Building a positive mindset can involve exercising, socializing, and engaging in activities. Gaining mental strength in senior care may enhance your overall quality of life.
About 80% of thoughts are negative, while 95% are repetitive, according to Psychology Today. These repetitive negative thoughts can cause stress, triggering inflammation. Chronic inflammation may increase your risk of serious health issues like diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Before that happens, start building a positive mindset. Improving your mindset and daily health can enhance your overall quality of life. You can retire in Cramerton, NC, feeling your best.
What is the connection between positivity and longevity, and how can you enhance your emotional wellness while aging? Read on to find out!
According to the National Council on Aging, two-thirds of seniors with mental health problems never receive treatment. The number of seniors with mental health disorders may double by the year 2030. Seniors face a higher risk of mental health conditions due to:
The most common mental health disorders among older adults are anxiety and depression. These conditions can affect your physical health, ability to function, and quality of life.Common symptoms include
Dementia affects over 6 million Americans. A morning routine helps people with dementia start the day right.
Dementia care routines provide a sense of independence and stability. They include daily hygiene and breakfast as well as activities like exercise.
At TerraBella Cramer Mountain, we support our residents' needs while encouraging their independence. Cramerton is an ideal community for retirees, with a small-town ambience minutes from Charlotte. TerraBella Cramer Mountain provides a calm but engaging environment for the residents who call our community home.
A morning care routine serves several purposes for people with dementia. Routines are beneficial for many people, but they're especially important for older adults with cognitive decline.
A routine reinforces a sense of independence and control because it allows the person to experience the world in a predictable way. It supports feelings of stability and safety. People may learn what to expect each morning.
The brain stores routines in long-term memory, so they remain accessible as dementia progresses into the middle stages. A morning routine can help people maintain the skills they have for activities of daily living (ADLs), which builds self-esteem.
Morning care prepares residents for the day. It can include:
Good hygiene is essential for quality of life. It helps prevent disease and unpleasant odors.
Alzheimer's morning help is also an opportunity for the caregiver to develop a relationship with the person receiving care. People may find their loss of independence or inability to perform daily care tasks themselves frustrating or sad.
The compassionate caregivers at TerraBella Cramer Mountain are well aware of these challenges and use the time spent performing personal care tasks to talk genuinely with residents. Telling stories and listening to residents' experiences helps build more positive associations with the morning routine.
Studies have shown that older adults have better cognition in the morning than in the evening. This decline in the evening can be especially pronounced in people with dementia and is known as sundowning. Sundowning behaviors include confusion, agitation, and mood swings that start later in the afternoon.
Because morning tends to be better for people with dementia, try to schedule appointments and activities earlier in the day. However, feelings of loneliness can be a trigger, so don't hesitate to invite friends or family to visit. Just be sure any visitors know what to expect.
Increased confusion and agitation aren't necessarily limited to late afternoon and evenings. Some people may experience them in the morning, which can be called sunrise dementia or sunrise syndrome. This phenomenon is less common than sundowning and has received only limited study.
Physical exercise can be a highly beneficial part of morning dementia care routines. Exercise is better as part of the morning routine instead of the afternoon or evening. Exercising close to bedtime can make falling asleep harder.
A study published in Medicine found that people with dementia who exercise regularly have significantly better strength, endurance, and balance than people who don't. Patients with mild to moderate dementia who exercise had fewer unexpected hospitalizations.
Other benefits of physical activity include:
The benefits of exercise generally hold true for seniors, whether or not they have dementia.
Like other older adults, seniors in memory care should be encouraged to do aerobic exercise, strength training, and balance exercises each week. The most important considerations are:
An essential factor in seeing the benefits of exercise is doing it regularly. Older adults can gradually work up to exercising most days of the week.
People with dementia will likely need a caregiver or personal trainer to exercise with them. Group exercise classes are also an option.
Mornings can start to feel rushed with tasks to do and timelines to meet. At TerraBella Cramer Mountain, we focus on a calm start to the day for our residents.
Our Dimensions health and wellness program includes the emotional, social, and spiritual dimensions of health. We offer classes, events, and worship services that promote calm, clarity, and energy. Specialized activities for our memory care residents help ensure that everyone can participate and improve their mental and emotional health.
A nutrient-rich breakfast supports brain health and cognition. People with dementia may forget to eat or think they have already eaten. Making breakfast part of a structured morning routine can help reduce confusion.
The Sensations dining program at TerraBella Cramer Mountain provides memory care residents with chef-prepared meals in an environment that promotes engagement. Appealing aromas and an attractive visual presentation can stimulate interest in eating.
Older adults tend to go to bed earlier and wake up earlier than younger people. Sleep issues are common, and people with dementia can have even more trouble sleeping at night. Structured days in assisted living and memory care can promote better sleep. Ideas include:
A healthcare professional may have other suggestions based on the person's health situation.
We design the morning routine at TerraBella Cramer Mountain to help our residents find their calm and start each day with dignity. Memory care residents benefit from a routine that includes good hygiene, exercise, and a healthy breakfast. Our caring staff provides ADL support in memory care while helping residents maintain as much independence as possible.
Schedule a tour of TerraBella Cramer Mountain today to see how your loved one can maintain their quality of life from morning through the end of each day.
These symptoms can affect your outlook on life. Focusing on your mindset and daily health may reduce your risk of a mental health disorder.
Prioritizing optimism and routine can add structure to your life. This may reduce stress and inflammation, which is associated with:
There's a link between positivity and longevity. According to the National Institute on Aging, optimism is associated with healthier aging. Having fewer negative emotions may reduce stress, which could reduce your risk of chronic health conditions.
Staying positive could also help:
Building a positive mindset can enhance your overall wellness, allowing you to maintain your independence while aging in Cramerton. Optimism and routine can boost your mood while giving your life structure. Here are a few tips to improve your mindset and daily health.
Keeping a positive mindset means that you approach stressful or unpleasant situations in a productive way. Instead of focusing on the negatives, try to identify when you're facing negative self-talk.
Common forms of negative self-talk include:
To reframe your mindset, make an effort to engage in positive thinking. First, identify aspects of your life you think negatively about. Think of a positive thought to offset each one.
Try surrounding yourself with positive people. Seeing how they view the world may encourage you to adjust your mindset.
According to UCLA Health, diet can affect your mood. There's a connection between the brain and the gut. Eating nutritious whole foods may improve your mood and overall health.
Explore your senior living community's dining program for nutritious dishes. Prioritizing eating foods that are high in vitamins and minerals, including:
Add 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity to your week. Exercising can boost your mood and improve your physical health. Exercising may also help:
You can discover new hobbies through your senior living community's events and activities calendar. Hobbies can add a source of enjoyment to your routine, which may improve your mood. Engaging in hobbies may help:
Though there's no one root cause of negative thinking, possible triggers include:
The next time you encounter negative thoughts, try to view the situation from a different perspective. Try recognizing the positives or how you can alter the situation.
Otherwise, use journaling to examine your thoughts and feelings. Identifying your negative thought patterns can help you navigate them.
Effective self-care techniques for seniors include:
Try to add these self-care techniques to your daily routine. These techniques can reduce stress and inflammation. You can find more self-care methods through your senior living community's wellness program.
Gaining mental strength and resilience can benefit your overall health and well-being. You can find more resources for building a positive mindset through your senior living community.
TerraBella Cramer Mountain's parent company, Discovery Senior Living, proudly ranks number one in customer satisfaction among assisted living and memory care communities in the J.D. Power 2025 US Senior Living Satisfaction Study. Enjoy our exclusive senior lifestyle programs, including homestyle meals in the Sensations dining room, Celebrations Activities & Events like live music and shopping trips, or Dimensions Health & Fitness classes like tai chi. Contact us now to schedule your tour.