Independence Beneficial To Health For Older Adults

By Right at Home

. https://www.rightathome.net/

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Independence Beneficial To Health For Older Adults

Anyone caring for a senior should understand that just because someone requires assistance doesn’t mean they don’t want to feel a degree of independence. The basic human desire for this doesn’t go away with age. It starts in adolescence, continues through childhood and adulthood, and evolves in one’s later years. Aging can chip away at it, but fostering a sense of independence in the older adult you help can promote a sense of empowerment and self-worth for them.

The Benefits Of Autonomy

Experts say seniors under the care of a professional or family member are best served when encouraged to maintain whatever degree of autonomy they assert for themselves and can safely manage. A sense of empowerment can lower the risk of isolation and depression and keep folks physically active and mentally engaged. And, the more independent someone feels, the more likely they are to interact socially with peers, loved ones, and neighbors and take better care of themselves; in that way, independence begets good health.

Technology and Home Adaptations Can Help

Professional caregivers know how important independence is, which is why they listen to what seniors in their care want and need. It may not be practical or safe for a senior to get all the independence they crave, but that’s where adaptive compromise comes in. The senior and their caregiver should work together to ensure what the older adult asks for can be reasonably met.

There are simple home adaptations that can help seniors maintain independence while aging in place. In the case of fall prevention, falls at home account for most injuries to seniors. If a senior falls, it can be debilitating enough to rob one of their independence. Preventing falls can be as basic as decluttering living spaces and removing or stowing away hazards on floors and stairs. At the very least, one can secure throw rugs and electrical cords. If any balance or mobility issue is involved, moving about with a cane or walker is a must inside and outside the home.

Balancing Dependence
With Independence

Pride can get in the way of a senior acknowledging they need to make changes. That’s where a caregiver, in collaboration with a physician or other trusted person, can encourage the senior to make the changes themselves. And there are adaptive tools, technology, and other services that can help. 

A senior may not see the need for a medical alert device or may object to its cost, but being able to inform loved ones and paramedics of an emergency can avert a life-changing, even fatal, result.

If the only thing keeping a senior from being more socially engaged is a lack of knowledge of or access to technology, such as FaceTime, then the caregiver might be able to set them up with the software or app they need to connect.

If it’s a transportation issue, the caregiver may be able to take an older adult to a senior center, mall, or event space to interact with others.

A caregiver can sometimes be the companion the older adult needs, whether just talking, playing cards or board games, exercising, cooking, or sharing meals.

If a senior has hobbies they can still enjoy, the caregiver should facilitate participation in them.

If a senior has professional help in the home, the family caregiver can be an advocate for their loved one and work hand-in-hand with the care provider to ensure the best outcome and that the senior’s individual needs are met.

Let a Senior Loved One Speak

Because empowerment is a state of mind, the caregiver must remember that the only way they can know what the senior wants is by asking. Affording someone the dignity to speak for themselves is empowering and will help build trust. The feeling of independence that follows, no matter how small or large, can boost mood, self-esteem, and confidence.