The New Year is just around the corner, everyone! It’s another new start, a clean slate to fill with your best efforts for the year ahead. Are you part of the 45% of the population who usually makes resolutions? Or the 38% who never do? The Journal of Clinical Psychology with a University of Scranton survey posed these questions and discovered that only 8% of “resolvers” actually keep up with their goals six months into the year. So an 8% success rate on less than half the population seems to say we’re not a nation that’s enthralled with resoluteness! At least not of the New Year’s variety.
Resolutions are essentially promises we make to ourselves. They are most often life improvement goals, or some attempt to make up for lost time. It’s a rearview mirror and a look down the road ahead at the same time, with an eye toward improving our limited visibility. Or, they are the futile longings of wishful thinking. However you see them, ‘tis the season to be resolved (or not) as December winds down into New Year’s Eve. While there is not a survey specifically devoted to seniors’ resolutions, a little research of various senior living resources turned up the following list. What do you think are the most popular NYRs? Pennsylvania Agency of Nurses offers a timely look!
- The number one resolution among seniors is the same as everyone else: and that is to lose weight. Though you may know some seniors who need to put on a few pounds, it is still true that the majority, and especially those who make New Year’s resolutions, feel the need to slim down. Eat less, and move more! Take a look at the Mediterranean Diet for one way to accomplish this!
- Seniors really have it right with Resolution #2 and that is: To enjoy life to the fullest. There is nothing like the perspective gained over time to put things in the right order. One of the great things about aging is the knowledge that you’ve been there and done that, and have nothing to prove. Maybe it is time to relax and enjoy all that there is to notice in everyday life and make plans for creating new memories. Anticipation is still the best reason to get out of bed each morning! Look forward to enjoying life each day in 2016!
- Stay fit and healthy. Health and fitness is near the top of everyone’s list and seniors, including those receiving in home care, are no exception. Part of enjoying life to the fullest includes feeling healthy and well to stay active for as long as possible. And there’s no better time than the start of a new year to make changes, or double down on the healthy additions you’ve already made to your lifestyle. Combine a weight loss goal with health and fitness strategies to make next year one of your best. Yoga and practicing mindfulness are two low-impact ways for those in senior care to stay fit and healthy.
- Spend more time with family. This simple idea makes the list for resolution makers of all ages, but for seniors it’s closer to the top. According to a National Council on Aging 2013 survey, relationships with family and friends outweigh financial concerns and is the number one priority when thinking about quality of life. More time, more fun, and more expressions of love and gratitude are important to seniors. It’s something to think about as you tap out the old and ring in the new!
Though it’s a small percentage of American’s who both make AND keep New Year’s resolutions, it is worth remembering that the future holds what we bring to it (at least in part). Let us know in the comments what YOU are resolving to do this year!
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Do You Remember?…….
In what year did the song “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?” become a popular holiday hit?
Answer: Written by Frank Loesser in 1947, the Orioles recording made it into the top ten, landing at number 9 on Billboard’s Rhythm and Blues charts in December of 1949. It has been recorded by many artists over the years including Margaret Whiting, Ella Fitzgerald, Johnny Mathis and the Carpenters.
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