Home companions facilitate physical health through reminders and encouragement to stay active, hydrated, and nourished.
We’re all in a daily struggle to improve our bodies. We tell ourselves to exercise, to eat better, and to carry around that water bottle so we’re staying hydrated. In the 21st-century Western world, it can be easy to fall into a lifestyle of junk food and inactivity. Or skipping meals and staying up too late. Physical wellness doesn’t always come naturally.
And this struggle worsens as we age, when our strength and coordination wane, and in some cases our minds grow more forgetful. Without mindful companionship, older adults can neglect their own health to the point that it severely inhibits their lifestyle—and can even shorten their life.
Maintaining physical health as a senior, especially, is vital. Cardiovascular health and muscle mass don’t just extend life expectancy; they greatly boost quality of life, mood, and mental acuity to boot.
Here’s how home companions help their clients maintain their physical wellness.
Encouraging Gentle Daily Activity
There are two primary mistakes people, including seniors, make when it comes to physical activity.
The first is fairly obvious: They just don’t do it. One day it’s forgotten, the next day there’s an excuse or discouragement. By the third day, in activity is just momentum, and after that it’s a habit.
Simply having someone arrive, in person, to a home provides a boost of energy that makes physical activity that much easier. But on top of that, home companions understand how important physical activity is. Not only can they encourage and even accompany their clients on short walks or easy gardening, but they can suggest games (balloon volleyball, anyone?) that turn exercise into something joyful—and then they play those games with their clients.
But the other common mistake when it comes to activity is actually doing too much. Especially for people who were more active in their younger years, seniors may not know the current limitations of their body. This can lead to overexertion, injury, and even more dangerous consequences.
Home companions have been professionally trained to be aware of physical safety and to steer their clients away from activities that could cause harm. The result is improved physical health with fewer risks.
Better Nutrition and Hydration
The other half of physical health centers on giving your body what it needs—ie nutricious foods and plenty of water.
Appetites can wane as we age, and some medications make it worse. And it doesn’t help that seniors may also forget to eat regular meals (especially if they’re not hungry), or they struggle to cook, or they just don’t have any healthy foods in the house.
A little encouragement goes a long way. Home companions provide reminders and encouragement to grab a bite—if not a full meal, then a healthy snack here and there. A home companion also serves as a handy helper in the kitchen, turning meal prep into a fun (and safe) activity that yields delicious results. And home companions can even facilitate transportation options so clients can get to the store and stock up on much-needed foodstuffs.
Physical Health Through Home Companion Services
When left to our own devices, most of us struggle to eat healthy and get regular exercise. But we know that having someone there provides both encouragement and accountability to do better for our own bodies.
The same is true for seniors and home companions. The presence of another human—especially a trained professional—can kickstart a healthier lifestyle and allow seniors to live better, healthier lives.