Wellness 101
Staying Connected
Don’t Let Social Distancing Lead to a Social Recession
Most of our conversations around health focus on diet and fitness, but did you know that social connection is just as important? Humans are hardwired to interact because our social connections (or lack thereof) can have a dramatic impact on our health. Studies suggest that social connection can contribute to a healthy body mass index, control blood sugars, decrease cardiovascular mortality, decrease depressive symptoms, mitigate symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and improve overall mental health.
Staying connected becomes especially important to your health and well-being during a global pandemic when social isolation is required. With the need to stay inside and separated from others, it is easy to feel lonely and isolated. Here are some ideas ranging from “low-tech” to “no-tech” to help you stay in touch with your loved ones while you are physically apart.
Brain Health
Engage Your Brain
The most complex organ in your body, your brain controls every aspect of your life, and is always changing. As we experience the world, practice new habits, and learn new information, our minds undergo what is known as “brain plasticity,” or the ability to grow and even repair connections in the brain.
A holistic view of brain health includes both the emotional and physical qualities of the brain, and your lifestyle has a profound impact on overall brain health. Download our entire Brain Health Toolkit here, and try incorporating these six tips into your daily routine to optimize brain health.
Listen to “Eskaton Talks Brain Health” with Therese
ten Brinke and Catherine Graham.
Heart Healthy
Heart Health Means Supporting Your WHOLE Heart
When many people set out to improve their heart health, they focus primarily on diet and exercise. However, there are other lifestyle factors that also affect heart health and must be addressed. Stress, social isolation, and depression can all contribute to heart disease.
A holistic view of heart health includes the emotional qualities of the heart—love, friendship, and connection. Learn how you can eat smart, move more and be well to stay strong in your heart, body and soul.
Balance and Mobility
STAND Strong
As we age, the possibility of
experiencing an injury-inducing fall becomes a much greater
concern. Significant research has demonstrated that lifestyle
elements such as diet, exercise and medication management all
substantially contribute to fall risk among older adults. Eskaton
understands that fall prevention begins with helping older adults
identify those factors that contribute to fall risk, and
continues with finding solutions that help mitigate these
factors.
Download our entire Fall Prevention Booklet, and discover how small modifications to your home and daily routine can substantially lessen your chances of experiencing an injury-inducing fall.
Emotional Health
ATTITUDE Aptitude
Emotional health and well-being concerns far more than having a positive attitude (though it certainly helps!) Being truly emotionally healthy is a combination of positivity, acceptance, adaptability and resilience, particularly during times of unrest and uncertainty. Emotional health also concerns having a healthy self-image, an attitude of “I can, and I will!” For older adults, maintaining and supporting their emotional health is just as vital as eating sustaining and nutritious food and incorporating daily movement and exercise into their routines.