As you age, you want to be able to maintain both an adequate level of autonomy and the ability to perform activities of daily living on your own. Occupational therapy exercises for seniors focus on activities that allow you to maintain independence.

An elderly person needs to feel safe, remain close to other people and believe that his life continues to be meaningful. Meeting his emotional needs can help him avoid depression.

Nursing homes are required to provide nutritious, well-balanced meals and snacks that taste good and meet the specific dietary needs of each resident.

Proper nutrition helps to ensure that older adults stay in good health, remain self-sufficient and maintain a high quality of life, explains the National Resource Center on Nutrition, Physical Activity and Aging at Florida International University.

Elderly people often find that they drop the pounds much more easily than they did when they were younger. While this may have been desirable in the past, now it's concerning because too much weight loss poses health risks.

Infections resulting in diarrhea are common in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. In the May 2010 "Journal of the American Medical Directors Association," Dr. Laurie Archbald-Pannone and colleagues say, "

Children, like adults, may suffer from headaches for a variety of reasons. A headache upon waking is very common. In most cases, headaches are not cause for concern. They simply indicate muscle tension, allergies, stress and other minor conditions.

Seniors over the age of 60 may increase their life expectancy by staying physically active and exercising regularly. By creating a workout that includes exercises to build endurance, strength and balance, seniors can help reduce the risk of falling.

Severe constipation can lead to bowel or fecal impaction, a condition where solid stool accumulates in the rectum and large intestine, hardening and making a normal bowel movement impossible.

Fruit is an essential component of your daily diet and has many nutritional advantages, especially when you replace junk food with servings of fresh fruit. However, it's not a good idea to try to live on fruit alone. So-called "fruitarian" diets or "fruit cleanses"

Taking care of elderly parents at home, either theirs or yours, requires dedication of time and effort. Adult children of elderly parents should discuss such options with parents before such needs arise.

Eating well at all stages of life is essential, but as you age, choosing the right foods becomes even more important. As a 60-year-old woman, your dietary needs are unique, and eating the right foods can help reduce the risk of chronic ailments.