How to improve self-esteem in old age: 5 useful tips

Several guidelines and recommendations to strengthen self-esteem in the elderly.

Old age represents a stage of multiple changes in people's lives, both physically and psychologically. It is time to accept that our role in society will no longer be the same, and even in the family nucleus things will be different.

In these lines we are going to review certain aspects related to senescence, focusing on how to improve self-esteem in old age.. We will review the main changes that are experienced once this stage is reached, and how to prevent them from affecting our quality of life. These principles are also applied in psychotherapy with older people.

How can we understand aging?

To understand how to improve self-esteem in old age, it is necessary to know that this is a stage of evolutionary development in which we begin to see ourselves limited in certain aspects, due to the natural wear and tear of the body and mind. we begin to see ourselves as limited in certain aspects, due to the natural wear and tear of the body and mind..

Reaching the stage of old age represents significant changes at the level of our goals and the way we see life in general terms; in old age, people begin to make an evaluation of what their lives have been up to that moment, and the way they have managed them.

It may happen that the subject feels satisfied with what he/she has achieved and has no problems to face his/her senior stage, but on the other hand, it could also happen that the person considers that he/she is not satisfied with what he/she has achieved and has no problems to face his/her senior stage. on the other hand, it could also happen that the person considers that he/she has not achieved the goals set for him/herself and experiences feelings of emptiness and dissatisfaction. and experiences feelings of emptiness and discomfort.

Tips for Improving Self-Esteem in Old Age

Now we will look at some ways to maintain or improve self-esteem in old age.

1. Accept the new role

The most important thing for our self-esteem not to be diminished by old age is to accept that our role has changed, and that it is time to accept our new role. accept that our role has changed, and that it is time to let go of some of the activities we used to do before..

The sooner we accept our new role, the sooner we will be ready to start new experiences.

2. Do not compare ourselves

No two people are alike in any aspect; similar perhaps, but never the same. It is important to be clear about this in order to not to make comparisons with other people who face old age in a different way.

Old age does not apply in the same way to everyone, we just have to take care of our health and keep active in whatever is within our reach, without overdoing it.

3. Be understanding

It is important to understand why our family members and loved ones make an effort to change our routine and some of our daily habits. They do it not because they are annoying or because they consider it a burden to deal with, but because they seek to improve our quality of life.but because they seek to improve our quality of life.

4. Cultivate patience

In adulthood, patience is a virtue that is worth gold. Sometimes we will need the help of other people to do some things and we may not always get that help as quickly.

To avoid feeling uncomfortable with this situation, it is appropriate to understand that there are things that are beyond our control, and that the best thing to do is to wait patiently for help. the best thing to do is to wait patiently for the help we need, without getting upset when it does not arrive immediately.without getting upset when it does not arrive immediately. Avoiding these kinds of frustrations protects our self-esteem, because it does not make us feel useless, but helps us to adopt an identity in which humility is important.

5. Finding age-appropriate hobbies

Self-esteem is nourished by the projects and goals achieved throughout the days, weeks and months. But before this, it is important to keep in mind that these goals must be adapted to the age and capabilities of each person at a given time. That is why it is wrong to fall into the trap of assuming that if you do not achieve the same kind of spectacular achievements that you could achieve in your youth, you are in denial. In old age, these projects and hobbies must match the mental agility and physical aptitudes of an older person..

Adapting to one's role in old age

Once old age is reached, the ideal is for the person to understand that he or she can no longer do some of the things he or she used to do. To the extent that the subject manages to accept these facts, it will be less likely to be affected by low self-esteem.

The new role played by people entering old age is to serve as a guide for the generations that come after them; it is natural for the older adult to enjoy talking and advising younger people who know how to value their anecdotes and are able to gain valuable learning from them.

It is important that the elderly continue to feel useful to prevent them from falling into intense depressive states due to problems related to their self-esteem. Establishing a daily routine with activities that are within their reach is a protective factor against feelings of worthlessness.

How to face retirement?

To the older adult it is not always easy for you to get used to the idea that you have to retire, it is common to see how many are reluctant to face this impending situation in their working lives.As a result, it is common to see how many are reluctant to face this impending situation in their working lives. Even in some cases, after retirement, some seniors continue to go to their former workplaces.

To properly assimilate that retirement is near, and that it is something we cannot avoid, it is necessary to learn to close cycles properly in our lives. Equip ourselves with the idea that everything has a beginning and an end, and understand that in order for us to start new cycles the others must close.

If people begin to plan ahead for their retirement, in many cases this will not represent a risk to their self-esteem, because they will already have other activities planned. they will already have other activities planned to which they plan to dedicate their time. Talking to other co-workers about their post-retirement plans helps.