As our parents or close relatives age, there comes a time when we need to be more responsible for their health and wellbeing, due to the fact that in some cases, they lose the ability to manage their own self-care. This can eventually become a huge strain on your lifestyle, to the point where you may need some help and advice on how to manage. If this is the case, you have come to the right place to find out useful information on what you can do. This guide will give you some key tips to bear in mind on taking care of your elderly relatives:
1. Assess their needs
First and foremost, you need to have a clear understanding of your loved one’s needs, to provide the very best care. In the early days, you may feel completely overwhelmed at what needs to be done for the simple fact that you have never been in this position before or analyzed their situation closely. In this case, you may need to seek the assistance of a medical professional to perform a health check on your loved one to give you this clarity; or take a step back and calmly evaluate their needs yourself. Some of the key areas include:
- Medical needs
- Hygiene
- Mobility
- Safety in and around the home
- Domestic help
- Social interaction
It would be advised to write everything down that you have concerns about to understand exactly what services are needed. After a week of care, you’ll gain a better understanding of the day-to-day tasks that need to be carried out at certain times of the day in order to move forward.
2. Be realistic about how much care you can provide
Although you may wish to be there for your loved one’s side at all hours to give them the care and attention they need, you need to be realistic about how much time you can dedicate to them. Being a full-time carer is a huge responsibility and a large strain on your own health and happiness, therefore, it would be wise to think rationally about what you can do to fit around your commitments. Keep in mind that taking on too much could impact your health and lead to burn out (exhaustion), which leaves you not capable of caring for anybody.
3. Consider a living community
For many older people, isolation can become a major issue to the point where it can impact both their mental and physical health. While you may be able to visit several times a day, the need for constant interaction is a simple privilege that many older adults miss when their spouse or circle of friends pass on. With this in mind, you should think seriously about asking your loved one whether they would consider the idea of leaving their home and moving into independent living in a community setting. This is perfect for those who are capable of living alone, but with the benefit of being in a community of other adults, which will boost their socialization and happiness; especially for those who are typically cheerful and enjoy the company of others.
4. Approach the topic with compassion
When talking to your elderly relatives about getting the help they need, ensure you approach the topic gently and with understanding. For many, the idea of having external care can be demoralizing and they may resist to idea of getting help. It’s more than likely that they have been independent their entire life and as a result, may feel as are not keen on the idea of someone else taking care of them in their later years. Being open about your concerns may force them to view the situation differently and understand that you have a large amount of pressure on your shoulders, to the point that external care is the only option.
5. Understand how you’re going to pay for care
If it reaches the stage where you’re unable to cope alone and need external care assistance, one of the aspects you need to take on board is how it’s going to be paid for. This answer is never always simple – especially for those who have no savings, and a financial assessment may need to be carried out to look at what they can afford and contribute to.
Another aspect to take on board is that if you are considering becoming a carer for your relative, you may be considering cutting your hours at work to support them, which will leave you short of cash. This will not only impact your finances but how much you will be able to contribute to their full-time care.
6. Look after your health
To be the best you can be for your elderly relative, you must put in the time and effort to take care of your own health and wellbeing. When you spend so much time taking care of someone else, it’s easy to neglect your own needs. In this case, it’s important to set health goals that will enable you to perform at your very best and ensure you don’t become run down and ill. These include:
- Eating a balanced diet
- Getting enough sleep
- Getting enough exercise
- Spending time enjoying your hobbies
While you may be more concerned about the care of your elderly relative, there is also help out there for carers too. Booking regular appointments with your GP will ensure that any mild health complaints are seen to and they may even give you some useful tips and advice on how to enhance your general health.
If you are worried about your elderly relative’s wellbeing, we hope this guide has come in useful in giving you some pointers as to how to approach and handle the subject of care. It can be difficult to know how to manage in the early stages; especially if you have never had to deal with the situation before, but by following the above tips should give you some aspects to think about when it comes to the planning process.
