If you feel uplifting after visiting your local library and checking out a book, your improved state of mind might not be your imagination. Reading has been shown to be incredibly powerful for the body and mind, capable of lifting your mood and broadening your horizons, which is why many home health care businesses focus on incorporating reading when they visit seniors. February is Library Lover’s Month, so learn more about how reading can benefit senior citizens. 

The Advantages of Reading 

1. Enjoy More Social Interaction 

Since reading paves the way for conversation and social interaction, many home health care specialists encourage their patients to read on their own or as part of a group. Heading to the library and checking out a book or participating in a monthly book club can help people to make friends, enjoy their day, and learn something new. 

2. Live a Longer Life 

Although reading might seem like a leisure activity, studies have actually shown that readers tend to live longer. In fact, one University of Michigan study found that people who read at least three and a half hours a week tended to live 23 months longer than their peers who didn’t read as frequently. While the cause of this longer life span is still being studied, researchers suspect reading improves brain health and cognition, which can improve decision making. 

3. Reduce Stress

Another reason home health care professionals recommend reading for seniors is to improve their daily life. In addition to helping people to enjoy less stress, reading may also help to induce sleep and promote more rest, reducing anxiety and depression. 

Whether you are getting older or concerned about an aging family member, the team at Deer Valley Home Health Services is committed to preserving quality of life while making it easier for seniors to stay healthy and safe in their own homes. With personalized home health care services and a kind approach, these specialists help seniors throughout Berkeley, St. Charles, and St. Louis, MO. Find out more about their business by visiting their website, or give them a call at (314) 355-3679.