6 Important Things When you Care About Your Senior
As we age, it can become more difficult to keep up with our daily routines. According to recent data from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 7 out of every 10 people will require long term care in their lifetime. Mental or physical limitations can impede activities of daily living (ADLs) such as maintaining personal hygiene, getting dressed, or eating; as well as instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) such as taking medications correctly, housekeeping, and running errands.
Hiring professional assistance from a reliable homecare agency can help you or your loved one manage these important tasks and offer a better quality of life with dignity and respect. If you’re curious about how homecare services can assist you or your senior loved one, here’s more information on the many services and benefits a caregiver agency can provide.
Personal Care
While personal hygiene routines vary from person to person, there are general tasks all seniors need to accomplish and may need assistance with performing. This includes mouth care (oral hygiene like brushing teeth and flossing, and/or cleaning dentures), hair care (washing, brushing, and cutting hair), skin care (keeping skin clean and dry), and perhaps occasional shaving. Caregivers can help their clients meet these daily tasks and/or adhere to a schedule to ensure seniors are clean and comfortable.
If you or your senior loved one has limited mobility, it’s also important for caregivers to help prohibit infections and bedsores by providing transfers, daily sponge baths, and full baths as needed.
Light housekeeping
Homecare services can help keep seniors comfortable and safe by carrying out light housekeeping chores. General maintenance such as washing the dishes, taking out the trash, sanitizing surfaces, and organizing clutter helps seniors maintain their normal routine and live in a safe, hygienic environment.
Other tasks can include:
- Sweeping and mopping floors
- Cleaning appliances
- Watering plants
- Dusting
- Vacuuming carpets and floors
- Cleaning the tub or shower
- Cleaning linens and towels
- Organizing the medicine cabinet
- Cleaning the toilet
Meal Preparation
Many seniors need assistance with preparing healthy meals because of physical limitations. It’s common for older individuals to begin to lose their sense of taste or smell, leading to less interest in eating altogether. This can result in significant weight loss due to lack of appetite, or poor nutrition from desiring saltier or sweeter foods to compensate.
Caregivers can help seniors cook and serve nutritious meals throughout the day to receive the vitamins and nutrients they need, especially if they are required to follow a specific diet. This also offers time for bonding between caregivers and their clients if your senior loved one can help with meal preparation, or they can simply enjoy eating with company.
Fall Prevention
According to the CDC, falling is the leading cause of injuries to individuals over the age of 65. Decline of balance and coordination, weaker eyesight, and loss of bone density can lead to fatal injuries. However, there are plenty of precautionary measures you can take to make your senior loved one feel more safe at home. For instance, keeping the house well-lit at all times can decrease falls, particularly at night. Installing grab bars in the restroom and handrails along areas such as stairs and hallways can also prevent slips at home.
Additionally, a home caregiver can assist with ambulation by helping seniors transfer in and out of bed, the bathtub, chairs, vehicles, or otherwise. They can also eliminate hazards by decluttering floor spaces and stairs from wires, loose rugs, furniture, and other household items.
Companion Care
Social interaction is important at each stage of life. Research has found that loneliness can result in significant health issues such as heart disease, high blood pressure, depression, Alzheimer’s disease, and cognitive decline. For seniors who live alone, homecare services can offer meaningful relationships and intellectual stimulation. Seniors can continue to remain mentally sharp and/or physically active with activities like playing board and card games, going on walks, crafting, reading together, and making meals together.
Appointment Transportation
Attending appointments or running errands can become increasingly challenging with loss of mobility or cognitive decline. Caregivers can run errands such as grocery shopping, dry cleaning, going to the post office, picking up takeout, or otherwise. Depending on their client’s circumstances, caregivers can help seniors remain involved with these tasks to help maintain their sense of routine, purpose, and dignity, as well as offer social interaction with their local community.
Caregivers can also assist with trips to the pharmacy, dentist, doctor’s office, or any appointments seniors may have scheduled.
If you find it’s more difficult to carry out daily tasks like bathing, cooking, cleaning, or running errands, a homecare agency like TruCare Homecare can step in to assist. TruCare Homecare is a women-owned and family-operated business centered on providing compassionate in-home senior care in the greater Philadelphia area. Our facility offers adult day care services in addition to home health care services such as meal preparation, grooming, medication reminders, mobility assistance, and transportation. Caregivers are dedicated to creating meaningful bonds with clients and their families, offering tailored care plans that best benefit individuals’ health care needs. For more information about TruCare, call our office at (610) 878-2273, fill out a form, or view our list of services.
