Aging is nothing but a natural process that everyone goes through in their lives. But as people go through this phase, they often experience additional needs and challenges connected to their age. If a family member or any of your loved ones has reached a point where they need assistance, you need to know those daily tasks they need your help with.
While everyone acknowledges that emergencies can happen, planning and getting yourself equipped on ways to care for your senior loved ones would help keep you sane throughout the entire chapter.
Do the necessary changes in the house
Considering hospice care services like Cahoon Care gives you the option to provide your loved ones with a place where they can safely spend their senior years. But if you ever plan on having your elderly loved one stay in your home, it’s best to make a couple of necessary changes to make it safer. Whether it’s small or large, doing a couple of changes can help make your home more secure for them.
You can start by removing all the clutter from the corridor. It’s also best to fix the grab bars in the shower and toilet so that they’ll have something to hold on to whenever they use it. It’s also best to ensure that there aren’t any loose wires and cables to prevent accidents. It would help if you also got non-skid mats for both the kitchen and bathroom too.
Always keep track of them
If ever you need to go out and leave them alone at home, it’s best to find ways to help you keep track of them. If they’re technologically savvy, then a mobile phone could do the trick. You can call them every few hours to know if they’re okay.
Meanwhile, if they’re not comfortable using gadgets, you can always install a few surveillance cams inside to monitor them. Installing motion sensors can help, too.
Always visit them
Living alone can often leave seniors feeling depressed. So, ensure that you visit them as often as you can, no matter if you live close by or not. The time that you spend with them can give them something to look forward to every day.
Also, ensure that you spend quality time with them. A few words of encouragement and love paired with time well spent could help lift their spirits and make them feel that everything’s okay.
You can also use this as an opportunity to check their place to see if any unkept laundry or mail are littering on the floor. You should also check if there are any signs of bruises or fall. Building a good relationship with their neighbors can help, too.
Monitor their medication
Senior citizens need the right medication to keep themselves healthy. However, their memories tend to deteriorate as they get older. There’s a high chance that they’ll get their medications mixed up due to poor eyesight or memory loss. To help them with it, you can label the drugs in bold font together with the instructions and put them in particular storage boxes to make it easy for them to find them. You should also ensure that you’re with them during their doctor’s visits, dental care if needed.
These are only a couple of things that you need to do to help care for your loved ones as they reach their senior years. Don’t hesitate to reach out to them and make them feel that you’re always there for them no matter what. Please do your best to make their aging years happy.