Caring for aging parents is a difficult task that can be overwhelming, and it often involves coordinating medication, handling insurance claims, and arranging activities of daily living. When caring for aging parents, knowing what steps to take to provide the best possible support is crucial.
My parents are continuing to get older and developing the typical aging symptoms and disorders. It’s been hard watching them age and having to care for both them and my own children, but it’s the true circle of life.
Here we’ll explore six important ways to ensure your senior parent receives quality care during each aging stage.
- Communication Is Essential
Regularly communicate with your senior parent to ensure they feel heard and valued. Open communication channels with your senior parent can help you better understand their needs. Furthermore, communicate with your senior parent’s caregivers and healthcare providers regularly.
Discuss and share your senior parent’s preferences, needs, medical history, and medication information with them so that they can provide personalized care.
- Involve Your Parent
Seniors like to have control over their lives, so involving them in decision-making about their care makes them happier and more willing to cooperate. Engaging them in conversations about their care preferences, hobbies, and personal opinions shows they are valued.
The health benefits of this approach include a sense of independence, positive thinking, and overall happiness.
- Evaluate Their Home Environment
Your senior parent’s home environment should be safe and comfortable. Assess their living conditions and access to medical care and medication, meet their dietary needs, and ensure their home is free from hazards by performing frequent checks to minimize falls, slips, and other household accidents.
Decision-making should be based on their needs. You may engage a professional to evaluate their home and recommend suitable changes to create a safer and more convenient living environment.
- Consider Retirement Communities
Retirement communities offer various services and care options to cater to different needs, from independent living to nursing care. Your senior parents can enjoy comfortable living spaces and facilities that cater to their health requirements.
Along with security, health care, and meals, these communities also provide social activities, eliminating the need to worry about each service separately. Research the community’s reputation by talking to other residents or the community’s own staff.
You can also use online tools to research communities in your area.
- Use Technology to Monitor Their Health
Technology provides various options and welfare incentives that empower seniors to watch over their health and wellbeing easily. For instance, wearable technology can track vital signs, signal falls to emergency responders, and offer medication reminders.
Applications and websites allow seniors to stay on top of their treatment plans and health goals and communicate with representatives about any concerns arising.
Regular phone or video check-ins with family members or the provider also help identify problems early and mitigate the risk of more serious issues later on.
- Keep Them Active and Engaged
Encourage your senior parent to participate in social and community activities that are emotionally and intellectually stimulating, promote socialization, and reduce isolation and loneliness.
Consider enrolling them in senior centers, volunteering at charity organizations, taking classes or attending lectures, and engaging in hobbies or sports activities.
Participating in relevant activities motivates and stimulates seniors’ physical and intellectual growth, providing invaluable support for their general wellness.
Ensuring your senior parent gets the best care comes with many considerations, and it might seem overwhelming. However, retirement communities, caregivers, involvement in care decisions, the use of technology, and promoting exercise and socialization are the most significant methods to provide the support and assistance seniors need.
Personalize your care plan per your parent’s unique challenges and health concerns, and continuously monitor their health and wellbeing. With these plans and services in place, you can ensure that your senior parent has a better chance of aging gracefully.
