Why Routine and Familiarity Matter More With Age
Collaborative Post
As we get older, the world can start to feel more difficult to deal with, and it’ll often feel like it’s speeding up, even if we’re actually slowing down. And that can mean that things that used to feel easy, like adapting to change or juggling lots of new information, can take a lot more effort than they used to, which is one of the reasons why routine and familiarity become more important with age. With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at why this is – read on to find out more.
Familiarity Builds Confidence
When routines are familiar, people tend to feel more confident in themselves – there’s less second-guessing and less mental effort spent working out what’s next. And the fact is that familiar environments can help people feel capable and independent, even when things around them are changing (and potentially changing very fast).
This feeling of confidence can be especially important as physical or cognitive abilities change – familiar settings allow people to focus on enjoying their day rather than trying to keep up and changing things all the time, and the comfort of just knowing where things are and how they work can help massively too.
Routine Reduces Everyday Anxiety
Uncertainty can be hugely tiring no matter what age you are, but it can often feel worse as you get older, and too many changes at once can definitely feel overwhelming. Routine helps reduce that scary mental overload because when certain parts of the day are predictable, there’s a lot less to worry about.
That doesn’t mean you’ve got to have a totally rigid life that’s all about routines and never changing them, and it’s actually important to have a bit of room for variety and new experiences. But if you’ve got a reliable schedule underneath it all, that’s going to make the other moments much easier to enjoy.
Familiar Faces And Places Matter
People often underestimate how much familiar faces can help when it comes to your wellbeing, but seeing the same carers, neighbours, or staff members can help to build trust over time, and conversations with people become a lot easier.
The same is true of familiar places – being surrounded by recognisable spaces can make people feel calm, which is one of the reasons why places like Whitstable House Care Home places such importance on creating consistent routines and welcoming, familiar surroundings that feel as much like home as possible.
Routine Supports Better Days
When you’ve got good routines in place, days tend to work much more easily and go more smoothly, possibly because there’s less confusion and fewer disruptions. People find they sleep better, eat more regularly, and feel more settled overall, and these things, although small, do add up to better days and a fantastic sense of contentment.
Routine also makes it easier to notice when something doesn’t feel quite right, and changes in mood and behaviour are going to stand out more compared to a familiar pattern. That means you can get help and care when it’s needed – and quickly.
Photo by Tatiana Zanon on Unsplash