4 Ways to Support Elderly Loved Ones Living at Home

By Your Health Magazine

As our elderly loved ones move forward in life, we sometimes find ourselves confronted with a new phase with them. Observing their aging process is a unique experience; while it feels great to have them around to help you with their wisdom, it’s also the most painful thing in the world to see them lose their health. While you may want to help them with everything, many elderly loved ones would insist on staying in the comfort of their own homes, so they live more independently.

To make this objective achievable, it’s essential that you undertake diligent planning, devote yourself to providing frequent care, and conduct an honest assessment of their evolving needs. Let’s talk about some ways to assist older loved ones who wish to remain at home.

Create a Safe and Accessible Home Environment

One of the easiest things to do to help older loved ones is to make their living space safe and accessible. Physical environment changes can increase the risk of falling and other accidents, so adjustments must be made to keep these risks at a minimum. Take this project as an investment in their well-being. These improvements allow them to get through their daily life with more ease and confidence.

You can consider removing loose carpets that can be a tripping hazard, lighting hallways and bathrooms properly to reduce the risk of stumbles, and fitting grab bars in areas like showers and toilets. For those with serious mobility issues, it might be wise to consider more extreme modifications, like fitting stairlifts or ramps, to actually make the home more accessible.

However, for some people, these adaptations are quite expensive and logistically challenging. This is where considering home care packages in Melbourne is especially helpful. These packages often include assessments to help identify safety problems and also provide financial support or assistance in getting the necessary adaptations fitted to the home. This allows the living environment to be tailored to their individual needs.

It’s worth mentioning that there are some packages intended to help with personal care tasks, like dressing and bathing. Then, there are others intended to help with household chores, such as cleaning and laundry. There are also those that offer transportation services, which allow seniors to go to medical appointments or engage in social activities to improve their quality of life. Knowing the different types of home care and what they do is vital in designing a truly supportive home environment.

Loneliness may have a very strong impact on the lives of older individuals living on their own. Not having frequent social contact may have a direct impact on their mental and physical well-being. The state may raise the risk of sadness, degrade cognitive abilities, and even reduce immunity.

Actively combating loneliness is vital. Frequent visits, even for a short while, can make a lot of difference. These visits create a feeling of belonging and connection. If you can’t visit often because you live far away, it’s important to have frequent phone calls or video calls to stay connected. It’s also a good idea to encourage your elderly loved ones to engage in community programs, so they can meet new people and get involved actively.

You must also encourage them to venture out with others; they can go to local parks, museums, or restaurants. These can help break the monotony and revive their interests. Since we now live in the technology age, we should always harness its power and use it to our advantage. For instance, teach your elderly loved ones how to make video calls, use social media, and even play online games, so they don’t feel lonely.

Support Physical and Mental Well-Being

Physically and emotionally, it’s crucial that elderly people be permitted to remain comfortable at home. You must support and promote a good lifestyle, as it makes a big difference in making them feel good about themselves.

Ensure that they’re able to access food that’s healthy for them. If cooking becomes difficult, perhaps consider the meal delivery service or be ready to assist with some meal preparation. It’s also very important that they’re active, but just adjust everything to what they can manage. This can be short walks, chair exercises, or even swimming or yoga. Consult their doctor to determine a good exercise regime.

Getting them to take their meds can be a little tricky, too. Just be sure they know how much to take, when to take it, and what to watch for in terms of side effects. Using pill organizers may also help prevent them from forgetting to take medication or taking it incorrectly. And don’t forget, it’s really important to keep their minds active. Get them to do things that challenge their brains, such as reading, puzzles, games, or learning new things.

Finally, routine doctor consultations and checkups are important in order for any illness to be detected early. Remember, early diagnosis helps a lot with treatment. You must always pay special attention to how they feel and never ignore feelings of unhappiness or discomfort. If you notice anything wrong, encourage them to seek help accordingly.

Provide Practical Assistance with Daily Tasks

As we age, even the most basic activities can become difficult. The same holds true for your elderly loved ones, so assisting them with these activities can allow them to remain independent and improve their overall health.

You can always assist them with household chores, such as laundry, housekeeping, gardening, and minor home repairs. It usually gets difficult to get around at this age, so be sure to take them to appointments and be more socially active.

Assistance with grocery shopping will help as well. You may also have to help them with financial issues, such as bill payment, but do so in a respectful way. Keep in mind that the goal is to help them with difficult tasks but still allow them to remain independent and feel respected.

Endnote

Helping an elderly loved one who wants to be in the comfort of their own home is a process that has its challenges and some wonderful rewards. At the end of the day, it’s not all about offering assistance. It’s more about helping them build a place where they can lie but still have their dignity and independence intact. Be sure to diligently assess their needs, honor their choices, and seek assistance whenever necessary to create a positive impact on the quality of their lives.