Ways for Seniors to Practice Gratitude During Cancer Treatments

It’s easy to get overwhelmed when going through a cancer treatment, and it’s easy to let your routine slip. If you are a senior undergoing cancer treatment, you will need a good routine, and one of the best things you can do is focus on gratitude. If you need help with a routine while in cancer treatment, it’s time to think about hiring senior home care but also leaning on close friends and family to help you during this challenging time.

Senior Home Care: Gratitude Practices in Des Plaines, IL

Senior Home Care: Gratitude Practices in Des Plaines, IL

Senior home care can help establish a healthy routine focused on gratitude during cancer treatment, which may change your mindset and help you thrive as a senior battling cancer. Here are some of the top ways you can incorporate gratitude into your daily routine, even on cancer treatment days.

Buy a New Journal

Sometimes, people love to write more than they love to speak. If you practice writing about what you are grateful for, it becomes easier to say those thoughts out loud over time. If you are just starting this journey, pick up two journals, one for gratitude and one for your cancer journey. This is a way to practice what you are grateful for and see how it reflects how you talk about your journey. If you want only one journal to save space, write on one page what you are grateful for and on the next how you are feeling about your cancer treatment. This is a way to keep things positive and in a good perspective. It can be easy to get lost and overwhelmed during this challenging period. You need a way to sort, reflect, and stay grateful. Journaling is a good way to do that.

Practice for Five Minutes a Day

Practicing gratitude can be a process that takes time. In fact, just writing things down or speaking them out loud for just five minutes can have a huge impact on your overall mental health and physical well-being during your cancer treatment. An easy way to do this is to set a timer and write down everything you’re grateful for. Every day can be different; some days, you may only have a few things, and other days, you may have a ton. But just acknowledging a few things can help you change your whole day, especially on chemotherapy days.

Pick an Item That Reminds You

Sometimes it can be easy to become negative during the day especially when you don’t feel good. How can you change that attitude? Find an item with fond memories, an item you are grateful for, and carry it with you. When you are struggling to feel grateful at the moment, or you are having trouble being positive during the day, look at the item. Ask yourself why you are grateful for it and what makes it such a personal item for you. Why did you choose it? Sometimes, just having an item to ground you and reliving that gratitude when you first picked the item or got it can spark more positivity and gratitude.

Practice With People You Know

Another amazing way to practice gratitude is by sharing with others. Ask senior home care what they are grateful for and share with them what you are grateful for. You can do this with friends, family, or even in group therapy with others who have the same type of cancer you do. This can get everyone feeling good.

 

If you or an aging loved one are considering senior home care in Des Plaines, IL, contact the caring staff at Companion Services of America today at (847) 943-3786. Our home care service area includes Northbrook, Highland Park, Deerfield, Glenview, Buffalo Grove, Evanston, Des Plaines, Skokie, Lake Forest, Wilmette and the surrounding areas.

Jamie Shapiro