Making Life Easier For Your Elderly Loved Ones

Although it's possible for many seniors to continue living independent and productive lives at home, that doesn't mean that it's always easy. For elderly family members, some simple tasks may become more difficult, and although they would like to continue living on their own, they may not be able to function by themselves in the same way that they once were able to. That doesn't mean, though, that it can't be done, or that there aren't ways for you to make their lives easier.

Make Their Home More Accessible

Something that you can do to help make your elderly or disabled family member's life easier to manage is to make it more accessible. This can come in different forms, from replacing steps with ramps to a portable stair lift or stair dolly. By ensuring that all of the parts of their home are easily accessible to them in a way that is safe, you can help dramatically increase their level of freedom and ability to move through their home like they need to to complete their daily tasks.

Check In Regularly

Another way to help make life easier for your elderly loved ones is to check in on them regularly. Not only can this be a good idea for practical reasons to help make sure that they are safe, doing well, and have everything they need, but it can also be a great way to help boost their mood, as well. What some may not realize is that while they may be busy going about their daily lives, their elderly loved ones may not have as much going on, and regular visits, even if they are short, could mean a lot to them. Beyond that there is some evidence that suggests that those who have strong social connections are happier and healthier, so it can be a boost for their health, too.

Get Extra Help

While some may be able to check on their loved ones frequently, the reality is that not everyone may have the time to help out their elderly loved ones like they would want to. In this kind of situation, getting extra help can be a good way to help make sure that your loved one is still getting the care they need, even if you can't always be the one to provide it. One nice thing about getting extra help from a place like a home care facility is that they can provide customized care. That way, if your loved one only needs to be checked on once a week and needs a little help with errands here and there, they can help with that, or if they need more intensive daily care, they can help with that , too.

Try Visible Print and Color Coding Systems

Even for seniors that may still be very independent, things like declining vision and memory can make it a little more difficult for them to manage daily tasks. Some ways to help deal with this are to try things like large print, and color coding systems. For example, a phone with larger print numbers can make it easier for them to make calls, and large print calendars can make it easier for them to keep track of their schedule. Additionally, color coding things like their house keys can help them to tell them apart, and generally make accomplishing daily tasks much simpler for them.

The Bottom Line

Even though it is possible for many seniors to continue living active and happy lives at home, that doesn't mean that it is always easy, or that changes won't need to be made to help facilitate them as they age in place. The good news is, though, that by makings some changes to their home, like making it more accessible with ramps and by doing things like checking in on them more often, or getting help if you can't, you can make it easier for them to live the life they want to, in the comfort of their own home.