Taking care of your aging loved ones is an important responsibility. Since they’re no longer as active, you need to pay careful attention to their needs because neglect can trigger or worsen their health conditions. Failing to senior-proof your home can also put your aging loved ones at risk of slip-and-fall accidents or limit their mobility.
Looking after your aging loved ones isn’t easy, but it’s not impossible. It will take a lot of your patience—but if you’re ready, you won’t have any problems providing the best life to your aging loved ones.
To help you get started, here are three ways you can look after your aging loved ones:
- Check Their Medications
The bodies of your aging loved ones will start to weaken, making them more susceptible to several health problems. Fortunately, there are now medications that can help relieve the most common age-related illnesses, like arthritis, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure.
One way to look after your aging loved ones is to regularly check their medications and make sure they have sufficient supplies. Make use of a pillbox organizer to make it easier for you to determine which medications should be taken in the morning or evening.
If your aging loved ones have recently undergone treatments and are advised to take medications after, see to it that your loved ones follow. If they’re recommended to take blood thinners as part of their vein disease treatment, for example, make sure that they take their medications regularly.
- Hire Help If Needed
Looking after your aging loved ones isn’t a walk in the park, especially if you have other responsibilities. If you believe you already have your hands full, hire help to make your life easier. Nowadays, you can easily hire an aide or caregiver to help in looking after your aging loved ones.
Depending on your preferences, you can hire someone you personally know and let them provide assistance to your aging loved one’s daily activities, such as housekeeping and running errands. If you’re going to hire someone outside of your social circle, make sure that this person is trained and licensed for the job. Do background checks before hiring them as well.
Hiring help will cost money, but this is a great investment that will guarantee the health and safety of your aging loved ones. It’ll also be easier for you to manage your time and energy between different responsibilities if you have someone who can help you.
- Make Your Home Senior-Friendly
Your aging loved ones will have physical and mental limitations because of their age. More often than not, they will not be as mobile as before and will require a wheelchair or cane to move around. Some seniors may also experience eye problems, such as glaucoma and cataracts.
The bodies of your aging loved ones change drastically as they age, which is why it’s important that you make your home safe for them. This will ensure that your aging loved ones can still enjoy the same lifestyle even as they’re aging.
Listed below are tips on how you can make your home senior-friendly:
- Remove all fall hazards: According to statistics, 3 million seniors are sent to emergency departments because of slip-and-fall accidents. Make sure that your home is safe for your aging loved ones by removing rugs and clutter. Avoid putting and stretching extension cords on the floor, as well.
- Create a safe bathroom: The bathroom usually requires modifications if you want to keep the area safe for your aging loved ones. You can create a safe bathroom by installing grab bars beside the toilet and in the shower, putting rubber mats on the floor, and replacing the toilet seat with a raised toilet seat with handlebars.
- Improve lighting: As mentioned, seniors won’t be able to see as clearly, so make sure that your home has enough lights for them to see and move around. Prioritize replacing any burned-out light bulbs, installing new light fixtures, and testing all lights to make sure that they create a clear path in the hallway.
Work With Doctors
The key to looking after your aging loved ones is to regularly connect with their doctors. As a concerned family member, you can only do so much to take care of your aging loved ones and will always need the guidance of healthcare professionals. They can provide advice on what you should and shouldn’t do in taking care of your aging loved ones, making your life easier.
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