Aging is a natural phenomenon of life that comes with its struggles and challenges like any other phase of life. But contrary to the other stages, it is the most sensitive one. As age passes by, both physical and mental strengths start deteriorating. Due to this, aged people don’t only face physiological but psychological problems too. They want someone to rely on or to take care of them.
So, to keep your elders in good physical and mental health, you must put much more effort than providing simple medications or treatment. However, to make their lives and yours more comfortable, there are some great pieces of advice in this article. Read thoroughly to know the seven tips for taking care of your elders in a more meaningful way.
Without further ado, let us get straight to the topic.
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1. Prefer Care Communities
The first and foremost priority for you should be to take care of your elderly at home, outside the hospital setting. Try to take care of them yourself as much as possible because elders want some special affection from their loved ones. But if you are someone who can’t stay at home most of the time and there is no other family member to take care of the elderly, you should consider sending them to aged care communities.
Senior care communities provide services from accommodation to preventive and palliative care. Another option is in-home elderly care services. These services come in a variety of forms, and they can provide a lot of help with everyday tasks like bathing, dressing, and cooking. They can also provide companionship and support during times of stress or illness.
In addition, these aged care communities are present in the residential areas so that elders can keep in touch with their families and feel at home.
2. Spend Time With Them
The one thing elders desire the most is to spend time with their loved ones. They often feel lonely as they don’t have much to do because of their weaker physical strength. It makes them feel worthless and depressed about their life. So, it is important to spend time with them as it will make them feel valued and keep you aware of their needs and wants by listening to them.
Whenever you visit them, keep them engaged in several activities that their health allows them to do. You can play an indoor game that they are interested in. You can talk to them about their interests and discuss yours with them. Do everything in your visit that makes them feel happy.
3. Keep Them Socially Active
Aging and isolation always go hand in hand. Most elders feel lonely or are socially isolated, which leads to many medical problems like anxiety, depression, cognitive decline, high blood pressure, heart diseases, etc. So, always keep them up to date about what’s going on in the family and community and try to get involved in all the events or activities.
You can keep them active by asking for their advice or any guidance. Take them to social gatherings as much as they can or if their health doesn’t allow much walking try to arrange some gatherings in their home or place of stay by inviting their family or friends. It is necessary for their mental and physical health that they socialize actively.
4. Modify Your Home
Making your home senior-friendly will ensure that your loved ones can live in their home safely and comfortably. Having a personalized home environment will mitigate the risks of injuries or harm. There are many ways to make your home senior-friendly, and it doesn’t have to be expensive.
Some simple modifications you can make include:
- Installing grab bars in the bathroom
- Adding non-slip surfaces in the shower and bathtub
- Increasing the lighting in the home
If you have stairs in your home, you can install a stairlift or a ramp. Also, consider raising the height of the toilet and auto-sensor lights in their toilet.
5. Check Their Medication
As people age, they are more likely to experience health problems that have to be managed with medication. So, it's important to keep track of the medications your elders are taking and ensure that they are taking them as prescribed.
Some common problems that occur with elderly patients and their medications include:
- Taking too many medications
- Not taking medications regularly
- Misinterpreting instructions on how to take medications
- Having difficulty swallowing pills
One way to avoid these problems is to create a medication checklist for your loved ones. This checklist can include all of the medications they are currently taking and any allergies or other medical conditions they have. It's also important to list the dosage and schedule for each medication.
6. Provide Financial Aid
Providing financial aid to your elders is your moral responsibility and their requirement. The cost of living has increased dramatically in recent years, making it difficult for elders to make ends meet. Furthermore, the traditional retirement savings model is no longer viable for many people.
There are many ways to provide financial aid to your elders. One way is to set up a trust fund or estate plan to allow you to provide for their long-term care. You can also give them money or assets outright or purchase long-term care insurance to help cover the costs of their care. Whatever route you choose, discuss your plans with your elders and get their approval.
7. Coordinate With Care Providers
Elders usually receive care from multiple care providers, including family members, caregivers, and physicians. Always try to coordinate with all of them to understand your elder’s health better.
Coordinating can help you be aware of their present condition and their needs. It will also help you keep updated about the comfort and health of your loved ones even if you aren’t available for them all the time.
Conclusion
Taking care of elders is not as easy as it seems. You have to keep many things in mind to provide your elders with quality care. Consider modifying your home and maintaining their medicine schedule. Also, keep them socially active and spend time with them. It will prevent them from feeling isolated and improve the quality of their life. And if you can't provide care on your own, take the help of caregivers to fulfill their needs.
