July Health Tip: Be CREATIVE!
WELLNESS TIP: Start a new project that inspires you!
https://psychiatry.ucsf.edu/copingresources/olderadults
Many older adults have been through life changes and health issues that require adaptation and have great resilience and wisdom. These traits will help them get through another difficult time. Psychiatrist, geriatrician, and UCSF professor Andreea Seritan, MD, provides several tips to create a healthy day. We continue tips included by Dr. Seritan for our July health tip.
Creativity is very important for brain health. Now is a good time to complete projects you may have started long ago that fell by the wayside because you couldn’t find the time to focus on them. With a calendar empty of most in-person commitments, you will find yourself with a lot of time on your hands. You can organize photos, make a scrapbook, take up or practice your drawing, knitting, or building objects.
Stay active intellectually. There are many ways to do so besides reading. Internet searches help activate many parts of your brain (but please limit the time you spend on the news). You can play chess, go, sudoku, do crossword puzzles, or other games such as Words with Friends. Or you can learn a new language, using apps such as:
Duolingo
Babbel
Memrise
For those who are still working and may not be used to telecommuting, we recommend setting aside a quiet space and maintaining the same routine, as if you were in the office. Sit at your desk (not in your pajamas) and get up and stretch or walk around every hour. (You can set a timer on your computer to help you do so.) Remember, cutting the commute means you are more productive, but working from home can also become “seamless,” in that you never stop. You should set a start and stop time, with clear lunch or coffee breaks.
Resources to be creative are easy to find if you get looking! Here locally there are programs through Illinois Central College, the Peoria Park District, OLLI at Bradley University, the Art Guild of Peoria, painting nights at various restaurants, etc! Grab a friend and give a new project a try!
Adult Community Education - Illinois Central College (icc.edu)