The National Council on Aging (NCOA) reports that 22% of Americans will be over the age of 65 by 2040.
As the aging population grows, mitigating common health risks for seniors becomes a higher priority. If your loved one is among these older adults, investing in protective factors early is key to a long and happy life in Jackson, TN's affordable, music-loving, historically significant community.
But what are protective factors, exactly? Read on to learn about the risks of aging and to define protective factors in detail.
Seniors are at risk for a variety of issues as a result of their age.
Social isolation is a major problem that one in three older adults faces, according to the University of Michigan. Seniors are at a higher risk for lonelinessbecause of:
This loneliness can lead to mental health issues. The World Health Organization reports that 14% of Americans over 60 have mental health problems. Seniors also account for over 27% of suicide deaths.
Depression and anxiety are the most common senior mental health issues, and the lack of emotional support for seniors outside of special senior communities makes these challenges worse.
Isolation and depression can also lead to physical health issueslike:
This is especially bad since aging bodies are naturally more prone to medical conditions, including cardiovascular disease and cancer!
Luckily, it's possible to mitigate risk with protective factors. But what are protective factors, exactly?
Essentially, they're anything that decreases the likelihood of an older adult experiencing problems for which they're at risk.
A simple example of a protective factor would be fall prevention tools. Since older adults are frequently sent to the ER for fall-related injuries, accessible apartment features such as railings and grab bars are a simple protective factor.
Another example of a protective factor might be a robust community of like-minded individuals. Seniors are at a high risk of loneliness, but those in a top-notch Tennessee community can unlock senior social activities that keep them happy and mentally healthy.
Basically, where there is a risk, it can be mitigated with protective measures. Protective measures are therefore as diverse as the risks associated with aging.
Environmental protective factors ensure that seniors live in an environment that supports mental and physical well-being. Their home should have accessibility features like:
These support a safe lifestyle and prevent injuries.
There's no better way to reap these benefits than by moving into a quality independent living community. In addition to accessibility, apartments also mitigate mental health riskswith great surroundings. Seniors can enjoy:
Beyond that, we ensure that all our residents' needs are met with access to essential services.Neither seniors nor their families need to worry about a lack of assistance.
Once seniors live in an environment that meets their basic needs, they must invest in individual protective factors.
These are things that aging adults can do for themselves to stay in great shape. Those reaping independent living benefits can develop internal strength with:
Developing strong coping strategies is a huge part of this. Individual protective factors rely on:
Senior living communities offer help with these things. There are mindfulness workshops and therapeutic exercisesfor residents to help build coping mechanisms. This ensures strength and happiness as they age gracefully.
Social protective factors involve seniors building a strong support network.
Some social protective factors include:
Senior social activities are one of the best ways to stave off the isolation and loneliness that lead to mental and physical health risks. At Jackson Meadow, seniors can attend social eventslike:
After meeting at these events, community residents can easily spend time together in their apartments. We also offer a wide range of community common areas, including lounges and restaurant-style dining. Outdoor relaxation spaces and paved walkways also make it easy to spend time with friends in the fresh air.
Since everyone lives within the same community walls, meeting up with treasured companions has never been easier!
So, what are protective factors for seniors? Basically, they are things that family members of compassionate community caregivers can do to mitigate the risk of future mental or physical health problems.
Understanding protective factors for seniors is the first step toward implementing them, but ensuring senior safety isn't as simple as it sounds. That's where the best Jackson, TN, independent living community comes in!
Our team offers healthy aging strategies for residents. We offer emotional support for seniors who live independently and take care of most of their daily tasks autonomously.
There's nothing quite like the supportive community that Jackson Meadow residents rely on, so schedule a tour to see what we're all about!