We depend on our bodies every single day and sometimes totally take them for granted.

It’s so important to fuel ourselves with the correct nutrition, exercise and also meditation to ensure our bodies are working at optimal levels.

But many of us eat poor diets, drink alcohol and do other derogatory things to our insides without a second thought.

In that sense, we take our bodies for granted and just expect them to always work perfectly for us. Sometimes, whether it’s from illness, injury or age, our bodies simply don’t bounce back.

Often this is caused by aging and you may already know someone that is experiencing and suffering from this now; this is just one of the many reasons that services such as Care For Family and others exist to better care for those that are towards their end stages of life.

Those niggles and pains that once used to disappear are now lingering and staying. The doctor may even have told them the pain will never go.

I know this has happened to a couple of people I know recently and they are having to just live with it. It really could happen to any of us and probably will as we age too, but I hope the inspiration for most of us is there to lead healthy active lifestyles to try and safeguard our health for now and the future.

It’s never nice watching older people we know and care about having to deal with a decline in health. There are some ways we can help them to make sure they are still leading enjoyable lives:

Don’t give up on their body

The first thing you can do is teach them the importance of taking care of their body, and trying to resume normal life as much as possible.

Sometimes people who don’t bounce back from an illness go on a sort of decline.

They stop eating as much, they don’t want to get out of the house, and general care of the body seems to fizzle out. So, as much as you can, keep on top of them about how a healthy balanced diet can help speed up recovery, give energy and motivation, and prevent any other illnesses from occurring.

The more we care for our bodies, the more it’s going to care for us.

If they have had an injury that’s limiting their life, then the same still applies. Although their life might not ever be the same, it’s important that they’re still caring for their bodies as they always would have.

There is no underestimating the power of good nutrition. It’s never too late to start being healthier. It’s just difficult trying to get some people to be healthier!

Photo by Nick Karvounis

Taking new measures

If your elderly relative still isn’t doing too good after an illness, then it might be time to take new measures to ensure that they have the best quality of life that they can possibly have.

For example, if you follow this link, you will soon find care homes and retirement homes across the country that could help your relative, http://eastleighcarehomes.co.uk/locations/somerset-care-homes/.

That way the pressure is taken off you and your family, and you no longer have to worry about how they’re doing when you’re not there.

Going into a retirement home gives them some independence back, and may allow them to have better care than you would have been able to give.

It can also be a safer option for them if they live on their own and regularly fall, for example.

We felt sad to hear my husband’s gran was to go to a care home after breaking her arm after a fall, but she’s actually much happier being looked after there and feels safe and secure.

Sometimes it’s just the right decision and they may even prefer it once they are there.