Care for the elderly requires a special touch. It’s a balance of empathy, compassion, respect and maintaining their dignity as they start being unable to perform tasks that they once did well on their own. With this in mind, you might be wondering how can life be made easier for the elderly, how does one improve their quality of life and why is this important in the first place. In this blog, we set out to answer these questions so that you can make a more informed decision about your loved one’s care needs as and when they arise. Let’s take a closer look.
How can life be made easier for the elderly?
Elderly people require a balanced and harmonious approach to their care needs. But the type of care they get will differ from person to person. However, there are a few common factors that need to be considered as you go about looking for the best solution for your loved one’s care needs. Here are a few of these that you should consider:
Respect their dignity
Maintaining a senior-oriented approach is essential. This necessarily involves involving your loved one in the decisions you plan on making for them. This is an important way to recognise and uphold their dignity while showing your respect for them.
Consult with a specialist
Whether your loved one has a condition such as dementia, they’re recovering from an injury or they are simply struggling with completing daily tasks, it’s always a good idea to consult with their doctor about what solutions will work best for them in their given circumstances.
Select a reliable service partner
When selecting home care for the elderly, it’s important to look for a service partner who is trustworthy and reliable. This can be done by checking out online reviews as well as their certifications and best practices followed. Follow this with a trial day, if possible, to see whether the service meets your standards and expectations of care.
Ensure they get assistance with daily tasks
Elderly people struggle with things that we take for granted. Therefore, to make their lives easier, consider ensuring that they get all the help they need with their daily household and personal tasks.
Stimulate their sense of purpose
Senior people have much to offer in terms of love and affection, creativity and knowledge. These traits should be emphasised and encouraged as far as possible. Meanwhile, signs of depression and loneliness should be taken seriously and addressed as quickly as possible.
Help to improve their physical and emotional well being
Whether through exercise or mentally stimulating activities or both, it’s important to keep your elderly loved ones engaged and active for as long as their health and physical condition allows them to. This is an important way of keeping them healthy and engaged.
Make them feel useful
Some elderly people may feel as though they are an unwanted burden on their families and they feel that they are no longer of use to anyone else. To help prevent feelings like these from arising, consider asking your loved one to assist you with age- and ability-appropriate tasks. They may be as small as folding laundry, but they are crucial in giving them their sense of worth back.
Ways to improve the quality of life for the elderly
There are many ways to improve the quality of life for your loved ones. This necessarily involves choosing the best home care for elderly. When considering home care, be sure that you choose a provider that helps with all aspects related to:
- Bathing and personal hygiene
- Safety supervision
- Help with ambulation
- Light housekeeping
- Meal preparation
- Shopping and running errands
- Administering medication
- Help engage with exercise or increase their range of motion, and
- Provide after-surgery care where necessary
Why is elderly care important?
The importance of caring for our elders cannot be overstated. Owing to their maturing age, our time with them becomes limited and more precious. You want every day with them to be the best day possible. And this can only be accomplished through greater quality of life. When things like meal preparation, errands and personal hygiene are taken care of, your loved ones will be much more comfortable, content and happy and you’ll be able to strengthen and solidify your bonds with them.
Elderly care through care at home also improves their overall levels of comfort. No one wants to know that their loved one is in pain without being able to do something about it. When your loved one is more comfortable, you have greater peace of mind regarding their well-being.
But apart from all this, elderly care is important, nay crucial, because they are members of our family and our communities and they simply need to know that they are loved just like anyone else.
Contact a professional elderly carer today!
With research pointing to the fact that more and more elderly people prefer the comfort of their own homes in which to age gracefully and with dignity, elderly home care has never been more important. At Walfinch, we pride ourselves on our ability to offer tailored care and a personal touch to every patient that falls under our care. To find out more about the different home care options we offer and to help you make a more informed decision, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. We are here to help and are ready to assist you and answer any questions you may have.
