At senior living homes like Kingsley, we know that as we age, even the simple pleasures like drinking a cup of tea on the couch can sometimes cause struggles, In fact, if you’re a senior who is starting to have memory care struggles, then even enjoying a cup of tea can be scary; forgetting the kettle on the stove, not remembering a mug is hot, and more are all real fears that seniors with memory struggles face on their own.
However, that doesn’t mean that seniors should be barred from enjoying a delicious cup of tea; it just means that they might need a little additional help doing so. So, whether you’re in a memory care center or simply relaxing at home, here are some delicious teas you should try:
Matcha Tea
Matcha tea, while made of the same tea plant as green tea, is a bit different in its composition. Instead of drying the tea plant and steeping it in order to release the flavor like green tea, matcha is treated differently.
To prepare matcha, you remove the stems and veins from the tea and grind up the entire leaf into a very fine, cornstarch-like powder. When you prepare the matcha, you whisk the powder into water and drink it as is: no steeping required. And, because you drink the entire leaf, matcha tea has a lot more added benefits than green tea does.
Matcha is an incredible antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. Antioxidants help to prevent the onset of chronic disease among other amazing benefits. With its sweet, grassy flavor, matcha should definitely be on your list of teas to try.
Chamomile Tea
Chamomile tea is most often associated with sleep, and for good reason. When you enjoy chamomile tea, you’re able to enjoy a natural sleep aid that helps to combat insomnia. Drinking a cup of chamomile tea shortly before bed can make all the difference! Consult with your doctor before you do this for the first time, though. Because it does have a sleep aid, it may not be advisable for everyone to enjoy.
However, that’s not the only benefit that chamomile tea can bring to the table. Drinking chamomile tea can also possibly help with managing osteoporosis! While drinking chamomile tea isn’t a sure-fire thing to prevent osteoporosis, it may help to manage pain levels. It can also help to lower blood sugar and support skin health. Amazing what a tea can do!
Ginger Tea
Ginger tea, ginger ale, and other ginger products have been touted for as long as we can remember as nausea aids, and for good reason. That is because ginger, and as a result, ginger tea, can help aid in nausea and digestion issues. It can help to soothe the stomach. This is great for seniors, especially, who sometimes struggle with eating and maintaining a healthy body weight.
The benefits of drinking ginger tea don’t just stop there. Ginger can actually help manage and reduce your heartburn and lower your cholesterol. Ginger is also an amazing anti-inflammatory that can help to relieve joint pain and joint sensitivity. If you’re a fan of ginger ale and ginger snaps (and honestly, who isn’t?), give ginger tea a try. You might be surprised with the results!
Black Tea
While tea is enjoyed all over the world, particularly in Asia, black tea is the most popular kind of tea in the Western World. In fact, if you enjoy a good southern sweet tea or iced unsweet tea, you’re enjoying an iced cup of black tea! But did you know that black tea has some awesome health benefits?
Black tea is full of antioxidants which can help to prevent the onset of chronic disease, much like matcha tea can. Antioxidants also help to prevent and reduce the risk for heart disease. Black tea can even help to boost your immune system and help to fight off common sicknesses like influenza and the common cold. Tea isn’t a cure-all by any means, but this may explain why so many people recommend drinking tea while you’re sick!
The next time you’re feeling a bit under the weather, try making a cup of black tea. Or, if you’re in one of the nation’s many senior living homes, try asking the dining area for a cup of hot tea to enjoy. It might help!
Peppermint Tea
Peppermint is an incredibly popular flavor during the holiday season, but peppermint doesn’t just vanish off of the face of the earth right after the holidays are done! In fact, you can enjoy a peppermint candy – or a delicious cup of peppermint tea – during any time of the year.
Peppermint tea, while often overlooked when it isn’t the holiday season, is an incredible resource. Like black tea, peppermint tea is great to drink while you’re feeling under the weather because it can help to relieve clogged sinuses and help with congestion. If you’re feeling just a little stuffy and don’t want to bust out the cold medicine, then peppermint tea might be able to help.\
Peppermint can help to relieve headaches and migraines which can be so common for seniors – especially those who struggle with memory issues like dementia and Alzheimer’s. It is also a caffeine-free alternative to chamomile tea that can be used as a sleep aid and muscle relaxant. Just be sure to talk to your doctor before trying anything new!
Contact Kingsley Today!
Here at Kingsley, we understand how seniors with memory issues can struggle to do things like enjoying a simple cup of healthy and delicious tea at home. It’s a problem that our seniors struggle with every day. That’s why memory care services in senior living homes are so important.
Through these services, our trained staff can help you or your senior loved one with life’s simple joys that they may have struggled with previously, like enjoying a cup of tea on a cold day. We want to ensure that all of our seniors, including those who need memory care, are able to do quiet, simple things like this without fear of harm.
If you’re interested in seeing what all that Kingsley can offer for yourself, then contact us and schedule a tour today!