Beyond the pandemic and the labyrinth of its neologisms lies an ancient core of wisdom about health and the relationships we keep with others. What’s behind a philosophy of caring for our elders? And what do we talk about when we talk about the importance of an active senior living?

When thinking about an active life we tend to overestimate the physical aspects and leave out of the picture the relationships we form with others. And as old age brings health concerns for some, most think of an active senior living this way. But caring for each other and forming strong relationships with others, between our social group and even beyond our own family, can be a powerful panacea that helps build something of a social immune system.

At My Active Senior we like to think about this idea as a philosophy of caring, a formidable tool to fight social ills like depression and solitude at old age. Caring for others means being with others, and even just mundane human connections can be emotionally soothing.

With the advent of the pandemic, we all had to fall back into our minimal in-groups of family and close friends, and for some this meant losing a vital connection to the social world that kept them healthy and active. It is now more important than ever to try and reach out to our seniors and help them lead an active life. So, what do we mean by an active life for seniors? We think keeping an active senior living encompasses at least some of these ideas:

Maintaining vital connections with others

Whether it is with other seniors, family members or friends in general, it is especially important to keep in touch with a community of people that cares and supports each other. In the pandemic, this can’t always be achieved face-to-face, but luckily there are many workarounds for this.

Technology can keep us connected in more ways than one, and through this means we can not only tend to our friendships but also form new relationships with other people. At My Active Senior we provide just the kind of supporting network that we think is vital to our seniors. Whether it is through emotional, financial or health-centered support, we focus in the central tenet of our philosophy: forming lasting relationships.

Keeping a sense of purpose: The ‘My Active Senior’ Way

Bonding and getting to know each other makes us happy and healthy, but sometimes we need something more than just that to fuel our inner self and do more than just getting through the days. Finding and keeping a purpose for ourselves is something particularly important to our seniors.

When we are younger, society gives most of us a sort of social purpose that can manifest itself through work, forming our own family or just a general sense of belonging and direction in life. For many, seniority disrupts this way of life.

Retirement can bring isolation from others and break the purpose we felt we had as a part of society. Active senior living means working with others to achieve new things, be it through hobbies, work, education or just helping others in our community.

Letting others help you when you need it

Seniority can bring all sorts of emotional distress when we don’t have a supporting network, but a common theme is believing that we are somehow a burden to others or that we should be able to achieve everything we need by ourselves. The truth is that we never stop depending on others to get through even the most mundane tasks.

From a young age and into adulthood, depending on others is the way our species has to live and survive in this world. We achieve both small and big things together, and this interdependency is so ingrained in our everyday lives that we rarely realize it. Seniority is no exception to this manner of life, and an active senior living necessarily means letting others help us when we need it.

Healthy habits that boost energy

Last, but not least, healthy habits are fundamental to keep an active senior living. These are the literal fuel that keeps us going, and encompass more than just the obvious food or exercise. Good sleep, spending time in contact with nature, playing games or pursuing our interests alone or with friends are part of a healthy and active senior living too.

At My Active Senior we help you find and connect with caregivers, health workers and educators that share our philosophy. Helping our seniors reach out to their community, care for others and receive care and support in exchange is the cornerstone of our organization.