Bert Swope
Discover how self-care needs develop from young adulthood through retirement, with new products, information systems and healthcare systems shaping how individuals engage in self-care practices.
“Self-care” may seem like an overused buzzword today, but its roots date back to Aristotle. Discover what this term really means and learn how to avoid overindulgence in luxury items that won’t add any real health benefit.
Self-care allows people to take control of their health in their own hands. It enables individuals to avoid disease and slow the onset of chronic conditions while cutting costs for straining healthcare systems worldwide.
Physical self-care entails activities like exercise, healthy eating and getting enough rest. It may also include spending time with loved ones and engaging in hobbies.
Young Adulthood
Young adults are at a unique stage of life where they’re trying to find balance between their mental health and career or school pursuits. Because of this, they may be at greater risk for stress and anxiety; engaging in self-care during this period can help alleviate such feelings while encouraging healthier lifestyle habits.
Self-care doesn’t just involve luxury spa services and manicures – though those can certainly help to relax! Instead, self-care means creating healthy habits sustained over time – this might include journaling or using art and music to relieve emotional turmoil or stress. Furthermore, setting boundaries and practicing self-compassion during this stage in life can also be extremely useful.
Young adults seeking greater independence often look for strategies that will make them feel good about themselves and provide a sense of fulfillment. Engaging young adults in exercises designed to build self-control and resilience is particularly crucial at this time, when so much anxiety surrounds the pandemic.
At this stage of life, it’s essential to prioritize our physical, emotional and spiritual health. Making time to nourish yourself through diet and exercise can have lasting benefits on mental wellbeing; meditation or practicing mindfulness may reduce stress while increasing focus and clarity of thought.
Hobbies are another excellent form of self-care. Reading, playing sports, engaging in artistic projects or simply cuddling with pets are all activities that can have a positive effect on our mood and provide an outlet for difficult emotions to come out in healthy ways.
Reminding ourselves to practice self-care is an individual experience and may differ day to day, so we must check in with ourselves regularly regarding how our physical, emotional and spiritual states are doing so we can create an action plan tailored specifically towards meeting your needs and helping us thrive.
Middle Age
Middle age can be an especially critical time to prioritize self-care. As people become aware of their health conditions and possible complications, they search for ways to take charge of their own wellbeing and manage it themselves. They become aware that healthy living can prevent disease and promote longevity – this shift in awareness may alter the relationship with healthcare systems as they transition from passive recipients of care to taking an active part in managing their wellness.
As life transitions through its stages, self-care expands to encompass both physical and mental activities that foster overall happiness and sense of purpose. A person may choose to prioritize physical self-care by sleeping well, exercising regularly and eating nutritious food; or they could focus on emotional self-care by cultivating positive relationships and providing a sense of belonging; or they could explore spiritual self-care by practicing meditation or engaging in other spiritually enriching activities that nurture their spirit.
At this stage of life, people tend to suffer from chronic health conditions that require ongoing physician monitoring. Therefore, they become more engaged with their healthcare and eager to learn everything possible about managing it themselves – self-care is often included as part of this learning experience, giving people tools to take charge of their health and wellbeing.
Self-care can be a complex concept to define precisely, yet most definitions encompass multiple areas of a person’s life and take both temporary and lasting aspects of wellbeing into consideration. Self-care could encompass various activities undertaken daily to maintain a happy and healthy lifestyle – socialization, exercise, sleep, nutrition or using supplements may fall under this category – or it could include personal growth as part of personal development efforts within their workplace or even faith matters.
Old Age
Self-care in old age often includes maintaining both physical health and emotional well-being. Activities designed to foster productive awareness of emotions may also aid, along with meaningful relationships or connections, or helping develop intellectual pursuits to enrich one’s life.
At this stage in life, people often feel they have fulfilled most of their basic needs (physical safety, love, belonging, esteem, and self-actualization), making it more challenging to prioritize self-care practices when health challenges arise.
Self-care for the aging population can be an essential tool in combatting chronic disease and maintaining physical and emotional wellness in times of hardship. Studies show that those who regularly engage in self-care activities are more resilient and better able to adapt when faced with stressors.
Self-care in old age may involve picking up hobbies or passions left over from earlier in life or expanding one’s comfort zone by exploring new interests. Such activities can be enjoyable and fulfilling; additionally, they may help reduce stress which contributes to chronic diseases such as dementia.
Self-care for older adults typically involves partnering with clinicians and healthcare systems to address their medical needs, such as scheduling vaccinations, taking their medication on schedule, or attending regular cancer screenings.
Healthy older adults should focus on self-care through identifying and eliminating unhealthy coping strategies. This could involve replacing drinking too much, smoking too often, and other negative coping behaviors with healthier ones, such as exercising regularly, eating well, getting enough restful sleep, or meditating. Finding a balance that suits you is the key to successful self-care; be sure to regularly assess how it makes you feel as part of this process – it may even improve your mood! You might even start looking forward to it!
Retirement
Self-care needs can change throughout our lives, such as when students prioritize studying and homework while retirees may need to participate in activities which encourage socialization. Being intentional about maintaining your self-care practices during times of high stress is one way of remaining self-reliant.
If someone has experienced the loss of their job or chronic illness, finding other means of feeling empowered and purposeful is vital. They could try refocusing their career goals or volunteering with an organization they enjoy or finding an enjoyable hobby to add enrichment and meaning in their lives. People living with mental health conditions can also gain from seeking support or developing healthy coping techniques to ease symptoms.
Retirement allows people to refocus on themselves, their priorities, and goals – setting new ones or enjoying freedom more fully. Retirement also presents an excellent chance to pursue old hobbies while discovering new ones.
New retirees often experience depression and anxiety as they adjust to life after work and worry about financial security. It is helpful to remember that they can seek support from friends, family and therapists during this transition period.
Retirement provides an excellent opportunity to delve deeper into their lives and establish their identities outside their role as caregivers or professionals. This can include exploring spirituality, joining a community group, or following an artistic or travel passion – perhaps writing in a journal or knitting might help.
Every individual should establish and implement a self-care plan, but caregivers must prioritize taking care of themselves as well. Though taking time out for yourself may feel self-indulgent or selfish at this stage in life, taking time out for self-care will have lasting positive impacts across every area of life.
