How To Promote Wellbeing At Home

One of the top priorities for people over the age of 65 is ageing in place, living independently in the comfort of their own homes for as long as possible.

And there is certainly no reason why this shouldn’t be easily achievable – but it’s important to accept that home adaptations may be required over time to ensure that it’s still possible (and safe) for you to live there.

This could include, for example, widening doorways to accommodate wheelchair use, lowering worktops, installing grab rails, installing ramps and investing in accessible bathroom features such as walk-in baths and showers, anti-slip flooring and so on.

Elsewhere, you could consider how your living spaces themselves actively contribute to both your physical and mental health and wellbeing. Here are a few top tips to help you do just that.

 

1. Declutter

One of the best ways to keep your home safe is to reduce the amount of clutter throughout the house. 

Getting rid of surplus belongings means you’ll be less likely to suffer accidental falls, thus supporting your physical health, and avoiding a build-up of stuff will also help you keep a clear mind, as well.

 

2. Maximise natural light

Ensuring that significant levels of natural light can flood your home will boost your serotonin levels, give your mood an uplift and support sleep regulation. 

If you have dark corners at home, position mirrors strategically to bounce light around the space. The added benefit of this is that you’ll further reduce slip, trip and fall risks, as you’ll be able to see more effectively, as well.

 

3. Create a calming sleep environment

One of the best ways to protect both your mental and physical health is to ensure you get good sleep on a regular basis. Adults should get between seven and nine hours of sleep per  day, but this can be difficult to achieve.

Prioritise sleep hygiene by keeping your bedroom free from clutter, as dark as possible at night time and an ambient temperature of around 18 degrees C.