As people age, their need for support increases. Old age usually comes with mental function deterioration, increased risk of disease, and loneliness. Being there for an aging parent often comes with lots of responsibilities. The goal is to help improve the quality of their life. Here are some guidelines to help you care for your aging parents.
Watch out for health concerns
Senior people are predisposed to a wealth of health concerns, both physical and mental. Some people creep up suddenly, whereas others may experience depression and severe anxiety. As their caregiver, it is important to keep an eye on their general wellbeing. Identify potential concerns ahead of time, and be there to help. Start researching more information on common health problems in seniors. Often, your aging parent may even tell you if there’s something wrong and if they experience any concerning symptoms. However, there are times when the aging parent doesn’t realize that something is wrong. Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are progressive diseases that can be difficult to tackle. Spend as much as time as you can with your loved one, and this way you’ll be able to determine potential symptoms that are more harming than they look.
Professional help
In case your parent or relative experiences mental of physical decline that you can’t handle by yourself, it might be a good idea to look for professional help. There are lots of healthcare services you can consider. Don’t miss out on weekly appointments to the doctor and search for ways to make their lives easier; even that may mean looking into assisted living facilities and nursing homes. Many people ignore the symptoms their aging parents have. Stay alert and look for assistance in your local community. Thanks to advanced technology, there are solutions to be close to your parent even if you live miles apart.
Make time to visit
The elderly are not just affected by medical problems. Studies have shown that many seniors living alone fight with depression, anxiety, loneliness, and severe fatigue. It might be a good idea to visit your parents at least once a week. Offer them emotional support, take the grandkids with you, and make them feel loved and cared for. Face to face visits are the best, although if that’s not possible you can stick to phone calls, or Skype chats.
Encourage socialization
Many seniors don’t want to get out of the house. They’ve been used to watching TV all day, and that’s it. Sedentary activities increase the risk of depression, so it might be a good idea to take parents out. Do things together every week. Go grocery shopping together, spend time in the park, and have a good time. Qualitative family time makes seniors feel valued. If you can’t visit often, recommend them to join a book club. Or encourage socializing with their neighbors. Living in isolation leads to physical and emotional distress. In the long term, loneliness may lead to increased fears (e.g. fear to go out, fear to talk to people, fear to call a child to say hello).
Home care
There’s a lot of debate around the notion of “home care”. Many people don’t like the idea because they associate it with improper care. The truth is, there are excellent home care facilities spread around the country. Many provide excellent services, apart from caregiving. Senior people need to stay social. They need to be active – both physically and mentally – to enjoy the best of life. Some of today’s advanced assisted living facilities are more comfortable than an actual home. These places provide excellent accommodation, lots of activities, treatments, and therapies that compel a senior to enjoy their lifestyles.
It is important for aging parents to appreciate life. The best care home in Maidstone provides exquisite services. However, for the system to work seniors must be open to change. It’s no shame in not being able to live on your own house. Rather than struggle performing daily duties, assisted living facilities are all about increasing the quality of your life. They can help you feel better, socialize with people the same age, try out lots of activities, and boost cognitive function. All these improve the quality of your life by 30%.
