May 24, 2024
There are amazing benefits for seniors when it comes to journaling. However, not everyone likes to free flow when it comes to journaling. Sometimes, having a dedicated journal to a specific idea or thing can help encourage a senior to write more. Keep in mind that not all seniors can hold pens and that is okay. A senior may find it easier to talk to in-home care who can write things out for them in a journal or even create little slips of gratitude to put in a jar. No matter how a senior does it, practicing gratitude has great benefits the older they get.
When a senior starts to think about what they are grateful for in life they will usually turn to people at some point. The more a senior is grateful the more likely they are to tell someone why they are grateful. Sharing this gratitude with friends, family, in-home care, and anyone else is one of the best ways to build relationships and connections. Your loved one may not even have this intention but it is one of the best things to come out of starting a gratitude journal.
In general, one of the best things about journaling is that it is a private time for reflection which can boost how a senior feels. When they add in what they are grateful for it is a double whammy! They may start to see things on the brighter side, they may think of more things to be grateful for, and this can shape the way they see the world. The happier they think about things the more likely it is that happiness will show up in other areas. Your senior may be able to age in place a lot longer if they keep a good attitude and a gratitude journal is an easy way to accomplish that mission.
By sitting down each morning or night to reflect on all of the things a senior has to be grateful for, it helps them stay in the present moment. Instead of worrying about the future and all of those what if possibilities your senior has a chance to focus on the good things about the here and now. This mindset can help them limit their stress levels which can impact their quality of life and their physical health. The less stress they have the more likely they are to stay as healthy as possible and age in place.
Pessimistic people can be a challenge, they usually beat themselves up, and have more stress. Seniors who want to change their outlook may find that by practicing gratitude they start to see things under a different light. This can promote optimistic thinking and a cheery outlook. This doesn’t mean a senior has to force themselves to be positive all the time, that can be toxic. But this does mean that they may start seeing challenges and struggles as learning lessons. They may have an easier time spinning something hard and looking at it as a new opportunity. This is an optimistic outlook.
