Self-esteem is very important; it’s what girds a person with the grit and gumption to risk doing what it takes to become successful.
However, not everyone has such a high self-esteem these days. Most often, self-esteem peaks in middle age and then goes down beginning about age 60. This may be due to the fact that individuals often retire at this age, and sometimes become weak. Many seniors need to use waterproof bed pads, drink from sippy cups, and have a hard time doing even the most basic tasks. This may be a large factor in the drop of self-esteem which occurs to so many seniors.
Is there a senior you love, who has begun to feel less good about himself? Are you interested in helping this person feel better about himself?
Firstly, kudos to you for being such a caring, thoughtful person! And here are some tips for you to use in helping the senior you love become confident.
- Treat him respectfully. A person this old has gone through a lot, and is more experienced at Life than most. If it is your father, he most likely helped raise you and paid for your needs for years. Keep this in mind as much as possible, and do your best to treat him as reverently as possible. When he sees how you treat him, he’ll likely reflect that behavior in how he sees himself.
- Ask his advice. Like we mentioned, an old person has lots of life experience. He may have insight on lots of topics, such as cleaning, gardening, and even serious questions regarding family or friends. When he sees you value his opinion, he’ll be more likely to feel that his opinion has value.
- Have him learn a new skill. Before broaching the topic of doing so, research skills and see which are within your loved one’s physical and intellectual ability, and what you think he’ll enjoy. Learning something new lends the senior a feeling of accomplishment, which will boost self-esteem. If he uses the skill for a good purpose, he’ll feel even better about himself. For example, have an elderly woman learn to sew and then she can use her skill to create clothes for people in third world countries. Having to learn a new skill provides a person with a goal, and accomplishing that goal will make the person feel more confident and, hence, more successful.
- Make sure he is productive. Boredom leads to the erosion of self-esteem; it eats away at a person’s sense of purpose. It’s okay to get bored at times, but having nothing to do all day is depressing and kills confidence. They can spend time each day volunteering, gardening, or doing similar activities.
- Check that he exercises regularly. Exercise has been proven to be a very effective method of increasing confidence, and, when done at a gym, it can also provide the person with a social outlet.
These 5 tips will hopefully help your loved one to feel better about himself, and happier than before.
