Our elderly relatives are often the glue that holds the family together. This makes it difficult to see them becoming frail or unwell. While they’ve always looked after you, now you’re looking after them. It can feel a little odd.
But your loved ones need to know that you care. Many feel like a burden and don’t want to inconvenience us. It’s only right that we look after them in their old age. So, what are some things to remember?
Be practical
Showing an elderly person you care means making practical decisions. For example, their current home may no longer be catering to their needs, so you might think that a nursing home would be more appropriate. Alternatively, they might be able to stay in their home, but you might need to make safety adjustments like taking care of the flooring, making sure everything dangerous is out of the way and installing a stairlift for easier access to the upper floor. For that, you will have to find out stairlift prices and decide which one is more suitable for your loved one's needs.
Whatever needs doing, being practical and getting stuff done shows that you care about them and their well being.
Be kind
It’s important to be kind to your elderly relative. They might be feeling lonely or frustrated with themselves for being less independent. Being kind means listening, helping with anything and not making them feel like a burden. Don’t act like caring for them is a chore. An elderly person should always feel safe, comfortable and cared for.
Be alert
Elderly relatives are more likely to fall ill or get injuries. Their immune systems have to work harder and their bones are weaker. So, be alert and keep an eye on their health. Are they going to the bathroom more regularly than normal? Do they have a strange bruise or cut? Are they experiencing memory loss? If so, take them to the doctors immediately. Catching injuries and ailments early makes them easier to treat.
Be available
Caring for an elderly relative doesn’t just mean being around when it suits you. You will always need to be available. This means making sure that your phone is always turned on and is ready to go over with a moment’s notice. It might be a little inconvenient, but your loved one needs you to be reliable. You’ll be devastated if they’ve had a fall or injury and you didn’t answer the phone.
Be forgiving
Sometimes caring for an elderly person can be frustrating. People can be stubborn and resent losing their independence. If your loved one has dementia, they might not remember who you are, or could say hurtful things. However, it’s important to remember who they once were and be forgiving. Most of the time, it isn’t personal.
As you can see, taking care of an elderly person is not a walk in the park and takes a lot of patience, care and understanding, but as they took care of us when we were small, I do believe it's in our duty that now we do our best to take care of them.
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