September 8, 2017
Having purpose and living an enriched life is sometimes easier said than done. In my opinion, the level of engagement or amount of emotional commitment you put forth to achieve your personal and professional goals will be the result of the effort you put forth.
Just as occupational therapy helps to promote health by enabling people to perform meaningful and purposeful activities for their jobs, leisure or even self-care, focusing on functional activities for you and your family can be an essential aspect of incorporating wellness into your lifestyle.
When incorporating any of the seven dimensions of wellness, identifying motivating factors that will spark happiness and help you stay committed to a lifestyle of practicing wellness is the key to success. According to Laura Kubzansky, professor of social and behavioral sciences at Harvard School of Public Health, being able to manage the emotional ups and downs is important for both body and mind, “For physical health, it’s not so much happiness per se, but this ability to regulate and have a sense of purpose and meaning.”
- CHORES can actually improve your endurance and be a great way to have the whole family involved. Kids love learning the basics of gardening, so as the fall season approaches, grab the rake or broom and start cleaning your way to a healthy lifestyle before you sit on the couch to watch your favorite football team.
- LEARN FROM EACH OTHER Studies show that experiences can makes us happier than possessions. Inviting your elders to dinner and staying connected for family milestones (i.e., birthdays, family traditions and graduations) can be a wonderful way to not only practice living in the moment but also provide the emotional boost older adults crave in staying socially connected to close friends and family.
- RELAX in a GROUP Practicing relaxation techniques has many benefits, i.e., slowing heart rate, lowering blood pressure, improving digestion, maintaining normal blood sugar levels and even reducing muscle tension and chronic pain. However, in the spirit of providing occupational tips, consider relaxing with the whole family while utilizing the Alexa feature on the Amazon Echo device. In addition to streaming music, the Echo can assist your older adult loved ones with news updates, alarms for taking their medications and audio books for those who may be visually impaired. Keeping up with the latest technology can be a stay-sharp exercise in itself; however, it is important that all members of the family stay connected to one another and not to their own personal device.
It’s important to take the word “activity” literally and act now by weaving in purposeful moments designed to achieve optimal occupational engagement.
I encourage you to stay in touch and stay tuned to read “How to Boost Spiritual Engagement” in our next blog post.
Tracey Harvey
National Program Director of Wellness Services
EnerG® by Aegis Therapies
Aegis Therapies is a nationally recognized leader in contract rehabilitation and wellness services with more than 7,500 therapists and clinicians providing therapy services in over 1,400 facilities across 41 states. Harvey has more than three decades of experience in the Fitness/Wellness/Retirement Living Industry, and champions evidence-based programs across the nation in order to increase overall results using aspects of innovative business development tactics to drive quality, consistency and successful outcomes.
All content provided on this blog is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical, emotional or other type of advice. Aegis makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site. Aegis will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information nor for the availability of this information. Aegis will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from the display or use of this information. Each individual is unique; therapy and wellness progress and outcomes will vary depending on the individual.
Sources: http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/08/11/happiness.emotion.age/index.html, https://sites.google.com/site/howellhappinsslab/