Living a healthy lifestyle in retirement has plenty of benefits for your aging parents – and your family as a whole. If they take good care of their health, it’s likely that they’ll enjoy a better quality of life, one where they’re physically active, engaged with their friends and family, and involved in their community. It may also mean that they’ll need to spend less of their retirement fund on costly healthcare bills.

So it’s well worth supporting your parents in their healthy living efforts. Here’s a look at some of the ways you can do just that. 

1. Encourage them to eat a healthy diet, for example one that includes good quality proteins, a variety of fresh vegetables, healthy fats, etc. You could even offer to do an occasional grocery shop for them to ensure they have fresh produce and healthy snacks in the house.

2. Help them find age appropriate exercise options in their area – Pilates, water aerobics, swimming and walking are all great choices. 

3. Include them in family activities and encourage them to spend time with their friends. Book clubs, walking groups, bridge clubs and other special interest groups are also great ways for seniors to stay socially active. 

4. If they’re considering buying into a retirement village or estate, look out for options that provide access to continuous care and will be able to meet their healthcare needs as they get older.

5. Encourage them to stay on a good medical aid plan when they retire, as getting onto a scheme later will be difficult and may include exclusions that they don’t need.

Active aging at Evergreen
At Evergreen, we know that staying mentally and physically healthy contributes to a happy retirement, and we encourage a wide range of healthy activities in our villages. Thanks to our continuous care model, we also provide access to essential health care services if and when our residents require them – from basic primary healthcare through to home-based, recuperative, frail, dementia and palliative care.  

If you’d like to find out more about how to help your parents transition into retirement, download our free Good Enough for Mom guide today.