8 New Year’s Resolutions for Older Adults

Blog Category: Lifestyle

No matter where you are in life, you can always turn things around or make every day better in the span of a year. When it’s time to look to another year, we often get scared about making resolutions because they seem daunting. So, if you’re an older adult looking to make the most of the new year, here are some ideas to get you started.

Stay Motivated

If getting started or committing to a goal is hard for you, remember that it only puts off achieving your dreams. Maybe this year is about sticking to your plans, keeping with the momentum, or persevering after hardships, so try these tips:

  • Stay inspired with motivational boards, journaling, or collaging
  • Use helpful apps to stay focused or hit your milestones, like ClickUp
  • Measure your success by how you feel and add new goals when you hit your milestones

Have Routines

Having a productive daily routine is going to keep you motivated and healthy in your mind, body, and heart. It also allows you to get things done so you can have availability to be spontaneous and try new things. Here are some things to consider when drawing up your routine:

  • 7-8 hours of sleep every night
  • Meals three times a day
  • Meditation or journaling sessions
  • Hobbies, classes, or other regular activities
  • Walking and exercising
  • Time to socialize or unwind

Make Healthy Choices

A common resolution for many people is to be healthier, which could mean something different for everyone. Here are some quick and long-term health goals to look into:

  • Getting vaccinated
  • Having regular doctor checkups
  • Cutting back on smoking and alcohol intake
  • Choosing a healthy, balanced diet and staying hydrated
  • Taking up a regular exercise that works for you
  • Being open about your mental health
  • Taking vitamins and nutrition supplements
  • Increasing your balance, strength, and flexibility to prevent falls
  • Kicking bad habits and starting positive ones, like self-affirmations

Get Social

As we age, relationships are going to be the most important thing we have, so it’s important to maintain and grow them. If you’re looking to fill up your calendar with social activities, here are some different types to keep in mind:

  • Visiting the grandkids and attending their extracurriculars
  • Catching up with old friends and making new ones
  • Attending community events and programs
  • Trying new restaurants and local shops
  • Traveling to different cities and meeting locals
  • Getting to know your neighbors
  • Joining a sports team, club, or class
  • Virtually connecting with friends and family
  • Finding a penpal to keep in touch with

Give Back to the Community

When you’re retired, you realize how much extra time you have on your hands to spend. This is a great opportunity to give back to the community, and you can explore it in various ways, including:

  • Volunteering for an organization, like a soup kitchen
  • Doing something kind for others every day
  • Donating to charity or others in your family or neighborhood
  • Organizing for clubs or events in the community
  • Making crafts for hospitals or those who need it

Explore New Hobbies

With free time in retirement, you can finally revisit or explore hobbies you’ve been wanting to get involved in. If you haven’t thought about hobbies or don’t know what to start with, here are some to look into:

  • Becoming tech-savvy
  • Biking
  • Board games and puzzles
  • Cooking
  • Crafting
  • Dancing
  • Gardening
  • Hiking
  • Joining a sports team
  • Learning a language
  • Playing an instrument
  • Quilting
  • Reading
  • Theatre
  • Traveling
  • Woodworking
  • Writing

House Care

Now might be the perfect time to clean your house, maybe because you’re planning to move or because it needs tending to. And if you plan to age in place, this could be the time to assess your house for safety. Here are some things you can do to promote good house care:

  • Declutter all the rooms and belongings you have
  • Assess your wrinkled carpets and slippery rugs and consider switching for solid hard flooring
  • Examine your stairs and bathrooms and consider making them assisted-friendly
  • Take care of the yard and remove all weeds
  • Give your home a new paint job
  • Check if any appliances need maintenance or replacements

Plan for the Future

If this is the year you want to look to the future and think about your senior living options, there’s a few things you can do:

  • Get your finances and legal documents in order
  • Decide the things that are most important to you in a living arrangement
  • Schedule tours for various senior living communities and attend activities and events there to get a feel for the space
  • Put your name on a waiting list when you find the perfect place

At Life Enriching Communities (LEC), we’re committed to ensuring patrons feel well-equipped to plan their future and age how they wish. Explore more resources on senior living or contact us today to learn more about our legacy of services and programs that bring meaning and purpose to every stage of life.