Five Steps for Elderly Care: A Pocket Guide!

Have you just started taking care of an elderly parent and are terribly confused about the do's and don’ts? Are you worried about how you can take care of them and provide them with the care and attention you want to offer. Well, don’t worry. I’ll explain everything to you in five very simple steps and I’m sure it will help. So let’s begin with our simple guide on how-to-take-care-of-an-elderly parent!

1. Prepare The House:

If your parents are moving in you will need to make the necessary changes to your home. If you’re setting up a space for your parents to live in, be it there own home, you would more or less need to keep similar factors in your mind. So prepare your home by installing grab-on bars in the bathroom and anti-skid inside and outside the bathtub. Make sure the furniture is placed in a way that allows safe passage and all the cords are untangled and taped to floor/wall. Your aim is to make sure the house is free of fall-risk. Keep the space lit and airy, and install smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.

2. Health & Medications:

You need to keep in mind that your aging parent might not be able to take care of themselves as good as they would when they were younger. So be careful of their needs and their appointments to the doctor. It is advisable that you take them to the doctor yourself and interact with their doctor often. Keep a track of the medications they take, better yet write them in a journal. Schedule regular visits to the dentist and oncologist; this would ensure they stay healthy and fit. Watch out for the signs of mental illnesses so they can be dealt with at the initial stages.

3. Make Financial Arrangements:

The matters of finance should be dealt with as soon as is possible. Have your parents sit with you when planning the caregiving, whether it’s going to be you of a nursing home and discuss everything with them. Chances are they might have their old age finances planned. Seek help from a financial adviser because they’re the experts in this field. Utilize the saving accounts if your parents had any.

3. Help them Socialize:

Elderly parents tend to feel more lonely and left out. You need to acknowledge these feelings and support them through this phase. Have them join a hobby club or take a yoga class. If you have kids, encourage their encounters because your young ones have got a lot to learn from their grandparents and thus experience is very pleasing for your parents.

4. Set Up a Diet Routine:

Set a diet routine for your elderly, because at this stage they would probably need to switch their diet options for more healthy ones. Consult a dietician to find out what would suit your elderly parent’s particular needs and get a custom-tailored diet chart for them. Opt for more organic options.

These simple and handy tips should straighten out all the problems you are facing while taking care of your elderly parent.

Author Bio:
This article was written by Chris Palmer who regularly shares advice on elderly care. In particular dementia and supporting your elderly parent. You can find more by Chris on: https://www.agespace.org/.

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