Choosing a quality nursing home for a loved one is an important decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly. You are essentially in charge of finding the best living facility that will provide your family member with all of their basic needs and other important qualities such as compassion, respect, high-level care, and amenities to ensure they maintain their health, happiness, safety, and mental wellbeing.
It is difficult to find strangers to care for your loved one as you would. Something that sets some nursing home facilities apart from others is their prioritization of outdoor activities for elderly adults. Outdoor activities are not only beneficial for the happiness of your family member but also for their long-term wellness.
Reasons to Choose a New York Nursing Home That Offers Outdoor Activities
Elderly adults can gain some health benefits from spending time outdoors. Nursing homes that offer outdoor activities understand that residents can not only enjoy the beauty of nature by spending time outdoors, but they can also improve their quality of life, both physically and mentally.
A low-intensity activity such as walking is shown to increase the lifespan of elderly adults and decrease the risk of certain cancers such as breast cancer and colon cancer. Other benefits can be a decreased risk for diabetes and heart disease.
Additional reasons to choose a New York nursing home that offers outdoor activities include:
Outdoor Activities Offered in a Nursing Home May Boost Vitamin D
Spending time outdoors can help boost your daily Vitamin D requirements. Unfortunately, Vitamin D cannot be stored in the body and requires you to spend a little time in the sunshine each day.
The benefits of boosting Vitamin D intake for elderly adults include reducing the risk for conditions such as multiple sclerosis or osteoporosis and may also help prevent certain cancers.
Outdoor Activities May Boost Mental Wellbeing and Cognition
Seniors that spend more time outdoors may get the benefits of boosted mental well-being and increased cognition. Being exposed to natural environments, as opposed to urban landscapes, improves memory, cognitive flexibility, and focus.
Outdoor Activities May Boost Physical Health and Lifespan
The more time your loved one spends outside, the more they can benefit from an improvement in physical health as well as a boosted immune system. Active seniors are less likely to lose muscle mass and have better use of their lungs and heart long-term. Other studies have also shown that walking, in any form of intensity, was associated with lower mortality risk for seniors.
Outdoor Activities May Boost Mental Health and Mental Fatigue
Nursing homes that offer outdoor activities understand the mental health benefits and work to increase residents’ overall quality of life. Spending time outdoors increases happiness, a sense of well-being, positive social interactions, and connections. It also helps create a sense of purpose and meaning in life.
Tips to Promote Participation in Outdoor Activities for Your Loved One
Nursing home residents that suffer from chronic illness, disabilities, and other conditions may not be able to participate in all outdoor activities offered but can still stand to benefit from low-intensity outdoor fun to reap some of the mentioned benefits. Being out in nature can help them stay physically active, as well as socially and spiritually.
To help promote your loved one’s participation in outdoor activities, it is important to consider this checklist:
- Check with your doctor or caretaker first to find out if an activity is right for you. Being cleared to participate is important to avoid injuries or other unanticipated hiccups.
- Always be prepared. Bring water, snacks, or other items that you may need outdoors.
- Slowly increase activity level. Overdoing it can keep you from enjoying the outdoors long-term. Stretching and other physician-recommended exercises can help improve your mobility in order to participate in outdoor activities such as walking.
- Avoid heat-related or cold-related illnesses by dressing for the weather.
- Try to get outdoors every day. If you are not mobile, you can still improve your mental, social, and cognitive well-being by sitting outside in the sun.
Choosing a nursing home that prioritizes outdoor activities means that they are doing everything to ensure that your family member is in a safe, comfortable, and supportive environment. It is a good sign of high-level care.
Speak to a New York Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer at Dalli & Marino if You Suspect Negligence
A good sign of quality, high-level care for your loved one is a nursing home that offers outdoor activities and prioritizes outdoor time. However, that may not always be the case. If you suspect negligence or inadequate care that resulted in emotional or physical injuries for your family member, speak to an experienced nursing home lawyer at Dalli & Marino. We are seasoned professionals in building cases that hold negligent parties accountable for their actions so you can get the compensation you deserve.
The legal team at Dalli & Marino are New York’s top nursing home abuse lawyers and have successfully helped victims of nursing home negligence since 1996. We offer diligent, client-focused service so you can be confident in the award-winning representation of your case. Call (888) 465-8790 for a complimentary consultation regarding your case, or fill out our contact form. We also speak Spanish.
