Supporting Your Mind and Your Loved One: Intellectual Wellness for Caregivers

For years, researchers have shown potential benefits from investing time in participating in community events

and seeking ways to stimulate your mind. Their results show a direct correlation for both positive physical and emotional health benefits, such as lowering blood pressure, increasing your mood, giving a sense of purpose, and better overall well-being.

When a significant amount of your time is spent caring for a friend or loved one, it takes a conscious effort to purposely find the time to intentionally connect with friends or to explore new hobbies and activities. Some care partners find it helpful to have a “to-do” list that allows them to prioritize direct correlation with both positive physical and emotional health benefits, such as lowering blood pressure, improving, and what to be done today and what you might be able to set aside for another day. By moving some things to another day, it can free up time for you to be involved in social gatherings, hobbies, and brain game activities, resulting in positive health benefits.

Involvement in community events can create a network of individuals you are able to learn from. Doing so with an open mind can facilitate more ways to do something and allow for you to have new insights and ideas about accomplishing tasks or creating opportunities to recreate a routine that may be dragging you down emotionally.

Reading up on new subjects or watching documentaries on areas of interest might be something you can do with the person you care for. Playing board games or cards, working on puzzles, word games, activity books, brain teasers, and even learning new technology are just a few ways to engage the brain. Ultimately, stimulation of the senses is good for both you as well as the person being cared for. Most importantly, this time can create opportunities for meaningful conversations, storytelling, and reminiscing.

By nurturing intellectual wellness for both you and your loved one, you can create a more stimulating and resilient caregiving experience, combat isolation and enhance overall quality of life.

Allies In Aging blog is brought to you by First Interstate Bank