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• 05 Dec 2023
• Arjun Y

Empowering the Elderly: A Guide to Providing Support and Care

Old age is a sensitive phase that everyone must go through in their lives. So, it is essential to care for older adults by ensuring they get the support they deserve. Older adults need help to live a happy and healthy life. However, most of them don’t get the care they need, even at home, as many people aren’t aware of the behavioral changes that tend to occur as people grow old. With progressing age comes various risks, both physical and psychological, and older adults may suffer from several conditions, such as arthritis, Alzheimer’s, heart diseases, joint pains, and even cancer.

However, these are not the only reasons you need to care for older people. For instance, you may need to assist them financially. You could even visit them occasionally and have a little chat to let them know that someone’s always there for them.

Importance of Elderly Care

The younger generations may not always be able to care for and support older adults. Think of it this way. Would you not do it if it was your parents who looked after you all these years? Wouldn’t you then think that it was time you returned the favor? Similarly, here are a few other reasons you should support people as they age.

1. Improve the Quality of Life

Time becomes more limited and invaluable as you age. It doesn’t matter whether it is a few days or years of your life left. The important thing is that you should be there for older adults during their final days. Above all, you should ensure they cherish those days by supporting and caring for them. As a caregiver, you could offer to help them right from their homes. You could do many things for this, including cooking them a healthy meal or doing household chores. However, you can also keep them happy by being there for them, even if it’s only for a while.

2. Provide Support and Comfort

Older people don’t deserve to suffer. Instead, they deserve to be comfortable. So, it becomes your job as a youth to offer them that care, support, and comfort. You should provide that support and comfort by giving them whatever they need, whenever they need it, be it medication, bathing, grooming, or anything else.

3. Offer Peace of Mind

Aging is never easy, not only their bodies but also their minds age and weaken. The elderly lose their ability to do things alone as they age, and the least you can do is care for them. That gives them some peace of mind. More importantly, it also offers you, the caregiver, peace of mind.

4. Care Out of Pure Love

You should care for older people not because of anything else, as you would do it if it were your parents, wouldn’t you? So, ensure that older people get the best care and support they deserve, and do it out of pure love for them.

How to Provide Care for the Elderly?

Most times, older adults are let down by their age, ailments, and the circumstances of their lives. Many older adults always wish they had someone to care for them. Likewise, others want someone to be with them during their last days. Whatever the case may be, there are many things you can do to support and care for older people.

1. Visiting the Elderly

Many older adults may have several mental illnesses, such as dementia or Alzheimer’s. Such people need someone to talk with to stay active and engaged and avoid diseases. The best thing you can do is to visit any older adults you know and tell them you will be around for them. Seeing these older people frequently helps them cope with their ailments. Moreover, it helps keep a check on their memory, mental health and if they are taking medications on time. They may also require external help, such as from nurses, and you can get them that help by visiting them.

2. Preparing the Homes of the Elderly

Preparing the homes of older people ensures that they have a comfortable stay. So, one of the best things you could do to support them is getting their homes ready. You could have their homes checked to see if there are any potential hazards. You could then take steps to mitigate them and ensure the safety of older adults.

3. Hiring Help

Understandably, not everyone can take care of older people by themselves. So, there’s nothing wrong with asking for help. Also, they need constant monitoring, and for this, you can hire trained professionals, such as nurses, who are adept at such jobs.

4. Supporting Self-Care

It is crucial to note that older people are adults and can care for themselves. So, in addition to supporting and caring, you might also want to give them some space. That is, give them some alone time. That way, not only will they be able to process things, but they will also learn to work independently.

5. Encouraging Socialization

With progressing age comes withdrawal, which can lead to loneliness and isolation. So, as a caregiver, you ought to encourage older people to socialize more so they don’t become lonely. Please enable them to maintain active relationships and social life within their friend circles. You could also tell them to keep tabs on everything between family members.

6. Helping the Elderly Stay Fit and Active

No matter the age, you need to stay fit and active. However, it can be challenging for older adults to keep health physically and mentally active. So, they might need to exercise, and you should encourage them to go on walks and join fitness clubs. They could also make new friends during these walks or at those fitness clubs. That way, they can keep themselves active and socialize simultaneously.

Staying fit and active ensures that the body and brain are in good shape and helps combat various illnesses such as heart diseases, cancer, dementia, and Alzheimer’s.

Providing the Best Care for the Elderly

Older adults deserve a good life where they keep themselves healthy and active. They deserve to live with dignity where they learn to be independent even at that age, both financially and otherwise. So, it becomes essential to understand the needs and desires of older people and provide them with the best care and support. Also, remember that while most older adults want that kind of life and support, they may be too afraid to ask for it for many reasons, the most prominent being humiliated by their loved ones. However, the younger generation must ensure they provide older people with the support and care they deserve.