If you are someone who has taken the decision of caring for your elders at home, it is already a really good choice on your part! It is the time they need your help and you are reaching out to them. However, it is important that you remember – taking care of the elderly comes with certain big responsibilities. So it is a good idea to have all these responsibilities sorted out and planned. It helps to make an organized and nurturing environment for both you and your family.
Here are a few pointers about elderly care that can be helpful for you to plan things out.
7 Care Tips for Elders
1. Chalk out a care regime:
When you are taking care of the elderly, a little bit of organization can come in handy.
- Plan out all the things that will be necessary to take care of someone – comfortable furniture, arrangement of the home, a routine to help keep the house in order
- If there is a sick person involved – what are the medications involved, where to get them and restocking them timely
- For the elderly person – come up with a routine for their daily life; one that will keep them engaged and in a good state of mind and body
2. Plan out the medical care:
Medical care is a crucial part of any elderly person’s care. With age, it is possible for anyone to fall ill frequently or need regular check-ups. A few pointers to help you out in planning the medical care are:
- Make a regular and updated list of all medications
- Choose a regular pharmacy; stalk all medicines and hygiene products from the same place
- Have a doctor on standby for emergency situations
- Keep a list of numbers, for example, hospitals, ambulance and pharmacy
3. Think about a professional:
Initially, it may take a person some time to know all the requirements for an elderly person at home. It might be a good idea to hire a professional caregiver. A nurse or professional will be better equipped with the situation of an elderly person and give you a helping hand. The best idea would be to hire someone for half a day when you might be busy with your job or other work. As they keep the elderly person company and keep a check on all their needs for a part of the day, you will have less to worry about.
4. Keep them engaged:
Any kind of physical and mental activity is a very important thing on the checklist of elderly care. Try to learn more about the activities that can be beneficial for the elderly. Some brisk walking and exercise, a few games or books to keep them engaged, perhaps a call to help them talk to a loved one – all of these things can keep an elderly person engaged and in fact happy. When they can participate in some kind of activity, it helps to make them feel needed and important.
5. Ensure security measures:
It is not a realistic idea to think that you can be around an elderly person 24×7. This is why making sure they are safe and secure in their homes is your first responsibility. Installing a security camera, or an alarm system can be a good idea. Try to teach the elderly person at home to use a phone, which they can use to call you when they face a problem. Some basic security measures will help as an assurance that you will always be connected with the person you had to leave alone at home for some time.
6. Take care of all the finances:
We understand that there are a lot of finances involved with taking care of an elderly person. So a few pointers to make sure can be:
- All documents of health insurance should be updated
- There should be a proper medical bill maintained monthly
- The salary of the professional help (when involved)
- Other regular expenses like their day-to-day items and special meals (if required) have to be taken care of.
7. Take care of your own health:
It cannot be stressed enough that when you are taking care of an elderly person, you should not forget about yourself at the same time. Keeping yourself physically and mentally healthy will assure that you are able to take care of others. If you are unable to do the daily tasks or keep the elderly person company when needed, none of you can be healthy and happy.
All elderly people deserve the best possible care, but that is not going to happen if you are not in your best health. So divide your work, plan out your hours and find some space for yourself! These can be the three best things to do when there is another person depending on you.
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