Caregivers with Big Hearts Prevent Small Worlds
If you are helping to care for a senior who has decided to age in place, it's easy to get so lost in the little details of day-to-day care (the cleaning, the medications, the daily chores) that you forget this one important factor: you are that senior's window to the outside world. Keeping this at the forefront of your mind will allow you not only to care for our seniors' physical needs but also for their hearts and souls.
Small Worlds
Growing older at home can be a wonderful experience for seniors. They can stay in a comfortable environment while receiving help with matters like housework, bills, shopping, and personal care on an as-needed basis.
There are a few potential dangers of aging in place, however:
- Seniors don't ask for help
- Seniors don't recognize that they need help
- Seniors stop leaving the house
- Seniors' perception of the world shrinks
Big-hearted caregivers understand not only that seniors may need more assistance with daily living than they themselves recognize, but also that seniors will need support in actively keeping their worlds from telescoping down to a few rooms inside their own homes.
Big-Hearted Approach to Opening Up
Depending on a senior's physical, mental, and emotional strengths, caregivers may take different approaches to help seniors open up to the outside world.
Getting Out
Though there comes a point when some seniors are hesitant to get out of the house, doing so could actually help them live longer.
[Researchers] found that older adults who left their homes on a daily basis were at the lowest risk of death, while those who rarely left their homes had the highest mortality risk. (Medical News Today)
If you're helping to care for a senior who is able to stay mobile, consider daily and weekly routines that involve getting out of the house.
- Going shopping
- Taking a walk in the park
- Visiting the local library
- Stopping by to see local friends and relatives
When weather and public health concerns allow you to do so, providing opportunities for our seniors to get out of the house helps them keep their worlds expanded.
Staying In
For seniors who are no longer able to get out of the house, it's critical that you bring the outside world to them.
- Keep the curtains open and situate chairs and beds so that they have a view of the neighborhood
- Watch new films, documentaries, and TV shows together
- Video chat with friends and family members
- Bring in seasonal flowers, fruits, and vegetables
- Decorate for monthly holidays
- Help them keep up with current affairs
These are just a few suggestions to get you started.
When a caregiver has a big heart, it doesn't take long to figure out how to help prevent a senior from living alone in a small world.
We Can Help
As Salem's premier provider of in-home senior care, we're here to help you in any way you might need.
To hear more about our services, please feel free to contact us at any time.
We look forward to serving you!