Being homebound can feel awful, especially when you don’t have many loved ones living with you. Since the COVID-19 pandemic started, people from all over the world have become homebound due to lockdowns.
It didn’t matter whether you lived in Los Angeles, California, or Lansing, Michigan. Everyone had to stay indoors and socially distance themselves from others to avoid contracting or spreading the virus.
For senior citizens, it meant more people were homebound than ever before due to being at risk of contracting the disease. Yes, we are talking about older yet healthy individuals being stuck at home just to maintain social distance as they were more prone to the virus.
The four walls of your home can become as suffocating as jail and can lead to both physical and mental illness, which can counteract the purpose of staying home. However, some good practices can help you stay healthy and happy, even while you are homebound in Lansing, Michigan:
Moving Around is Vital For Health
- As we age, our bodies slow down as cell regeneration decreases. Our body becomes weaker and less efficient, so the rate of making new cells or fighting off diseases also becomes lower. After a certain age, you can easily become homebound due to illness or disability.
- One mistake most people make when they start aging is limiting their movement. Once those aches and pains start, we start moving even less, just to not trigger the inflammation. However, if we stop moving our bodies to avoid the pain, it tends to set in and never leave!
- When you keep your body moving, you allow it to stay used to the motion. Remember that even if it feels like aging has made your body stubborn, you shouldn’t get used to a lack of motion.
- If you have pains somewhere like the knee joints or the back, get to the bottom of the pain. Your physician can help you figure out the reason for the pain. Visit a physical therapy center like Healthy Consumer PT and receive therapy if needed.
- As long as you are not wheelchair-bound or your health condition has made you unable to move at all, try moving around your house as much as possible.
Stay Active
Being old can mean that movement can make you feel out of breath, dizzy, and faint. This is why staying active is the key to keeping your body in check. If there are light exercises that your doctor has prescribed to keep you active, make sure you do them as frequently as possible. If there has been no exercise prescribed, try walking around the house, even if it means walking from room to room.
One great way of staying active is doing household chores. Things like doing dishes, changing bed sheets, light cleaning, vacuuming, etc., are all great options for keeping your body active. Doing chores can also keep you distracted, which helps in not focusing on illness, pain, sadness, etc.
Even if you have a caregiver, but you are physically capable of doing some light chores, insist on doing them. The problem with aging is that once you give in to being taken care of, you can rarely become even partially independent again. Stay active as long as your doctor allows you to so that you can keep your mind and body busy while you are homebound.
Adopt Healthy Eating Habits
As tempting as it is to order scrumptious takeout food from various restaurants all over Lansing, Michigan, try to avoid eating too much greasy food.
As we age, it is crucial to eat healthy food. Increasing the consumption of vegetables is crucial if you want to keep your body healthy and fit. Reducing the amount of unhealthy fat you consume is also important. Try to eat healthier proteins like fish and protein-dense chicken breasts.
If you have a health condition, your doctor is bound to provide you with a diet chart. Follow it closely and reduce consumption of any food that can cause problems.
A crucial step to take while you age is reducing the consumption of unhealthy sugars like high-fructose corn syrup and processed food like bacon, sausage, and other cured meat.
Eat fresh as much as possible. Opt for fresh vegetables and food instead of canned items as they are high in sodium, mercury, etc. Even if it is difficult, read the label of the food you buy.
Try to give up on bad habits like smoking. If you are a heavy drinker, cut down on drinking or give it up completely. Cutting down on bad habits can add years to your life!
Cook Your Own Food
When you are following a doctor-recommended diet chart, it is easy to think that you are stuck with eating disgusting food. Don’t limit your taste buds by eating tasteless meals; cook your own food using healthy yet tasty recipes.
If you can move around the house, cooking your own food is a great way to stay distracted. You can find and try out numerous healthy recipes available online or even buy some cookbooks to supplement your culinary creativity.
When you are stuck at home, the desire to get out intensifies. By trying out recipes from around the world, it will feel like you are traveling without even stepping out the door.
You can also try making local cuisine using fresh items available. Lansing, Michigan, is famous for its seafood, pasties, hot dogs, and burgers. You can try making these local favorites using fresh items and healthier ingredients so that they taste great and are easier on your body.
Support a Sports Team
Sports fans have an exciting life. During the season, they have something to look forward to almost every week. Learn about various games; maybe you already have a favorite sport. If you have a favorite sports team, start following it loyally.
Watch sports every week so that you have something to look forward to. However, do not get too obsessive, as a good thing can turn bad very quickly. Know how to accept defeat, as sports can be highly unpredictable.
You can try supporting the Lansing, Michigan favorite college football team, Michigan Wolverines. You can also try watching the National Football league and supporting the Michigan Lions. Football not your cup of tea? There are three other major leagues (baseball, hockey, and basketball) Michigan teams you can support, and numerous other local teams.
Sports are a worthy distraction to have. It can be a source of excitement and happiness. Enjoying sports not only gives you something good to think about but can also be a great conversation starter.
Take Up A Hobby
A major problem with staying at home is that you have a lot of time and not much to do. After living a busy life for a massive chunk of your adulthood, it can be really difficult to not do anything. Do not see your abundance of time as a bad thing. Think of it as a good chance to explore new hobbies or rekindle an old one that you did not have time for earlier in your life.
There are many fascinating creative hobbies you can take up. Trying a new hobby is great as you get to learn from scratch. Living in the age of the internet has some major perks, meaning that you can learn a new hobby by watching videos or reading instructions online. You can also subscribe to paid online classes to get proper instructions from professional teachers.
Start Gardening
When you are homebound, fresh air can be hard to get. If your house in Lansing, Michigan, is in the suburbs, and you have a neat little backyard, consider taking up gardening. Gardening gives you an excellent opportunity to stay physically active and enjoy the outdoors.
You will also get plenty of sunlight from working in your yard, which is needed for the absorption of calcium. Even if you don’t have a backyard, get some indoor plants. There are plenty of plants that can survive indoors whilst giving your home a fresh boost of oxygen during the day.
Try Yoga
Yoga is one of the simplest types of physical practices that can strengthen your body and mind. Ask your doctor if you can try doing easy yoga poses at home. Yoga is regenerative and anti-aging. It increases blood flow to your various body parts and helps keep your bones strong and healthy.
Try doing simple poses and use a thick yoga mat, knee padding, etc., to ensure that your bones are getting enough cushioning. Be careful when you do yoga. Try doing it slowly, as rushing through can hurt you. Do not do yoga unless your doctor says you can try doing it, as you can easily get hurt.
If you are a homebound senior citizen, there are many things you can do to stay fit and healthy. Staying active and busy is the key to having a happy life in your golden years. Pick up a hobby and eat healthy food to increase your longevity and stay healthy even when you are stuck at home.