When it comes to taking care of your elders in the family, you always want them to have their best retirement years. It is not easy to become dependent when they have lived a full life. But it is your duty to give them the best health care. Here are a few ways you can do it for them.
1. Check Their Medication:
Seniors are under some kind of medication. They must take their medicines timely as per prescription. When you visit them, you need to check when they need a medication refill. Better get them a pill organizer with compartments labeled with the days of the week so that they know if they have missed any medication. This helps remember to take medication timely. Elders also get confused and take a double dose of the same medicine, which can be avoided. You also need to make sure the medication they take does not have adverse side effects and if it does, then keep a check on them if it is getting out of hand.
2. Visit Them Often:
Seniors need social interaction, and sometimes it is only with their family. Hence, it is essential to visit them often to give reassurance that they are safe. When you visit them, always check the house for any issues and help them fix something if needed.
3. Hire Help:
There may be a need to hire a helper to take care of seniors, as they may not be physically fit to do household chores. Many agencies help you hire 24/7 help at home. It can get a little expensive; hence ensure to help them out if they cannot afford it. You have to train the helper and give them your contact details to contact you immediately in case of an emergency. They should also have emergency contact details if they ever need them.
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4. Encourage Them to Get Active:
Exercise is a must at every age. Especially elders need to keep moving in order to stay fit. This will also keep them motivated and active. It helps them battle depression, especially if they have lost their spouse. Encouraging them to join GymNation is a great idea, as the motivation that they will get into the gym will keep them going. They will also get to socialize with crowds of all ages, which is great to keep their minds active.
5. Ensure They Eat Healthy Meals:
Seniors may be unable to cook for themselves. Hence, it is important to check if they are fed well. You can either prepare meals for them in advance, cook at home and get them delivered, or hire someone to cook for them. There are also meal delivery options that you can opt for. Some of them even accommodate special requests such as a diabetic meal.
6. Check for Supplements:
After a certain age, supplement becomes essential to improve the immunity system. You have to consult a doctor to suggest the right supplements, which would mostly be multi-vitamins to boost your immune system.
7. Keep an Eye on Them:
If the seniors are comfortable, install cameras in the common rooms with motion sensors to keep a watch over them. If there is something wrong, you will at least be alerted, which will save time. Sometimes being quick by a few minutes is enough to save someone’s life.
8. Take Care of Their Insurance Papers:
Seniors may need to avail medical facilities more. Hence, their health insurance papers need to be up to date. Also, you have to sort out other vital documents for them, such as a power of attorney, to be well informed about their property.
9. Take Steps to Prevent Infections:
Get the seniors vaccinated annually for the recommended shots like flu vaccination. Especially before the flu season so that they do not get infected easily. Also, get their annual health check-up done once a year to ensure the parameters are all intact.
10. Talk Openly About Their Finances:
Seniors may not be comfortable disclosing their finances if they do not wish to burden you. Still, you must always keep the communication open to understanding if they need some help, especially if they live on a fixed income. There may be ties when they skip on essentials just because they cannot afford them. If you are financially stable to help them, then you should definitely have these conversations with them.
11. Know If They are Mobile:
Even seniors need to hit the supermarket or visit the mall. If they have a car, ensure they are still fit to drive. If they cannot drive, either you can help when you are free or teach them how to book a cab. You can also help them hire a local driver who is available as demanded.
The Bottom Line:
It is essential to take care of your elders’ needs, as they have done the same for you for years. You must have gotten busy with your lives, but that does not mean you do not reserve some time for them, as they will always be an integral part of your family.
