Meditation For Seniors: Why Every Caregiver Should Consider This Practice

For the many familial caregivers out there who are looking for ways to better their loved one?s quality of life while they are under care, meditation is a great solution to consider. Meditation has been around for thousands of years and recently more and more research has been done on this ancient practice only to find a number of outstanding benefits that can come with meditation.

If you are looking for additional ways to improve your love one?s life without putting them at risk for harmful side effects or potential dangers, then meditation is worth considering. Here are some of the great perks of meditation for older adults.

1. Meditation Can Help Memory. This is something that many seniors need help with as they age. There have been numerous studies on meditation and memory that have found regular meditation can help with both short-term and long-term memory recall.
2. It Helps With Depression. Meditation allows the body to relax and helps combat stress. It also helps many people feel happier, more balanced and more at ease. It also actually activates the ?happy? part of the brain. Over time, this practice can help many people combat some of the symptoms of depression. In fact, a majority of the studies out there on meditation and depression find that it works just as well as most anti-depressants. This is very important in many seniors today, who are the fastest growing age group of individuals with depression.
3. It Can Help With Digestion. There are many seniors out there who start to have issues with digestion as they age. The deep breathing exercises that are done as part of meditation can help circulate some much-needed oxygen through the body and help all of the organs work better, especially the digestive system.
4. Meditation Can Boost the Immune system. One of the most surprising and most beneficial side effects of regular meditation is that it can help boost the immune system. Those who meditate regularly often have more antibodies in their system and stronger immune systems that can help them fight off diseases and viruses like the flu.
5. It Helps Combat Stress. If your senior loved one is dealing with a great deal of stress, perhaps about their current living situation or new care arrangement, meditation can be a powerful tool to help them through this difficult time. IN fact, the number one reason most people today start meditation is to help with stress and this exercise can do just that.
6. Meditation Sharpens the Mind. Seniors who meditate regularly will likely find they are more alert and have a heightened ability to function. It is more effective than crossword puzzles and brain teasers at keeping the mind focused?which is very important as we age.

If you are helping to look after an aging senior loved one, keep these benefits in mind. Helping your loved one get into meditation is a great way to make sure they are staying healthy and happy well into their golden years.