One minute we are young and fearless then the next we are older with careers and families. Before you know it, our Golden Years have arrived. Some may embrace these years with open arms while others may dread them. Either way, the Golden Years are some of the most important times of our lives and with proper preparation and planning they can be some of the most enjoyable. Whether you are in your 20’s, 30’s, or 40’s, it’s never too soon to start planning for your senior years. Here are 6 ways to prepare for your Golden Years:
- Proper Nutrition
What you choose to eat in your younger years will have a profound influence on your health in your senior years. This doesn’t necessarily mean to completely stop eating pizza, burgers, and fries. It means to eat fried and high caloric foods in moderation and to incorporate more fresh vegetables and fruits. Having a healthy, balanced diet will help decrease your chances of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol later on. - Physical Fitness
No matter the age, everyone can benefit from regular physical activity. People who make fitness a habit in their younger years and throughout often grow older with less physical, mental, and cognitive decline. Those individuals who were active in their younger years were also still active in their senior years by walking, golfing, and swimming. An active body helps maintain a healthy mind and a healthy heart. - Savings
Between high living costs, daily expenses, family expenses, and emergencies, building your savings is easier said than done. In order to have security in your Golden Years you need to start saving early. Even if you have a large family or an average paying job, you can still put something away every month. The first thing you have to do is budget properly and then determine what your “needs” and “wants” are and make the “needs” a spending priority while putting the “wants” on the back burner. You can even start a side job on the weekends to generate more income allowing you to splurge on luxuries while saving for your retirement. - Family Home
If your kids leave for college and then start their own lives, will you and your spouse still remain at home? Will it be too big to maintain in your senior years? Is it built to accommodate seniors? These are the questions you should ask yourself or speak to your spouse about. It might be a good idea to downsize and move into a smaller home, townhouse, or condo. If selling the family home is out of the question, then it would be in your best interest to make your home senior-friendly by focusing on non-slip floors, non-slip showers, handles in the bathrooms, electric instead of gas, ramps, removal of anything dangerous or hazardous, and install security cameras to keep criminals away. - Legal Papers
Having your legal papers drawn up while you are in good health and sound mind is very important because it will protect you from being taken advantage of later on. Important legal papers include: elderly guardianship, power of attorney, and will or testament. Whether you choose your son, daughter, niece, nephew, sibling, cousin, or good friend, make sure it is someone who is responsible, truly cares for you, and will always put your best interest first. - Proper Care
Home caregiver or nursing home? Almost everyone who reaches a certain age will decide between the two or their adult children will make the decision for them. If you prefer to age at home then a senior caregiver would be your ideal choice unless you prefer to move into a nursing home. It is very important that you clearly state your wishes so when it’s time to make that important decision you and your family will know whether or not to look for a trusted caregiving service or local nursing home. Your Golden Years should be enjoyable and with proper planning it can be.
If you are searching for a caring, trustworthy, professional senior home caregiver in the Northern Virginia area, please contact Safe and Secure Transition Home Care at: 703-539-0411 or Click the Image Below:
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