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Chronic pain is an exhausting affliction ailing millions of adults over 55. As recently as 2016, an estimated 20.4% of U.S. adults had chronic pain. Furthermore, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that nearly 20 million people have pain so severe it interferes with daily life. Physicians are growing increasingly reluctant to prescribe pharmacological solutions due to the opioid epidemic, leaving those in pain with a frustrating situation. Rather than adding yourself to the statistics, practice these 5 helpful suggestions for managing your chronic pain!

Be More Mindful of Your Eating

What you eat can either increase or decrease inflammation in the body, so it is extremely important to understand which foods are good for your body and which ones are making your pain worse. Inflammation is known to magnify pain, especially for those suffering from osteoarthritis. Before digging into your next meal, consider reviewing resources online to educate yourself on the best inflammation-fighting foods. This way, you can love the food you eat both for its taste and pain management benefits!

Stay Active

When suffering from chronic pain, physical activity may seem especially unenticing. However, low-impact physical activity is another solution available for you to explore! Staying active keeps your muscles and joints limber while also making them stronger, which aids in reducing inflammation. Walking, chair yoga, and swimming are all very accessible to older adults in independent living facilities and these are some of the best forms of exercise to manage chronic pain.

Look into Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

You may be wondering how a therapist can help you with your chronic pain, but the answer is quite simple. CBT is an incredibly useful tool for improving the lives of people with both physical and mental health conditions, making it applicable in the field of chronic pain as well. As the patient, you work with a therapist to learn and perfect techniques for redirecting the mind when pain is high. Therapists offer a wide array of tools to achieve this, including deep breathing techniques and meditation, to ensure that you are mentally ready for chronic pain.

Stress Management

Feeling stressed out is already bad enough on its own, but it is also proven to increase feelings of pain. Learning how to relax sounds simple enough but is a crucial tool in your pain management efforts. Explore different methods of stress management until you find some that work specifically for you. Guided meditation, music, and progressive muscle relaxation are just a few stress management tools that work well for many people.

Stay Away from Negative Behaviors

It is easy to turn to poor habits when feeling pain, such as smoking or drinking alcohol to cope. However, both of these mechanisms (and more) are likely to simply increase your pain rather than helping cope with it. Furthermore, they can contribute to sleep problems, increase inflammation, and increase the risk for other serious health conditions. When your chronic pain is flaring up, turn towards healthier methods of coping instead of going even deeper into the red.

In order to best manage your chronic pain, your health has to be a priority at your independent living facilities. That’s why we embrace life to the fullest at Westminster Oaks! Our residents enjoy exceptional active senior living and a lifestyle enriched by our exclusive My W Life wellbeing program. We put your health first with wellness classes and other lifelong learning opportunities. Join our community today and see why we make it easy to manage your chronic pain!

It’s always a good day to learn something new! At all of our Westminster communities, we believe in challenging your mind through creative ideas and improving your knowledge in engaging ways. Check out these benefits of lifelong learning!

You Can Learn Without Leaving Your Home

From art to history and everything in between, there’s something in the course catalog for everyone. At many of our communities, classes are held on-site and taught by professors, authors, and subject-matter experts — so a world of knowledge is right around the corner!

It Boosts Your Confidence

Knowledge is powerful! Learning can lead to improved self-perception, boosting confidence, and improving mood. When you learn new information, especially information you’re interested in, you feel successful and aware. Learning is highly rewarding!

It Keeps Your Brain Healthy, Too

Studies have shown that older adults who keep learning are less likely to develop dementia or Alzheimer’s — that’s why we believe continuing education can be beneficial in more ways than one! When someone is passionate about what they’re learning, their brain actually produces some of the same chemicals as falling in love.

There are more reasons than one to value a continued education! That’s why we offer exclusive opportunities for lifelong learning at our assisted living communities all across Florida — because happiness is having great choices!

Assisted living facilities provide much more than meals and assistance with everyday activities; they also provide residents with a sense of community that is critically important for both physical and mental health.

Here are a few reasons why it is important to build community in an assisted living facility.

Avoiding Feelings of Loneliness and Isolation

Feelings of aloneness or isolation are very common among older people. It is natural to have your social circles shrink, families move away, and loved ones pass on as you grow older. All of these factors can contribute to feelings of loneliness.

Some of the greatest benefits of the communities you’ll find in Tallahassee, FL, assisted living centers are the new friendships and relationships that are built. Residents connect through community events, conversations in common spaces, and getting to know their neighbors.

These new relationships are invaluable for human connection to avoid loneliness and isolation. In addition, friendships play a critical role in healthy aging. 

Motivation to Stay Active

If you are engaging in many of your retirement activities alone, it can be difficult to stay motivated. One of the great benefits of assisted or independent living in Tallahassee, Florida, is that you’ll always have friends to accompany you during activities.

Whether it is tennis, golf, walking, crafts, games, or any other activity, having a buddy gives residents the extra motivation needed to stay active.

Community Helps Foster Independence

When seniors live alone, sometimes they tend to become overly cautious for fear of falling or wary of asking for extra help. An overly cautious lifestyle can quickly lead to inactivity and isolation, which accelerates the need for care.

In assisted living facilities, being surrounded by a supportive community creates a sense of safety. When seniors feel safe and supported, they are less likely to be too cautious, as they are encouraged to try new activities and hobbies and get out of their homes more.

Extending the years during which seniors can live independently is invaluable for both residents and their families. 

Health and Wellness Safety Net

One of the most critical features of a community is looking out for each other. In assisted living facilities, residents get to know one another and can detect if something is off with another community member. 

Subtle changes in mood, mannerisms, eating patterns, or other behaviors can be hard to catch, but community members who are around each other every day are keenly aware of abnormalities in behavior.  

When a community member recognizes that something is out of the ordinary, they can call attention to it and make sure their friend gets help. This level of daily monitoring is only possible through the communities that are built-in assisted living facilities.

Tallahassee, FL, Assisted Living

Tallahassee, FL, is one of the best cities for assisted living in the country. From the balmy weather to the wonderful facilities to the endless activities, Tallahassee has a lot to offer.

Searching for the right community may seem overwhelming, but with the help of resident experts and even virtual tours, finding the perfect community could be easier than you think.

Restorative nursing is an ongoing treatment program that helps seniors stay active and independent as long as possible. If muscle aches, joint stiffness, or old injuries are limiting your enjoyment of the golden years, you may benefit from restorative nursing. 

Is Restorative Nursing the Same as Rehabilitation?

Rehabilitation services such as physical therapy are effective for helping seniors regain their strength and function after an injury or illness, but they are not the same thing as restorative nursing.

Restorative therapies help seniors maintain and improve their ability to perform all of the necessary activities of daily living, also known as ADLs. Rehabilitation comes after an event, but restorative nursing is available (and useful) at any time. In many cases, restorative therapy will be recommended after rehabilitation is complete.

Can You Get Restorative Nursing in Assisted Living in Tallahassee?

Seniors living independently and those in assisted living facilities are eligible to receive restorative therapies. Any senior who is having difficulty with ADLs is a good candidate for restorative nursing. Restorative therapies are designed to help people maintain as much independence as possible no matter where they live.

If you are considering a move to one of the many skilled nursing facilities in Tallahassee, FL, ask about the restorative services they offer. 

The Benefits of Restorative Nursing

The progress you’ll see while receiving restorative therapy isn’t always immediate, but it is long-lasting, and it can have a big impact on your quality of life. Consider the following four biggest benefits of restorative nursing:

1. Improved mobility

Simple exercises used to improve flexibility and strength are a big part of any restorative program. Staying mobile, whether at home or in a skilled nursing facility, is one of the most important goals to focus on when aging.

2. Improved Independence

A restorative nurse takes the time to fully evaluate your needs and focus on the activities you need the most help with. Whether it helps with bathing or dressing, restorative therapy provides the tools you need to stay independent.

3. Increased Safety

By improving your balance and strength, restorative nursing reduces the chance of falls or accidents.

4. Better Mental Health

Many seniors report a confidence boost by participating in restorative therapy. Knowing you can take care of yourself and preserve your independence helps you to feel better on every level.

How Can Seniors Receive Restorative Nursing?

A nursing license is not required to provide restorative therapy, though some nurses may choose to work in the field. Restorative therapy is specialized care that may be performed by CNAs, nurses, therapists, and professional care providers who have been properly trained.

If you are still living at home, speak to your doctor or a care provider about receiving restorative therapy. When you have had a recent illness or injury, it may be recommended as part of your follow-up care.

Seniors residing in assisted living in Tallahassee should have restorative nursing available to them as part of their ongoing care. Talk to a member of the physical therapy staff to learn more about how restorative nursing can help you live more fully.