Columbia Aged Care Services

Home Instead Senior Care and actress and skin-care expert Victoria Principal have joined forces in writing an article to help seniors look and feel better from the outside in with a little help from family caregivers.

Principal says, “When you get up in the morning, look in the mirror and don’t like what you see, you can say, ‘You know, I’ve looked better before. What am I going to do about it?’”

She advises that older-adult men and women eat balanced meals, stretch and exercise every day, and remember that attitude is everything.

“How we talk to ourselves is very important. If we’re cruel to ourselves, it’s very difficult to be animated and have fun. And that makes it more difficult to take positive steps,” Principal said.

Check out the following tips for seniors, and for the caregivers who help them, from Principal and Home Instead Senior Care.

Women

• Keep hair healthy with regular cuts or trims at least once a month.
• Use a shampoo that doesn’t strip the hair or scalp. Follow with a leave-in or rinse-out hair rinse that coats the shafts of the hair.
• Base your wardrobe around black, brown and taupe. Think monochromatic (the same color on the top and bottom) because it elongates and slims. Use color around the face. For example, try combining a black jacket and black pants with a pink scarf.
• The skin is the largest organ of the body, so it’s important to treat it with care. Use a cleanser that doesn’t include perfume or create too many suds, but leaves your skin ready for the next step: a quality moisturizer. Remember to moisturize around the eyes, but use only a product that was created for those areas and one that won’t irritate them.

Men

• Your overall image and appearance will be much enhanced by staying clean and maintaining proper hygiene.
• Shave regularly – never using aftershave (it contains alcohol and fragrance, neither of which should be on or near your face.)
• Make sure to get a good-quality haircut at least once a month.

If you can’t manage this on your own it is a good idea to ask for assistance from a friend or caregiver to help keep you looking and feeling good from the outside in.