4 Ways to Help Your Elderly Relative

Whether you’re a full-time cater for your relative or you’re helping them with the odd task, you’re probably always searching for new ways to make things easier for the both of you.

4 Ways to Help Your Elderly Relative
[image: pexels by daria obymaha]

Nowadays, there are lots of great pieces of equipment and tools that you can use to help an elderly relative. Whether in walk-in tubs, handrails, walking aids, or assisted listening devices.

Using or implementing as many of these aids as possible can make daily living easier for your relative. It also enables them to maintain as much independence as possible as they get older.

When your relative has more independence, it relieves some of the stress and pressure from your shoulders. You can relax and take a slight step back from your responsibilities, making it easier for you to balance your work life, carer role, and social life.

By now, you’re probably wondering what aids, tools, and equipment you can get for your relative to make things easier and stress-free. Well, look no further!

We’ve got a list of four ways that you can help your elderly relative, including equipment that you can buy and additional things that you can do for your loved one.

1. Implement a Personal Safety System

There are lots of options when it comes to personal safety systems. You can get a medical alert system or a fall alarm to maximize your elderly relative’s safety.

Medical alert systems provide a method for direct and immediate communication between your relative and emergency services. If they are in danger or have been injured, they can get medical attention as quickly as possible.

Fall alarms work by emitting a loud alarm when your relative falls over. They attach to clothing and get activated when they sense tension and get pulled if and when your relative falls to the ground.

Neighbors or passers-by will hear the noise and can call emergency services for your relative. Some of the more advanced fall alarms have a built-in two-way communication system where your relative can speak to medical personnel themselves. 

Providing alert systems for your elderly relative increases their independence and gives them more confidence to move around on their own. It also gives you peace of mind knowing that your loved one is a little safer. 

2. Declutter Their Home

All the adults are notorious for keeping anything and everything. They like to horde memorabilia and random items that they will probably never use!

As lovely as it is to have gifts and items on display, they can clutter up the home and take up more space than necessary. The more memorabilia that is lying around the house, the less room there is for helpful tools and aids.

Plus, a cluttered home is full of safety hazards. If your loved one has limited mobility or limited sight, they could easily trip over something and sustain a nasty injury.

Spend a day with your relative going through their things that you can throw away. If they are only willing to get rid of anything, offer to transfer the items to your house for storage. This will clear space in your loved one’s home so that they can safely move around.

Make sure you don’t throw anything away without your relative's permission. You want them to feel like they are in control and able to call the shots. Otherwise, they might begin to feel overwhelmed or worried.

Older people can get overwhelmed by the slightest change in their normal routine. By collaborating with them to see what you can get rid of or transfer to your home for storage, you can create a safe and clutter-free space for your relative.

3. Provide Social Support

Elderly individuals often become isolated because they are unable to go outside as freely and independently as they once could. As a result, they can become lonely and depressed, and this can significantly decrease their quality of life.

By encouraging your elderly relative to go outside more often, you can prevent or reduce the risk of poor mental health. If your loved one is fearful of going out on their own, book a day off work so that you can take them on a day trip to somewhere special.

If you have other family members who are willing to help, ask them to join in on the social activities. The more people, the better when it comes to showing your elderly relative lots of social and emotional support. Moreover, you may use the services of CDPAP NYC and hire relatives or neighbors as personal assistants.

When you are considering different social activities for your relative, make sure to factor in their preferences and capabilities. For example, if you know that they love cooking, see if there are community baking events that you can attend together.

Alongside community events, you could invite the whole family around to your home, along with your elderly relative, for a family day of food and fun.

4. Arrange Weekly Cooking Sessions

When an older adult has limited mobility and reduced vision, cooking and preparing meals can become very challenging. Your relative might have once enjoyed cooking exotic dishes, and delicious desserts but can no longer cook safely on their own.

To enable your elderly relative to continue doing what they love, arrange weekly cooking sessions. You can either bring them to your house or visit them in their own home.

Find a meal that you’d like to cook together and spend some quality time creating delicious food. Once the food is cooked, you can sit and enjoy the food together while catching up on what’s been happening in your life.

Nutrition becomes even more important as we age. By cooking with your elderly relative, they can continue to enjoy flavorsome, nutrient-rich food without the risk of falls and injuries during the preparation process.