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Author: Dan Nathanson

Having a positive attitude doesn’t mean being in denial about the reality that surrounds a person, but instead refers to how one takes in information, processes it, and then views it. Looking for the positive in many of life’s normal struggles can help a person find better solutions and make decisions that will benefit them. Here are a few ways that having a positive attitude can benefit your senior and how companion care at home can support their efforts.

A Positive Outlook Can Improve Overall Health

A positive attitude can have multiple positive effects on a person’s overall health. Here are just a few areas that are positively affected by a positive attitude.

• A positive attitude can improve the body’s ability to fight off infections. The immune system is strongest when it is supported by positive and healthy behaviors.
• A positive attitude may reduce the risk of heart disease. Stress and persistent negative thoughts can put undue stress on the body by raising blood pressure levels and causing damage to the heart.
• A positive attitude may reduce inflammation in the body, providing relief from pain and swelling that’s often associated with diseases such as arthritis and diabetes.
• A positive attitude increases self-esteem and value. Those increased feelings of self-worth will allow a senior to take the steps needed to improve his health because he’ll know that he’s worth the extra effort.

How to Cultivate a Positive Attitude

Not everyone is naturally gifted with a positive attitude but with practice, anyone can develop it.

1. Identify what areas in life your loved one is most negative about. Your loved one may need to do some personal reflection on this or if he is willing, he might be willing to hear from a loved one about what topics he seems to feel especially negative about. Start with one fairly easy area (such as the weather), and then generally work toward other areas.
2. Reframe how he thinks about the subject. If your loved one is always griping about the weather, work with him to help see the benefits of whatever weather is being experienced. A rainy day brings important water to the flowers he loves to visit in the garden or a cold day can create a great reason to stay inside and read a favorite book.
3. Practice positive self-talk. If your loved one lumps himself into that negative thinking, then help him learn how to stop the negative self-talk and replace it with positive affirmations. It may seem silly to him at first, but practicing positive self-affirmations can remind him of the good in himself and the world around him.
4. Enlist the help of positive people. Sometimes a person’s attitude is borrowed from those around him. If your loved one has a lot of negative people around him, he’ll be more likely to see the negative in the world. A great way to help him connect with a positive person is to have someone come to his home to provide companion care at home. The companion care at home provider can help your loved one participate in positive behaviors and encourage those positive thoughts. A companion care at home provider can also reduce feelings of isolation which often compound negative self-worth thoughts and emotions.

Your loved one may not become an optimist overnight, but with patience and encouragement, he might start to see a brighter world around him and that will provide him with better days ahead.

If you or an aging loved one are considering companion care at home in Topanga, CA, please contact the caring staff at Home Helpers Home Care of Ventura County today at (805) 386-1031.

Home Helpers Home Care of Ventura County provides exceptional home care for seniors in Thousand Oaks, Westlake, Ventura, Camarillo, Simi Valley, Agoura, West Hills, Canoga Park, Chatsworth, Topanga and surrounding areas.