Eating disorders can affect anyone, including elderly individuals. Life changes such as retirement, loss of loved ones, illnesses, or feelings of reduced independence can trigger eating disorders among seniors. Eating disorders may often go unnoticed in seniors as many older people may experience changes in their diets and appetites as they age. If untreated, eating disorders in later life can lead to a high rate of morbidity or even death.  It is therefore important to look out for signs of eating disorders and address them timely.  As one of the leading retirement homes in Chennai, we share with you some useful insights on eating disorders among seniors: 1. Signs of eating disorders: The following are some warning signs that could indicate that an elderly individual is struggling with an eating disorder: a. Losing weight drastically  b. Skipping meals c. Making excuses not to eat  d. Often making negative comments on weight  e. Frequently going to the bathroom after meals 2. Types of eating disorders: Eating disorders are forms of mental health conditions that accompany other conditions such as depression or anxiety. They often require the intervention of medical and psychological experts. Some of the common eating disorders are: a. Anorexia nervosa: Elderly suffering from anorexia nervosa tend to severely restrict their food intake, even to the point of starving themselves. Usually, people with anorexia nervosa fear gaining weight and have an extreme reaction to this perceived body image.  b. Bulimia nervosa: Commonly called bulimia, it is a serious and potentially life-threatening eating disorder. Elderly with bulimia eat large amounts of food and then they try to get rid of the extra calories in unhealthy ways — typically by using laxatives or forcing themselves to vomit.  c. Binge-eating disorder: Elderly with binge-eating disorder may eat a lot of food in a short amount of time, even when they are not hungry. Unlike bulimia, people with binge-eating disorder do not try to get rid of the food. However, they feel shame or loss of control after meals. 3.Helpful tips: Elderly suffering from eating disorders must take the help of a medical professional. Also, it is important for them to embrace a healthy lifestyle and better diet choices. Here are a few helpful strategies:  a. Keep a food and mood diary: Identifying personal triggers can be an important step in controlling impulsive eating. b. Practise mindfulness: By being more aware of what triggers certain food habits, elderly individuals can exercise better self-control.  c. Choose healthy foods: A wholesome diet rich in protein and healthy fats will help satisfy hunger and provide much-needed nutrients. d. Start exercising: Exercise not only improves body image but also reduces anxiety by releasing feel-good hormones.  e.Get enough sleep: Lack of sleep is associated with higher calorie intake. It is therefore important that seniors get at least 7-8 hours of good sleep per night.Seniors often struggle making healthy meals for themselves. At our senior citizen homes in Chennai, we ensure that our residents enjoy healthy, delicious, fresh, and nutritious meals daily. Trained nutritionists design the menu keeping in mind the nutritional needs of seniors. There are regular review meetings with the F&B team so that our residents can share their suggestions and feedback. All our retirement homes have spacious dining halls so that the meal-times are relaxed and comfortable. If you are looking for a senior citizen home in Chennai, call us at +91 8884555554.

Many seniors are adopting a holistic lifestyle that involves more than physical health. It is aimed at nourishing the mind, body, and soul. As one of the leading retirement homes in Chennai, we have curated some senior health and wellness trends that we think you may benefit from:    1. Leverage the power of technology: The popularity of smart wearable technologies is increasing in seniors. They are using these technologies to keep a tab on their physical activity, calorie intake, and monitor their sleep patterns. It has been found that these wearable devices encourage users to be more active by sending motivational notifications and helping them compare statistics with their peers. Some wearable devices are specially designed for seniors that help them monitor important health markers such as heart rate, heart rhythm, and oxygen levels. There are many apps that use intelligent fall detection and automatic alerts for emergency assistance. These apps use sensors to monitor the movements of the user. By detecting the abrupt changes in body movements, these apps identify falls and alert emergency services.  2. Focus on gut health: Seniors are focusing on diet plans that are gut-friendly and meet their nutritional needs. Numerous studies show a connection between gut health and overall wellness. There are over 1,000 types of bacteria in a human gut microbiome and each type plays a different and important role in the body. Gut microbiomes are extremely important for digestive health, sugar control, and heart health.    3. Alternate wellness measures: Ayurveda and other ancient texts provide guidance on leading a holistic lifestyle. The ayurvedic way of life includes making healthy changes in all aspects of one’s life – from dietary and behavioural to psychological. Seniors are adopting ayurvedic principles in their day-to-day activities to restore the balance between body, mind, and emotions.    4. Lifelong learning: Just as the body needs physical exercise, the brain too needs mental workouts. Picking up a new skill or learning something new is not just good for brain health but also good for emotional health. Pursuing new knowledge slows down cognitive decline and at the same time boosts self-confidence.    5. Managing stress: Though stress is an integral part of life, seniors should make a conscious effort to reduce stress that improves their overall health. It has been found that elevated levels of stress can adversely affect one’s health as it can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes. By simplifying their lifestyle, many seniors are focusing on things they enjoy doing rather than doing things that just fill their day.    As one of the leading senior citizen homes in Chennai, we focus on holistic wellness. From hobby classes and fitness workshops to health screenings – our services and facilities are designed to ensure that our residents meet their wellness goals. Call us at +91 8884555554 to know more about our retirement homes in Chennai.

The absence of a routine after retirement can make it hard to pay attention to the moment. It may seem that you are just whiling away hours. If you practise mindfulness, your day may seem more purpose-driven.   As one of the best senior citizen homes in Chennai, we share with you a few useful tips on mindfulness that can transform your day and give you a fresh perspective on your daily routine: Practise conscious breathing: One of the easiest ways to incorporate mindfulness into your daily routine is to spend 2 to 3 minutes every day practising deep breathing. Deep breathing helps you calm down and disengage yourself from negative and distracting thoughts. Also, conscious breathing keeps your energy levels high, helps you combat stress and improves mental focus and  clarity. Plan daily digital detox: Do not use your phone for the first two hours of your day. When your phone is the first thing you pick up in the morning, you drag yourself into the world of too many distractions and information. Start your day by focussing on yourself and the same goes for how you end your day. Stop using your phone two hours before you hit the bed. These simple tricks can help you live in the moment. Create the day you want: Sit quietly and plan your day ahead. Preparing yourself for the day ahead offers a host of benefits including a sense of calm and the ability to cope with challenges with positive energy and vigour. Use your senses to live more mindfully: When stepping outside the house, don’t rush. Instead, take a few seconds to focus on what you can see, hear, smell or touch. Watch the birds, say hello to your neighbours or smell the rain. Engage in random acts of kindness: By giving others without any expectation of return, you feel good from inside.  Be it holding the door open for a stranger or leaving a big tip – every small interaction with someone is an opportunity to create positive memories. 

One day Mrs Renuka Iyer (name changed) got an email from a stranger informing her that her grandson was in trouble.  According to the email, he was in a car accident which caused severe damage to a lady’s car. “The stranger wrote to me saying that my grandson broke his hand, hit a lady’s car, and would be sent to jail if I didn’t transfer money. I thought my grandson was really in trouble.” Mrs Iyer goes on to say “I couldn’t call my son and daughter-in-law as they were not in India at that moment. I was clueless on what to do as the email id appeared to be associated with a government agency. I transferred the money. I later came to know that my grandson was hale and hearty and that I was conned.” Mrs Iyer was a victim of what is known as a grandparent scam that preys on elder people’s emotions, fears or hopes. Older adults are often targeted by scammers. Experts believe that scammers exploit elderly as they may be isolated, lonely or not tech-savvy. Here are some key points that can help seniors identify a potential scam. Email/ phishing scams: In these scams, seniors receive email messages that appear to be from a legitimate company or institution like a bank, asking them to “update” or “verify” their personal information. If you receive such an email that looks like it has been sent to you by your bank, get in touch with a representative at the bank. Call them and let them know the details of the emails. Email lottery scams: These scams steal personal information and money. Scammers send out congratulatory emails that announce your winning of a lottery or sweepstakes. The recipients are asked to transfer money to receive the prize money. Some are even asked to send the scanned copies of their passports, Aadhar card and PAN card. Often such emails ask you to respond quickly or you risk missing out on prize money. If you receive such an email, do not reply to them, or open any links in them. In some emails, the scammers urge you to keep the information private, to maintain privacy or stop other people from getting your winning money by mistake. Romance scam: Scammers pose as interested romantic partners on social media and con elderly victims. Scammers spend hours online researching about their elderly victims before they send a friend request. They spend weeks or even months to gain your trust. Once you start trusting them, they invent lies about needing funds for urgent medical treatment for their kids, or urgent travel expenses or funds to keep afloat after a job loss. Some of the tell-tale signs of an online romance scammer are: they always find excuses to not meet face-to face, ask too many personal questions without telling you much about themselves and request you to transfer money to their account.