Written by Krystal Walden, Master of Science in Gerontology
Krystal Walden is the Founder/CEO of KRYSTAL SPA®. She is a former World-Class and University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Track Athlete with a Master of Science in Gerontology from the University of Southern California (USC).
What does it mean to age gracefully and stylishly? You may be thinking “I hope this is not another article to promote anti-aging products!”. Trust me, I can relate to this very thought. Well great news, the recommendations in this article will only cost you time and not money. Time that you will spend on you and you alone. How amazing is that! Who does not want to spend quality time focusing solely on themselves? Let’s face it, aging is inevitable and can be beautiful and amazing. So, let’s talk about how to age gracefully and stylishly.
The ideal way of aging gracefully is by maintaining independence mentally, physically, and emotionally. These abilities and skills create opportunities to stay in the comfort of your home throughout the various stages of aging.
The ideal way of aging stylishly is by preserving your wit, personality, and confidence. These vigorous traits help to maintain your style during social interactions with a spouse, family, friends, and the community while helping to avoid or decrease loneliness, depression, and hopelessness.
Tons of research and researchers have proven that the most important skills and activities to age gracefully and stylishly are the Basic Activities of Daily Living (BADLs). You are probably wondering “What does BADL consist of?”. The global definition for BADL consists of all skills and activities that are essential for taking great care of oneself independently.
The foundation of aging independently requires the means to manage one’s basic needs for personal hygiene and grooming, toileting, dressing, eating, transferring or ambulating, and walking. These activities are relatively easy to manage with understanding, awareness, practice, and patience.
Essential daily movements for a healthy & independent life
Personal hygiene and grooming
The motivation and efforts to keep yourself spruced up are sparked by self-compassion and self-love. Take a moment to envision yourself brushing your teeth, washing your face and hair, showering, shaving, and putting on makeup. There are lots of upper body movements between your shoulders, arms, and hands involved in these activities. It is imperative to maintain your strength and mobility in these areas of your body.
Toileting
The patience and submission to allow your body to function naturally to maintain the health and longevity of your life requires self-awareness. Take a moment to imagine how hard it is to endure the challenges with your body when it is unable to release the tonics that are invading your body and making you feel uncomfortable. It is vital to ensure your body is functioning properly for the health of your nerves, organs, muscles, bones, and joints.
Dressing
The means to keep yourself looking stylish, much like a Hollywood star takes the coordination of your entire body. Take a moment to envision the amount of energy needed to put on and take off your blouse, t-shirt, or buttoned-up shirt. The ability to put each leg into your shorts, skirt, or trousers. The skills to bend down to slide on your sandals, and heels, or tie your shoes. It is a joy and wonder to show your personality through the style of your dress, suit, uniform, and shoes.
Eating
The desire of wanting to enjoy delicious and nutritious meals is rooted in the inspiration to indulge in the fruits of nature. Take a moment to dream about taking a bite of your favorite dish. The gesture of cutting, folding, forking, and scooping your food to place in your mouth to savor. The taste of fresh, sweet, spicy, and tangy. It is like heaven in your mouth.
Transferring or ambulating and walking
The strength and power required to transfer in and out of bed, from sitting to standing up, and walking to and fro for yourself with or without assisted devices comes from determination. Image the amount of effort to get from point A to point B. Those two points alone could involve the need to get to a critical destination such as a doctor’s or dentist’s appointment, child care or school, and the office or clients. Any interference can be life-threatening, jeopardizing, and costly. It is pertinent to be resourceful.
Tips to maintain graceful & independent aging
The inspiration it takes to encourage oneself to stay active and keep your body moving at all costs stems from motivation. Here are some fruitful ways to practice, master, and achieve skills to help maintain the basic health and function of your body that will allow you to age gracefully, stylishly, and independently.
Head and neck
Come to a comfortable seated position. Take an inhale then take an exhale as you drop your chin to your chest. Keep your spine straight and feel that wonderful stretch from the base of your skull down to your neck.
Spine
Stay in that comfortable seated position. Place your right hand on your left thigh or knee. Place your left hand down behind the middle of your spine. Take an inhale and then exhale slowly rotate your spine to your left. Keep your spine straight and feel the amazing twist and stretch from your mid back down to your lower back.
Shoulders and arms
Stay in that comfortable seated position. Straighten your arms by your side. Take an inhale and lift your shoulders toward your ears. Draw them back to squeeze your shoulder blade together, and then exhale and drag your shoulders down towards the floor.
Glutes, thighs, and calves
Stay in that comfortable seated position. Place your right foot flare down with your ankle aligned with your knee. Straighten your left leg and place your left heel down. Draw your left foot back at the ankle towards your chest. Inhale your chest up and then exhale bend forward from your waist. Keep your spine straight and feel that gentle stretch from your glutes down to your heel.
The Basic Activities of Daily Living (BADLs) can always be customized to suit your health and fitness aspirations, needs, and much more. Contact us to schedule a virtual one-on-one session with Krystal Walden by contracting Krystal Spa® at spa@krystalspa.com.
Krystal Walden, Master of Science in Gerontology
Krystal Walden brings to the health and fitness spa, 25+ years of experience as a competitive athlete; offering her unique fusion of athletic gifts and accreditations. Krystal specializes in helping individuals (from beginners to athletes) get back in touch consciously with their mind, body, and soul. She strongly emphasizes on body awareness and alignment for maximum injury prevention and recovery. With the kind of strength, flexibility, balance and compassions that Krystal possesses there is no doubt that she will meet her goals, to enhance the global image of how to live a stronger, healthier, and balanced lifestyle.
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