Adaptive coping strategies are essential when it comes to processing change, stress, and emotional ups and downs. At Addington Place at Prairie Village, located only ten miles south of Downtown Kansas City, we know all about the benefits of adaptive coping strategies and encourage our residents to make the most of them, too.
Nurturing defenses in preparation for the inevitable is good practice, but doing so needn't cause us anxiety. Instead of looking to the future with worry at the forefront of our minds, it's better to bolster our confidence going forward. If you'd like to learn about how to do just that, read on to find out more!
Our daily lives are fraught with the unexpected, and it pays dividends to shore ourselves up to cope with whatever comes our way. This means doing our best to strengthen both our mind and body so we're able to take life in our stride and ask for more. This is the essence of adaptive coping strategies, and it's up to us to choose which might work best for our individual situations.
It's simple to choose a coping strategy, and its simplicity belies its effectiveness. To choose, all we have to do is consider our position and what might be improved through a little directed attention. Rather than deciding things aren't going to improve and accepting things as they are, the decision to change tack through meeting challenges head-on is enormously beneficial.
We've put a list of coping strategies together to give you an idea of the areas they can help in, and how you might implement them personally. Reading through these strategies might inspire you to make a lasting positive change or two, as so many of our residents have done!
One of the most important strategies for keeping our mental health in tip-top condition is to ensure we're getting enough socialization. We're social animals, whichever way we look at it, and a lack of socialization quickly begins to wear on our emotional resilience. With this in mind, strategizing to ensure we're able to get the interactions we need to avoid loneliness goes a long way to staving it off completely.
The community at Addington Ridge affords our seniors many different activities to join in with for exactly this reason. Whether you prefer to join a club or volunteer in the community, there's something for everyone.
Funnily enough, one of the absolute best coping strategies for improving mental health is to engage in physical activity. In much the same way, socialization is important, but physical activity isn't optional if we intend to maintain our quality of life. Moving our bodies improves mood, mobility, and health, and its effects on our general outlook can't be argued.
Physical activity needn't mean anything strenuous, either. You'll be pleased to hear that going for a quiet stroll is often more than enough to reap the benefits. Invite a friend to accompany you, and you'll be killing two birds with one stone!
It's a strange quirk of fate that we work all our lives in hopes of being able to relax and enjoy the fruits of our labors, but we seldom take the time to learn how to do so. Being able to relax is a talent that few of us have mastered, and the key lies in mindfulness.
At Addington Ridge, we're great fans of mindfulness and all it has to offer. The ability to pause and appreciate the world around us and our individual place within it is a talent few people ever bother seriously nurturing. It's a strategy that reminds us how fortunate we are and helps to put things in perspective before they overwhelm us needlessly.
In terms of effective strategy, practicing mindfulness is particularly beneficial where aging transitions are concerned. It's free, can be done anywhere, and is easily learned by anyone. Its effects are so pronounced that they often have to be felt to be believed.
Settling into a routine serves us well, as having no plans for the future or any established structure going forward makes life feel a little chaotic and unpredictable. Creating a routine that suits us personally means each day is filled with moments worth looking forward to. Once a steady routine is established, it serves as one of the best mental health tools available.
Building a routine is a foundation that promotes activity and senior wellness. Without a little routine and structure, we're left grasping at straws with time to kill, leading to boredom and dissatisfaction. Strategizing to keep ourselves busy throughout the day does wonders for keeping us occupied and maintaining a positive outlook.
Our seniors take great pride in their familiarity with the use of up-to-date technologies. Their use allows for communication with friends, family, and the community at large. The realms of computers and the internet are daunting at first, but with time, their advantages prove to be priceless.
We've found that our seniors are adept at teaching each other how to use tablets, phones, and computers, but we also arrange classes to assist in their exploration. Learning to use them becomes an enjoyable social activity all of its own, and leads to further socialization and practical coping support as they become more experienced.
Joining the wider community online is a fantastic strategy for feeling included, especially for seniors with niche interests who might have trouble finding partners in crime. We encourage technology use and make sure to assist our seniors in their journey while they get to grips with it.
At Addington Place at Prairie Village, we're dedicated to providing the exceptional quality of life our residents deserve, and we're proud to say we're succeeding in our mission. Between the activities and the individual care we provide, our little community continues to thrive.
Making use of adaptive coping strategies is only one of the ways we use to keep everyone feeling fulfilled and content. If you'd like to learn more about our methods, don't hesitate to reach out! We'd love to hear from you.