Weekly Newsletter

May 24, 2023

Quote of the Week:

“Wellness is the complete integration of body, mind, and spirit – the realization that everything we do, think, feel, and believe has an effect on our state of well-being.”

– Greg Anderson

Wellness for Older Adults & Family Caregivers:

What is wellness?

Just new age jargon? If you “google” wellness you’ll find at least 10 somewhat different ideas. To start, let’s just say “wellness” is what comes after survival.

What is survival?

Nutrition — Just enough to eat to maintain your body weight and minimal strength

Sleep — Just enough to stay awake and not drive into a ditch.

Financial — Just enough to have a roof over your head, at least for now.

Exercise — Just enough to be able to be able to get to the table to eat, or make breakfast.

If you have managed survival, you can shoot for wellness!

Here’s what the World Health Organization (WHO) tells us about Wellness:

The WHO-5 is a short questionnaire consisting of 5 simple and non-invasive questions, which tap into the subjective well-being of the respondents. You can take this 5 simple questions and get an idea about your well-being (AKA you wellness score).

Here is an article that explains it more in depth:

Read Article

Take this survey and see how you score:

This survey has been adapted all over the world and found to correlate with many chronic health conditions such as diabetes, cardio vascular disorders, cancer survival. obesity, metabolic syndrome, depression, etc.

So… what does that mean for caregivers of aging and disabled family members? It’s a must — not because you are self-indulgent. But because you are important to yourself, your family member you are taking care of, and the world around you!

The WHO-5 Score Survey

So what is wellness?

The Global Wellness Institute defines wellness as the active pursuit of activities, choices and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health.

Nutrition — World Health Organization says in 2020: (Healthy diet) "A healthy diet helps protect against malnutrition in all forms, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and cancer."
Sleep — CDC says depending on your age: (How Much Sleep Do I Need?) Older Adults need 7-9 hours of sleep per night; "Good sleep quality is also essential."
Exercise — (Physical Activity) CDC says: "Each week adults need 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity and 2 days of muscle strengthening activity."
Medical check ups and care — Healthcare.gov says (Preventive care benefits for adults): Routine medical screenings and care appointments are important, prevention is key!

Stable finances to pay bills — rent, food, medical bills, transportation, etc.
Friends — Mayo clinic says, Friendships: Enrich your life and improve your health.
Family — NIH says yes, family is important, and here are some programs to help: NIH Child and Family Programs
Hobbies — Web MD says, there are Health Benefits of Hobbies: "When you do activities that make you happy, you improve your mental health."
Sense of spiritual direction and support — National Library of Medicine/NIH: The role of spirituality in health care "Some studies indicate that those who are spiritual tend to have a more positive outlook and a better quality of life."