Making Life Easier For An Elderly Relative And What You Can Do
Many of us will have elderly relatives in our lives, and often we can be left with the responsibility to help them out and enable them to continue living independently. However, a lot of us can be unsure on how to do this effectively. After all, it can be easier to just do things, but yet an eldelry person may still be able minded or bodied to do things for themselves.
There is a fine line, as your intentions will only be good. However, only you will know what is best for your loved one. Helping them out every no and again is going to be fine, but if you can find ways to help things be easier without infringing on their lives too much then that is always going to be a great result. So how can you do this? Here are some of the ways that you can make life easier for any eldelry relatives that you care for.
Adapt their home
One of the first things that you could consider doing would be to adapt their home to make things easier for them moving forward. This might be things like handrails to help them in the bathroom or to get off seats in the living room. It could be specially designed beds that have options to raise the head or feet or chairs that can lift to help someone stand. When you start looking into this you will see that there are so many options that could make life easier at home. Often the small changes can help an elderly person stay in their home for longer, which will ultimately make them happier.
Making mobility easier for them
Another thing to think about would be to make mobility easier for them and it can often be a great way to help them stay mobile and give them some independence. For example, scooters and wheelchairs can make it easier for people to head out to the shops and be outside to enjoy fresh air. Often poor mobility can really alienate elderly people, so giving them the option of alternative can help them to enjoy a quality of life greater than what they experience now. Again a quick look online will give you plenty of options. It doesn’t even have to be a wheelchair or scooter, it could be something as simple as an aid to help them walk like a walking stick or a frame for extra support. Discussing the options with your loved one could give you an idea on what they may need.
Buy in the food shopping or seek out the help of a meal service
Food can often be a big thing when it comes to an older person. Handling food, buying it and also preparing it may become much more difficult for them when it comes to old age. So making this part easy would be very helpful. You could meal plan, batch cook and create meals for them so it just requires one simple act of putting something in a microwave or an oven. Or even think about things such as meal service which will deliver meals to their doors.
What about alternative living accommodation?
Sometimes it isn’t possible to stay at home. While that might be the option they want, it could be that they live far away from others, perhaps in an isolated area or even adaptations won’t make things easier. This is when looking at alternative options could help. You could find a place that has the same age as the people in the complex. Great facilities where they can be sociable while still loving close at hand to care that might be needed. Places like La Posada could be an option to consider. You could also look for care homes or facilities if they may need extra care that can be provided. Some of these places can dramatically change their lifestyles for the better.
Allow things to be accessible
Another thing to think about would be to make things accessible. So you could look into low level storage, or having things at eye height to make it a little easier for them to find items in their home. Storage cupboards with high sleeves may no longer be suitable, so coming up with alternative storage options could be the way forward.
Keep the memories alive
Finally, try and keep the memories alive as much as you can. You can do this by regularly talking to your relatives and older members of the family. Go through pictures, indulge their stories and generally enjoy communicating. It can make a huge difference to their day and how they feel.
Let’s hope these tips help you when it comes to making life easier for your elderly relatives.
