Good day my fathers and mothers.
Please, sit well. Whether you are outside taking evening air or inside because NEPA has taken light again, you are welcome.
As a new year approaches, it is normal for elderly people to think deeply. Thoughts about health, children, money, and the future can quietly enter the mind. This does not mean you are weak. It means you are human.
Mental health simply means how peaceful your mind feels. Many elderly Nigerians feel lonely at times, worry too much, forget small things, or sleep poorly. These feelings are common in old age and should not bring shame.
Small daily habits can help your mind as the new year comes:
Take short morning or evening walks inside the compound or along the street
Sit outside in the evening to take fresh air and talk with neighbours
Eat simple local foods like beans, pap, vegetable soup, and fruits
Call an old friend or attend church, or community meetings
Loneliness reduces when we talk. Silence makes worries louder.
If sadness or fear stays for many weeks, please see a health worker. Going to the hospital for the mind is just like going for blood pressure it is wisdom, not weakness. The World Health Organization confirms that mental wellbeing can improve at any age.
Above all, remember this:
Old age is not a useless age.
Your presence, prayers, advice, and life experience still matter greatly.
As the new year approaches, do not enter it with fear. Enter it calmly one day at a time. You have survived many years. This one, by God’s grace, will meet you with peace.