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Helping Elderly Relatives In Their Later Years

Aging is an unavoidable process, and it comes with its ups and downs. Looking after elderly relatives can be a full-time commitment, and you may find yourself needing an extra pair of hands here and there. It’s important to begin paying more attention to the welfare of your relatives as they age, as they might begin to struggle to perform everyday tasks, such as dressing, cooking, and washing. It’s crucial that you know how to build a safe environment for your elderly relatives so that they can stay safe and dependent for as long as possible. You can help build this safe environment in just a few steps, and these steps will go a long way. Helping an elderly relative comes in many shapes and forms, and can involve keeping them company in their home to any adjustments you need to make in their house, you might not even need to make any adjustments to their house, instead you might find it better to look into letting them live in something like these residential care homes.

Keeping Them Independent

Your elderly relative will value their independence as much as you value yours, so endeavor to keep your elderly relatives happy and healthy in their own home for as long as feasibly possible. If you fear for the welfare of your elderly relatives, then consider getting a caregiver to provide in-home help and think about both short-term and long-term options. If you’re unsure about where and who to turn to, then contact an Assisted Living Management Company to help answer questions you have regarding caring for your older relatives. Managing the role of sole caregiver can be stressful and demanding, so ensure that you’ve got your questions answered, and you’re well versed on what to expect. A way you could reduce the caregiver stress is by installing a stair lift by Terry Lifts as this will make the challenge of escalating stairs simply disappear

Keeping your elderly relatives independent for as long as possible can help them to maintain their dignity, as well as continuing to lead a similar sort of life to what they have always known. But certain circumstances may mean that this is no longer possible and that they will need to live somewhere else that offers a bit more assistance to help them in their day to day lives. Independent living homes, like La Posada, (you can click here to find out more) offer their residents with everything they need to enjoy the later stages of their lives, but all whilst in a community with people who are a similar age to them; allowing them to remain sociable but all whilst having the care and support they need. If you are unable to make your elderly relatives comfortable in their own home, then this is something that you may want to consider to help them live an enjoyable life.

Make Sure They Eat Well

Food made for the elderly is designed to be quick and easy to prepare at home. However, the taste is often forfeited for this ease. Caring for your elderly relatives involves ensuring that they’re eating well and eating enough. Appetite can wane during the elderly years, so it’s especially important that meals are enjoyable to eat. If you’re caring for your elderly relatives in your own home, then you can cook them their meals whenever they fancy eating. But if your relatives are still relatively independent and living in their own homes, then you can help out by visiting and helping them cook nutritious meals for the week and then freezing them.

Home Adjustments

If an elder is feeling that they are being neglected or isn’t happy with the way they are being treated, they may try to contact an elder abuse lawyer to try to gain compensation. This is why many people make ajustments to family members homes in order to help them be happier where they live! Building a safe environment for the elderly must include some adjustments. Mobility problems will make climbing the stairs far more challenging than it once was, so you will have to think about buying a second-hand mobility scooter and installing a stairlift in Maryland as well as a stairgate to prevent falls and injury as much as you can. Getting in and out of the bath can also become a struggle, so you should take care of this issue with the help of a shower chair and non-slip bath mats too. Tweaks will have to be made to ensure the safety of your elderly relatives. You don’t want to see them hurt, so help out wherever you can and see that their property is made safe for them. All possible tripping hazards should be removed from their home, and soft padding should be added to the sharp edges and corners of furniture such as cabinets and cupboards.

4 Comments

  • Valerie Zavala

    I used to be a CNA for 3 years at a nursing home before I became a law enforcement officer. One of my residents was in fact my grandfather (who has passed in peace) it was the most rewarding thing and memorable for me. We became closer than ever and helping him was the best feeling ever. When my grandfather passed I couldn’t mourn. I was happy. He was no longer in the pain I would see him in. He no longer was hooked up to insure tubes. No more pain meds. But no one understood that except me. So of course I was emotionally strong for my mother and family. Helping your elder relatives is a great feeling. I will forever hold on to that for the rest of my life.

  • VICKIE L COUTURIER

    i went thru this with my mom and my mother in law,,its not easy but ,they deserve to be taken care of

  • Tamra Phelps

    As my Mom got older, eating well was an issue. Her teeth were not great, she needed dentures, but Medicare doesn’t cover ANY dental work. We wound up going to a nearby college where dental students work on patients under the supervision of actual dentists. And they let you set up affordable monthly payments. It’s an affordable option.

  • Calvin

    Good tips to know down the road! I have encountered many old people through volunteer and other things.. know it takes practice