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Helping Your Elderly Loved One Continue Living at Home

Are you worried that your elderly loved one will need to move into assisted living? If you are, did you know there are some ways that you might be able to keep them living at home? If you follow these tips, your elderly loved one might be able to stay at home longer than you ever expected.

Encouraging Physical Movements

It is important that elderly adults move around as much as they possibly can. This doesn’t mean they have to do excessive exercise. However, they should do daily walking and light exercise. Flexibility exercises are great for elderly adults. These types of exercises keep their body stronger and more mobile, as well. If you encourage your elderly loved one to be physically active, this could keep them in their own home.

Focusing On Their Abilities

It is also important that you focus on your elderly loved one’s abilities and not just their weaknesses. The more you can focus on their abilities, the more they will be able to continue doing. Instead of always focusing on what your loved one needs help with, be sure you ask them to do things they are capable of doing. This will help them to stay independent for longer.

Make Tasks Simpler

One of the other ways you can keep your elderly loved one more independent is by making tasks simpler. Break up tasks into smaller parts. This way your elderly loved one doesn’t get overwhelmed. They will feel more independent and be more successful in getting tasks done if they are made simpler.

Reducing Their Frustration

The less frustrated your elderly loved one is, the more likely it will be that they can remain in their own home. This is because the behaviors that happen out of frustration often exacerbate your loved one’s mood. They make them more forgetful, angry, and irritated. This type of mood is more likely to get your loved one placed in an assisted living home.

Hiring Home Care Providers

Another way you can keep your elderly loved one at home is by hiring home care providers. These providers will be at your loved one’s home to help them with grooming, self-care, and other things they need help with. If you haven’t hired home care providers yet, be sure to do so soon, especially if your elderly loved one needs help with things.

These are some of the tips to help your elderly loved one stay living at home as long as possible. Start implementing these tips today to see which ones help your loved one the most. Once you have figured this out, be sure you use those tips on a regular basis.

Sources
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/aging-place-growing-older-home

If you or an aging loved one is considering home care in Moraga, CA, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Walnut Creek. (925) 203-3039.

Five Ways to Lower Your Stress in 2020

Everyone deals with stress during their life. It’s the body and mind’s way of handling difficulties. There’s the stress you feel taking exams or hearing a strange noise in your car while driving in a remote area. There’s also the stress you encounter doing hard work. Caregiver stress is manageable if you use these five techniques for keeping stress to a minimum.

Change Your Diet

Dietary changes can help you feel better. In moderation, dark chocolate provides antioxidants that help with stress. You do need to watch sugar intake, so keep the dark chocolate consumption to the recommended limits.

Aim for foods that are high in B vitamins and vitamin C. When you’re stressed, your body uses these vitamins to help balance stress hormones. Make sure you’re increasing them. Omega-3 fatty acids also help regulate stress hormones.

Socialize

When you go weeks or months without talking to others, your mental health is affected. Take time to go out with friends. Seek social activities like book reading groups or cooking classes. Do whatever it takes to meet others, spend time with family and friends, and get away from your duties as a caregiver for a few hours a week or more.

Get Fresh Air

Take time each day to go outside and get fresh air. You want that time out of the home to clear your mind, get some natural light from the sun, and exercise. You could work out inside on a treadmill, but the fresh air and vitamin D from the sun will help a lot.

Sign Up for Tai Chi or Yoga Classes

Tai Chi is an Asian martial arts program. Yoga is a spiritual and physical discipline originating in India. Both tone muscle, stamina, and balance. The reason they’re recommended for reducing stress is that they also focus on finding your center and deep breathing to help you relax and calm your body and mind.

If you attend a class, you gain a level of socialization. Bring your parents and exercise together. There are at-home programs you can follow. Buy DVDs or access videos on YouTube or certain streaming channels.

Arrange Home Care Services and Take Breaks

The final way to de-stress when you’re a family caregiver is by taking breaks. Don’t try to help your parents with everything by yourself. Accept help from other family members and friends. Arrange elder care aides to take over while you go on a short vacation, run errands, or take care of other obligations. An elder care specialist can help you with caregiver prices and schedules.

If you or an aging loved one is considering elder care in Clayton, CA, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Walnut Creek. (925) 203-3039.