, sit-ups, and jumping jacks. Or, you could use an online service to access classes such as SilverSneakers that you can participate in from the comfort of home. The most important thing is that you keep yourself moving during this time — regardless of what that looks like.

Prioritize Your Diet

If you’re incapable of exercising as much as you would like right now, then you may want to begin placing more of your focus on the parts of your health that you can control. Prioritizing your diet is an excellent example of this. You may want to eat fewer calories each day if you aren’t moving as much. Or, maybe you want to focus on eating specific types of foods in order to give your body more healthy nutrients to compensate for these changes.

Sure, the holidays can be a tough time to eat clean. However, it’s unlikely that you’ll be going to a large number of family events this year anyway. That means it should be relatively easy for you to control what you’re eating this holiday season.

Pay More Attention to Other Aspects of Your Health

Now is also a great opportunity to reassess how you’re taking care of yourself outside of diet and exercise. For example, getting enough sleep is an essential part of your health. Similarly, it’s important that you take some time to perform self-care tasks that promote overall wellness. This can be as simple as spending more time with your family. You can also try meditation and other relaxation techniques to promote your well-being.

You may also be able to use your Medicare health insurance to support your health throughout the pandemic holidays. Depending on the Medicare coverage you have, you may be able to have the costs of online exercise classes like SilverSneakers covered. Or, you could also use your insurance to speak with a physician who can offer you tailor-made advice for maximizing your health during these tough times.

If you’d like to learn more about your options with Medicare, consider reaching out to a partnered licensed agent with Time for 65. You can do so today by either filling out this form or giving us a call.