When it comes down to it, your senior loved one’s quality of life makes the biggest difference in his or her happiness with age. Seniors with a high quality of life experience fewer frustrations, and they’re able to find personal fulfillment throughout each day. Boosting your loved one’s quality of life doesn’t have to be complicated. Instead, your family can take these five actions to make yur loved one’s life better.
1. Help Your Parent Pare Down Clutter
Living in a cluttered environment is mentally draining, and your loved one might feel constant guilt or stress about the need to keep everything maintained. Clutter that’s piled up on the floor or shelves can also pose an injury risk. Help your loved one go through his or her belongings and find things he or she no longer needs. This process can be done slowly, but you’ll want to stay consistent about getting a few things out of the house each week.
2. Make Each Room More Accessible
Your loved one might not tell you that using the restroom is scary, but many seniors fear falling when they take a shower or try to sit down on a toilet. Your loved one might also be afraid of falling when getting out of bed or trying to walk up a staircase. Adding grab bars, walk-in tubs, and elevated toilets are options you can explore together. Even a simple change such as moving dishes to a lower cabinet might make life easier for your loved one.
Seniors can face a variety of challenges as they age, many of which can be mitigated with the help of professional in-home caregivers who provide high-quality home care. Trust Home Care Assistance to help your elderly loved one age in place safely and comfortably.
3. Take Care of Your Loved One’s Future Health
Seniors tend to focus on their current state of health. Whether your loved one is fairly healthy or has a chronic condition, there are always ways to take preventative actions to stave off future problems. Have your loved one perform a health and lifestyle assessment to see what needs to change. Your parent can start adding more exercise into his or her weekly plans, or he or she might need to upgrade to a healthier diet. Making sure your loved one takes medications and goes to medical appointments are additional ways to help him or her prevent new health conditions that impact quality of life.
4. Expand Your Parent’s Social Network
With health and safety covered, it’s time to move on to the special things that make life more meaningful. Seniors need to have a wide variety of people they can turn to when they’re bored, sad, or have good news to share. Work with your family to make sure someone reaches out to your loved one regularly. Your loved one can also enjoy spending time with a home care companion, who can also take him or her on outings in the neighborhood.
For families living in Clearwater, respite care can be a wonderful solution when their aging loved ones need companionship and socialization a few hours a week or just need minor assistance with daily household tasks. At Home Care Assistance, we thrive on helping seniors maintain their independence while living in the comfort of home.
5. Encourage New Hobbies & Interests
Seniors who continue learning and engaging in their favorite interests are more likely to report having positive mental health. If your loved one has lost interest in favorite activities, find out why. He or she might have vision or hearing issues that can be accommodated. For example, switching to audiobooks can help your loved one continue to enjoy his or her favorite novels.
If your elderly loved one needs help maintaining a high quality of life while aging in place, reach out to Home Care Assistance, a trusted provider of Clearwater senior care. Our caregivers provide transportation to and from medical appointments and social events, nutritious meal preparation, assistance with daily exercise, and help with everyday tasks like bathing, grooming, and light housekeeping. If your loved one needs help with the challenges of aging, call one of our compassionate Care Managers today at (727) 330-7862.