3 Ways to Help Your Loved One Age in Place
It is difficult to witness the deterioration of a parent, grandparent, or loved one as they age. No matter if you are prepared or not, your loved one is relying on you to make important decisions in their life. While you may be the one to take on the responsibility — more than 65 million family members or friends provide care to the elderly across the nation — it can be both difficult and confusing to know where to start.
Nearly 90% of all seniors prefer to stay in their homes as they age, so in order to provide for both their happiness and safety, here are three ways to help your elderly loved one live independently at home.
1. Have essential needs delivered to their door
Healthy eating is one of the most important components in ensuring both emotional and physical well-being. However, it can be hard for your loved one to drive and shop for themselves, so it is important that you set up a delivery service that will bring both groceries and medicine refills direct to their door.
2. Preparing the home
When preparing your loved one’s home, it is important that you step back and put yourselves in their shoes. This will make it easier for you to recognize hazards in the home, such as slippery rugs, appliance dials that are hard to turn, and lack of grips in the bathtub. While the needs change from home to home, some common changes include:
- Installing bathroom rails
- Lowering shelves in the pantry for easy access
- Adding more lighting in dim areas
- Removing floor hazards such as loose carpets and exposed cables
3. Setting up in home care services
For an elderly person who is suffering from dementia, mobility issues, or any other condition that may make everyday tasks challenging, aging in place is not the same independence. Bringing in a professional senior caregiver can help bridge the gap. Senior in home care givers can ensure your loved one is eating square meals, taking their medication, and staying safe in their home. They can also provide companionship, which is vital for your loved one’s emotional well-being. In home care services are flexible and can be tailored to their specific needs, so you can always increase the amount of care when you feel it is necessary.
Senior in home care is a great way to protect your loved one, while allowing them to age in place. If you have any questions regarding in home care services, contact our professionals.