Studies have shown that indoor plants can help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression and can help improve your mood by increasing the feelings of calmness and relaxation. The calm and tranquil nature of caring for plants, along with the added oxygen they provide, contributes towards calming, stress- free environment. Gardening also fosters a sense of empowerment, as seniors can choose what plants they want to grow, which pots they want to use, and where they can be placed.

The fact is: a simple act of seeing a vibrant, healthy plant — a beautiful creation of nature — can significantly boost one’s mood. In this article, we will take a look at a few beginner-friendly plants seniors can care for and the amazing benefits indoor plants can provide.

Getting started with a few easy-care indoor plants

Indoor plants should be chosen and placed carefully to ensure they don’t occupy too much space or hinder a senior’s movement within a room. It’s also important to consider the ease of care, especially for those new to gardening. Luckily, the plants listed below are known for their simplicity in maintenance.

Succulents
Cacti and aloe vera are prime examples of succulents. These robust, water-retentive plants have thick leaves and are exceptionally resilient. Because they store water efficiently, they only need to be watered once or twice a month.
Benefits: It helps improve air quality and circulation, reduces stress, and helps cleanse the air by removing toxins

Bamboo
Growing bamboo is simple and adaptable to various soils or even pebbles. Monthly fertilization usually suffices. It thrives in both full and partial sunlight and can tolerate a range of temperatures with minimal pruning. Gardeners are rewarded with its elegant stems and vibrant colors.
Benefits: It helps improve the quality of the air, reduces stress, and increases productivity.

Spider Plants
These hardy plants thrive with minimal light and need fertilizing every few weeks. A weekly watering is sufficient, even if occasionally missed. Perfect for seniors, as they bring color and life to your household with little care.
Benefits: It helps improve the quality of the air and decreases fatigue.

Peace Lilly
These beautiful plants are fairly easy to grow, requiring indirect but bright sunlight, and intermittent watering. They thrive in humid environments and may be best placed in a bathroom. It is important to note that this plant is considered mildly toxic to pets and humans if ingested. Therefore, it should be kept out of reach of children or pets.
Benefits: It helps remove fungal spores that circulate in the air, keeping allergies away.

Snake Plants
This is a great starter plant and ideal for seniors as they are very easy to care for. They are very similar to cacti when it comes to their care, they can handle diverse lighting situations, minimal but thorough watering every 2-3 weeks.
Benefits: It helps with purifying the air and is effective against airborne allergies. It is a great plant for the elderly who have breathing difficulties.

Aloe Vera
This robust plant is renowned for being able to store water in its leaves, and for its healing properties. It’s ideal for seniors who prefer natural remedies for minor injuries.
Benefits: It helps treat sores and sunburns.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the health Benefits Indoor plants have

Indoor plants are not just decorative; they offer numerous health benefits, especially for the elderly. As individuals age, spending more time indoors becomes common, and incorporating plants into their living spaces can significantly enhance their well-being.

Air Quality Improvement: Indoor plants act as natural air purifiers, filtering out pollutants and toxins present in indoor environments. This is particularly beneficial for seniors, as cleaner air can reduce the risk of respiratory issues and allergies.

Stress Reduction: Studies have shown that indoor plants can help lower stress levels and promote relaxation. For elderly individuals dealing with anxiety or loneliness, nurturing plants can provide a sense of purpose and calmness.

Cognitive Benefits: Caring for plants stimulates the mind and encourages cognitive engagement. Activities such as watering, pruning, and repotting plants can help seniors maintain cognitive function and memory.

Physical Health: Some indoor plants, like Aloe Vera and Peace Lilies, offer medicinal properties. Aloe Vera, for example, is known for its healing gel that can soothe minor cuts and burns, making it a natural first aid remedy for seniors.

Social Interaction: Gardening and tending to plants can be a social activity for seniors, whether they do it alone, with family members, or in community gardens. This social interaction contributes to emotional well-being and a sense of belonging.

Aesthetic Enhancement: Indoor plants add beauty and vibrancy to living spaces, creating a more pleasant environment for seniors to relax and enjoy their surroundings.

Therapeutic Benefits: Horticultural therapy, which involves engaging with plants and gardens, has been shown to improve overall mental and physical health in seniors. It provides a therapeutic outlet for emotional expression and stress relief.

Conclusion

Indoor plants represent more than just decorative elements in the homes of seniors—they are powerful allies in promoting physical health, emotional well-being, and overall quality of life. By improving indoor air quality through natural filtration of pollutants, plants can contribute towards respiratory health, reducing the risk of allergies and respiratory issues common among seniors.

Moreover, the act of caring for indoor plants provides meaningful activities that stimulate cognitive function and memory retention. From watering and pruning to repotting and observing growth, these tasks engage seniors mentally and physically, helping to maintain their independence and sense of purpose.

Beyond the practical benefits, indoor plants offer therapeutic advantages. Horticultural therapy, increasingly recognized in healthcare settings, harnesses the healing power of plants to alleviate stress, anxiety, and depression.

Take care of your loved ones at Lonehill Manor

At Lonehill Manor, we understand the importance of leading a healthy and happy retirement. One way we practice this is through the creation and regular maintenance of our beautiful and lush grounds. Residents can easily take a stroll through our gardens, settle down for a picnic, or perhaps enjoy a bit of bird watching. We also offer various activities for our residents to enjoy and encourage residents to make their spaces unique.

Start your retirement journey at Lonehill Manor today. Contact us on 010 534 6277 or send us an email at info@lonehillmanor.co.za to book a viewing.

The post The Benefits of Life having houseplants for the Elderly appeared first on Manor Retirement.

Aging isn’t always graceful, but that doesn’t mean the misconceptions about elderly people are true. In fact, anyone in their sixties still feels that they have so much more life to live and new experiences to discover. This is why you should not buy into the misinformation that hampers how you enjoy your golden years.

We may think we know what aging entails, but the reality is that post-retirement life is as individual and unique as any working life. Today’s senior population can be seen as a very different bunch when compared to past generations as they are more educated, tech savvy, connected, and able to still contribute to their community. This being said, our seniors are a far cry from the frail, forgetful, and helpless figures we see depicted in movies and TV series.

Let us take a closer look at these 7 common misconceptions about aging that may be influencing how we see our retirement life now or in the future:

1. Being a senior is lonely and isolated.
Humans are naturally social creatures, who thrive amongst community. Our need to connect and establish meaningful relationships does not diminish with age. However, there may be physical or mental barriers that arise with age, that make connecting with someone a little more challenging.

Seniors able to maintain strong social relationships can often reap numerous rewards such as overcoming intellectual challenges, improving communication skills, maintaining information processing skills, and improving mental health etc. Thanks to the advancements in technology and the overall progress of retirement communities, seniors can easily stay connected with family or friends, whilst establishing new bonds through various social events and activities.

2. Your health will always be determined by family history.
This is a very common misconception that cannot be farther from the truth. Although genetics can have a small impact on your health outcomes, environmental and lifestyle factors play a much larger role in determining your overall wellbeing. For example, your health is more likely to be influenced by factors such as whether or not you regularly exercise, have a balanced diet, proper sleeping cycle, do not smoke or drink, and if you take proper care of your mental health.

However, if you are concerned about your family’s medical history affecting your current or future health, we recommend that you consult with a medical professional.

3. Seniors are weak or frail.
Muscle tone and strength naturally decline over time, and loss of function is anticipated as we age, however, much can be done to combat or slow down the physical and mental aging process. Staying active, exercising regularly, and having a healthy diet can help seniors build muscle, develop flexibility, improve bone density, assist in weight control, and possible help manage some chronic conditions well-into your older years.

Activities like yoga, swimming, daily walks, gardening and even household chores can all help keep you fit and in tiptop shape. This can include decreasing your blood pressure and incredible benefits for your mental health, such as preventing symptoms of anxiety, depression, or senility.

4. All old people are senile.
As we get older, we experience some forms of mild-forgetfulness like misplacing your car keys, or forgetting about an appointment, but this is a far cry from becoming senile or suffering from dementia. Keeping your wherewithal and maintaining your mental capacity is more than a possibility.

Symptoms of age-related mental decline, like all other symptoms of aging, can be thwarted by a variety of mental and physical activities. For example, reading, learning new skills, keeping up with old skills, playing mentally challenging games can all help towards keeping your mental acuity even into your senior years. Nevertheless, you should talk with a doctor if you have serious concerns about your memory and thinking or notice changes in your behavior and personality.

5. Older people struggle to learn new skills.
This is simply not true, seniors still have the ability to learn new skills, create new memories, and improve existing skillsets that they’ve acquired over a lifetime of experiences. In fact, trying and learning new skills may even improve cognitive abilities as this study from NIH shows.

We develop, grow and craft our ability to learn new skills over many decades and these tools and information-gathering abilities continue to serve us as we grow older. By seeking new social connections and engaging in social activities such as book clubs, bird watching, photography classes, knitting classes etc. can keep your brain active and may help boost your cognitive health.

6. Old people are terrified of technology.
There is seemingly endless rhetoric about old people being confused, intimidated or, possibly, terrified by new technology. This could not be further from the truth, with todays’ seniors being more tech savvy than previous generations, our older population are continuing to explore new technology every single day.

With incredible advancements in technology such as smart devices, video calls, instant messaging, seniors have utilized this technology to stay in-touch with family and friends despite potential growth in physical distance. Seniors have also utilized this newer technology to hone new skills or maintain part time work to keep their minds active or perhaps earn additional income.

7. Seniors should not be part of making important life decisions.
A common – and dangerous – misconception is that with age seniors will begin to lose their ability to think clearly and their interest in life-altering decisions. This goes as far as to assume that they cannot track current events or even some events in their own orbit. This is wrong.

Involving seniors in the decision-making process is a critical means of keeping them engaged, happy, secure, and fulfilled. Important decisions regarding their personal healthcare and finances or selling their home and moving into a retirement community should always include the person who if affects most and who has the most to gain from making good life decisions.

Conclusion

For years, Lonehill Manor has avoided these misconceptions and have treated all of our residents with the respect and dignity that they have earned and deserve in their post-work life.

Our retirement estate fosters respect, trust, and mutually beneficial relationships with our residents and their families. We provide supportive and engaging communities that help so many thrive in their retirement. If you are looking for a place to call home in your retirement years, contact us at Lonehill Manor for more information.

The post 7 Common Misconceptions About Growing Older appeared first on Manor Retirement.

Many people are concerned about what to do with their older family members and what types of activities are appropriate. The truth is that your visit will be the real highlight and spending time with their loved ones will always be meaningful. It can be difficult to find the right activities, so here is a list of 10 fun things to do with people living in nursing homes or assisted living residences.

1. Stay connected with family and keep up with visits
   Visiting your loved ones in care communities is so important for maintaining their relationships. Staying connected with family reminds our parents and grandparents that we love them and will not forget about them. You could also bring family members with you when you are visiting, especially children and teens who may be unable or nervous to visit on their own.Bringing shared activities to do with younger family members, such as puzzles, art projects or games, will help the generations bond in a fun and engaging way. The children could also bring their own things to share with their grandparents and elderly family. Photos and videos of family trips, sports matches and school events help them experience things that are becoming harder to be directly involved in.As much as possible, include your family members living in care communities in family events, celebrations and news. If they cannot attend in person, make sure you discuss the event, show them footage of celebrations and keep them up to date on the latest family gossip. Parents and grandparents in care communities love to be part of the action as much they can.

2. Listen to music together
   Music is often referred to as a universal language. Music feeds the soul, boosts your mood and increases happiness, especially when shared with people you care about. When visiting your loved ones, bring a speaker system or connect to theirs and play a beautiful, curated playlist. Introduce them to new music that you love and revisit all of their old favourites, together.

3. Tell stories over old photos and videos
   Looking over old photos and videos is a fantastic and fulfilling way to spend time with your older loved ones. This gives them an opportunity to share stories, reminisce over past adventures and celebrate their incredible lives. As mentioned before, the same goes for new photos and videos of their family, friends and loved ones, which gives them an opportunity to keep up with everybody.

4. Bring along a family pet
   If your loved one is an animal lover, they would probably be ecstatic to see a beloved family pet or meet a new furry friend. Petting and interacting with cats and dogs is an incredibly therapeutic activity for those living in care facilities. Research has shown that playing with animals can reduce stress, blood pressure, anxiety and heart rate in elderly people.

5. Enjoy a meal together
   Eating together is one of the most wonderful social activities we do with our families. Consider taking your elderly family member to their favourite restaurant or bringing a prepared picnic to share in the garden. If they are physically unable to leave their residence, you could share in their favourite snacks or enjoy a meal in the community dining room.

6. Get out for some fresh air
   Physical or mental disability can make some activities more difficult than others. In addition, it can have a negative impact on your loved one’s motivation and willingness to exercise or get some fresh air. Rather than staying in their room, try taking them outside for a leisurely walk and help them move around with their walking aids or pushing their wheelchair, if needed.

7. Take your loved one on a short outing
   For people living in a nursing home or assisted living facility, being taken on a short outing can be a real treat, total reprieve and fun activity. If their health permits, they are almost certain to have favourite places and people they would love to visit. Something as simple as a walk in the park or cup of coffee with family could make their week.

8. Treat them with a massage or manicure
   The therapeutic effects of massages, manicures and other body treatments are fun and underindulged. You could pamper your loved one with a good body or hand massage, a brief pedicure or hair care. If you feel incapable or unsure of what to do, you could hire professional masseurs or beauticians to do a house call during your visit.

9. Read out loud for them
   Much like music, revisiting favourite stories or hearing new ones through literature is a wonderful way to spend some time with a loved one. This could be an ongoing activity where you read a few chapters on each visit. Although their own ability to read may be impaired, reading to – or with – your loved ones will give them and you a chance to connect over fascinating stories.

10. Watch a TV show or movie together
    Spending time together watching an old favourite film or discovering new TV series can be a great way to spend time with your loved ones. You could consider signing them up for a Netflix account or bring along a laptop on your next visit. You could watch a few episodes each visit or find a new movie to enjoy every other visit. This is a great way to enjoy each other’s company and explore new stories together.

Making the decision of where your loved ones are going to live as they retire and get older is one of the most important lifestyle choices for their comfort, happiness and wellbeing. If you are considering where your loved one is going to call home in this next chapter of their lives – consider one of Manor Retirement’s beautiful and bustling communities.

The post 10 Fun Things to Do with Loved Ones Living in Care Communities appeared first on Manor Retirement.

The days of waking up and getting the kids ready for school before heading off to work are gone. Although many of us feel the sting of an empty nest or miss our old office space, the reality is that older people have so much more time to invest in themselves and their goals after retirement.

Do not miss an opportunity to focus on yourself, find a new purpose in life and rediscover previous ambitions and loves. A busy schedule can fill your day with a lot of activity while navigating your professional career, however, you can spend your retirement years on fewer, higher-quality, and inspiring pursuits that will feed your soul.

Were you once an artist? Perhaps a carpenter? Or maybe you are a former chess champion that has not played in years? Now’s the time to rediscover what makes you happy and fills you with excitement. Your retirement years are for you. It is hard-earned and takes a long time to reach, that’s why retirement years are for exploration, rediscovery, relaxation, and freedom.

It can be a bit of a culture shock to go through these lifestyle changes. After years of taking care of your loved ones, performing in your career, and focusing on others, you suddenly have free days and calm mornings. Yes, it can be strange, but it can also be fun, intentional, and purposeful.

Living Life with a Purpose

In order to overcome the possibly unnerving calm and quiet of your post-retirement schedule, you need focus on goals, activities, and hobbies that drive your purpose. Living life with a purpose can take many forms and develop at different rates. What matters to you and what inspires you is your choice. Maybe you want to explore social service opportunities or travel the world with a loved one.

Perhaps you are interested in sharing your wisdom and experience with the community around you or learning a new language or picking up an old instrument. Once you have determined your goals and interests, you will be able to spend your days performing activities and trying new things that will help you define that purpose.

6 Ways of Leading an Active and Purposeful Lifestyle Post Retirement

Leading an active lifestyle that supports your new goals and life’s purpose will be the most important step after retiring. After which, you can begin organising your daily life to support your newfound purpose and fill your days with meaningful activities.

As you try to lead an active lifestyle post retirement, you should consider these 6 steps:

Creating a Schedule

Leading a disciplined life can be difficult without the structure of your professional and familial responsibilities. Creating a schedule that is intentional and fulfilling will be a critical part of your transition into post-retirement life. Concentrate on taking care of your needs. Besides your new hobbies and activities, you should try to sleep 8 hours a night, exercise 30 minutes a day and take any prescribed medications, regularly.

De-stress and Relax

This can be easier said than done but focusing on destressing and relaxing should be a top priority for those living a post-retirement life. Elderly members of society have spent their working lives taking care of their professional and familial responsibilities. By destressing and relaxing our minds, our mood improves, our body recuperates, and our soul replenishes. Try meditating 30 minutes a day or writing in a journal, use part of your day to look inside and prioritise calm and happiness.

Activities with a Purpose

Performing activities that are focused on our new goals and interests make living a purposeful life much easier. Spend 2 to 3 hours (at least) on activities that are complementary to your newfound purpose. If it is social service or learning new skills, teaching your community, or following an athletic pursuit, you need to make this a central feature of your post-retirement daily activities.

Spending Time with Loved Ones

Spending time with your friends and family’s important post retirement. We spend many of our office days wishing we could have had more dinners with family or drinks with friends. Work may have prevented you from travelling to meet loved ones overseas or meet friends with conflicting work schedules. Spouses, children, grandchildren, friends, and other loved ones can finally get all of the attention and time we’ve been wanting to share with them.

Spending Time on Yourself

Retirement gives us an opportunity to focus on our mental and physical well-being and health. This time allows us to pause, reflect and appreciate the past, as well as planning and organising for the future. Purpose cannot be found by someone else; we need to inspire those ambitions within ourselves. You will be the writer of your life’s next chapter, enjoy it.

Take Time Off

Yes, you need to find your new life’s purpose and fill your schedule with activities that help you grow and develop in your post-retirement years. However, you also need to take some time for yourself. You have worked all your life and focused on so many different responsibilities, you deserve a break.

Take time off for leisurely activities, like painting, meditating, or playing an instrument, and enjoy your new life. Calm and quiet does not need to mean boredom or inactivity, it can be time well-spent on yourself, a chance to kick your feet up and enjoy the spoils of your post-retirement life.

Deciding where you are going to live is an important part of defining your post-retirement lifestyle. If you’re a retiree that’s considering where to call home on this new and exciting chapter of your life – consider one of Manor Retirement’s beautiful and bustling communities.

The post 6 Ways to Lead an Active and Purposeful Life in Your Retirement appeared first on Manor Retirement.

The question has come up frequently over the past year: Are senior living communities or retirement villages safe to occupy during Covid-19? Like most communal, residential environments, senior living communities have adjusted and adapted to the new “normal”. The responsibility falls on owners, managers, caregivers and staff to create a safe and secure environment, in spite of the pandemic.

Temperature checks, sanitisation, social distancing, PPE and, now, vaccinations have become a regular part of retirement living. Having these protocols in place have allowed these communities to keep their residents and staff safe, while managing to maintain the thriving social communities that exist in South Africa.

Most seniors have been forced to miss out on their favourite activities during the national lockdowns. From restaurants to indoor exercise and family visits to local movie theatres, keeping up with your regular life as a senior citizen has been difficult. Fortunately, the careful preparation and learning over the past year has allowed retirement communities to continue some old – and adapted – social activities, safely.

You might be wondering if this is possible. Can now, really, be a good time to move into a senior living community? The reality is that this is a huge decision for you or your loved ones at the best of times. However, there are still a variety of benefits that are associated with living in a retirement village in a post-Covid-19 world.

Here are six of the main advantages of moving into a senior living community now:

All of your necessities are covered

Residents of senior living communities are assisted in all of their day-to-day activities, like cooking, cleaning, bathing, taking medication and shopping. There are a multitude of daily tasks that become harder to complete as we age – and even harder during a pandemic. All of the caregivers that assist in these tasks are tested, trained and advised on how to keep all residents and themselves safe during the pandemic.

Most retirement villages have transformed the way they cater to and serve their communities to ensure that all residents’ necessities and needs are covered, while keeping Covid-19 out. These communities will continue to evolve, in order to guarantee all of their residents are kept safe and well-cared for. Shopping, exercising, socialising, organising meals and housekeeping are all made easier in a senior living community, in spite of the pandemic.

Easy access to onsite healthcare services

Most senior living communities are equipped to offer assisted living and frail care options on their premises. This is in addition to the nurses, caregivers and staff that are trained to provide daily assistance to our senior population who are suffering from mental or physical decline. Some retirement villages have an onsite clinic which can perform emergency procedures, provide constant care and conduct necessary testing when needed.

These clinics will often include a dispensary and speciality services, like physical therapy or mental health services. Easily accessible and fully-integrated, these healthcare services are onsite to ensure that all residents are being taken care of and living their healthiest possible life. All of this helps to reduce the health risks associated with aging and adds an extra layer of protection and reassurance during the pandemic.

Strict health and safety protocols

In every retirement village, members of staff are being trained to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and residents to follow best practices. Beyond this, all common areas, like hallways, dining rooms, elevators, lobbies, etc., are being heavily sanitised and cleaned every day. Screenings and tests are being conducted to ensure all staff and guests do not exhibit symptoms and can safely interact within the community. Additional steps, such as contact tracing and mandatory mask wearing have become standard health and safety protocols.

Easy access to COVID-19 testing and vaccines

Phase 2 of South Africa’s vaccine rollout plan will include residents in congregated living environments and persons over the age of 60. This means that the vast majority, if not all, residents living in senior living communities will be eligible for a vaccine. Even further, these residents may have access to testing at their onsite clinic or government-funded testing, or be enrolled in a vaccination programme, without the hassle of confusing websites and online booking systems. Frequent testing and high vaccination rates are the fastest way to building a safe, Covid-free community.

Socialise more safely and confidently

Senior living communities have adopted some of the safest ways of socialising within their community. Communal practices, such as small group gatherings, outdoor activities, scheduled dining experiences and socially-distanced exercise classes, allow residents to carefully and confidently socialise with their community. This is on top of the strong public health practices and behaviours that are already being employed, like frequent sanitisation and testing.

Ensure financial stability

The financial security and stability that comes with living in a retirement village – during these times – can’t be overstated. Community members don’t have to worry about the maintenance, upkeep and sale-value of a home amidst the pandemic. Managing expenses, preserving your lifestyle and securing needed care or assistance in these communities is also easier than ever. Becoming a part of these vibrant communities is not only beneficial during the pandemic, but at any point that you or a loved one need a little extra help and support in their daily life.

If you’re looking to move into a senior living community, make sure you’re choosing the best one for you or your family member. Manor Retirement offer a wide range of independent and assisted living options with the best healthcare services and well-trained caregivers to support you.

The post Six Advantages of Moving into a Senior Living Community Now appeared first on Manor Retirement.