Helpful Tips For Elderly Care!

When helping with elderly care, show respect, compassion, and safety!

Helpful Tips For Elderly Care! NeedEncouragement.com

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Elderly care is a noble and rewarding task that anyone can undertake with the right mindset and training if they love elderly or disabled people. It takes more than just knowledge of medical procedures or physical assistance; it also requires genuine compassion for the person you are caring for. Half the battle is already won if you have the heart to help. The Golden Rule applies perfectly in this situation – treat your client or loved one another as you want to be loved. This approach benefits them and brings joy and fulfillment into your own life. As someone who has had the privilege of taking care of my mom during her final years, I can attest how fulfilling it is to make a positive impact on someone’s life through elderly care.

Here is a free phone app to connect elderly people with other elderly folks that have some experience with technology, with the purpose of conversations via phone app called GoldieTalk.com.

Love God ~ Love Others! I Have Learned The Best Way To Deal With All People Is To Love Them As You Would Want Them To Love You. As A Caregiver I Have Learned To Care For All My Clients In A Similar Way I Cared For My Mom ~ With Respect, Patience, Compassion, Mixed In With A Sense Of Humor! Elderly Care Is Valuable To Those Who Struggle To Care For Themselves!

So, if you ever find yourself in a position where you can help an elderly friend, neighbor, parent, or even a stranger that God places in your path, don’t hesitate! With proper training and empathy, being a caregiver could become one of the most rewarding experiences of your life! If you can treat the person you are giving care to the way you would want to be taken care of like I have done with all those I have cared for, such as Ben Hersh, my mom and dad, and all the others, that is the Golden Rule that will benefit everyone involved! I was blessed to be able to take care of my mom for the last eight years of her life. ~ Bill Greguska

Ephesians 6:2-3 “Honor your father and mother”—the first commandment with a promise— “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”

 

 

Elderly Care Is Another Way Of Showing Love And Respect!

Elderly care of our parents. Mom and I at McCarthy park. NeedEncouragement.com

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The Right Care ~ Right At Home!


 

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Our Parents Took Care Of Us When We Were Little!

That is why I felt that when my mom was in her 80s when my stepdad Charley died. There was no question that I would care for my mom as the primary caregiver for the next eight years. My mom clarified that she specifically, indeed, that she did not want to go into a nursing home. We worked things out by moving her back into her original house where I was living. Thankfully, my mom was very intellectually sharp, yet her body was breaking down from diabetes and asthma. My dad passed away in 1995 and struggled with Alzheimer’s and Dementia. Recently, I did a walk for Alzheimer’s to raise money to help end the terrible disease.

That is understandable if you can not care for your parents, but many good caregiver companies can help you with your aging parents. I am working at Right At Home Caregivers,” and I highly recommend them. If you care for an elderly loved one or friend, I can share the most important advice: “To take care of them as you want them to care for you.” This is the golden rule found in Luke 6:31  Do to others as you would have them do to you.

 


 

Elderly Care For Your Parents And Loved Ones!


 

A Few Tips On How To Care For An Elderly Loved One!Mom and I in the front yard after a walk. NeedEncouragement.com

  1. Treat the elderly as you would want to be treated someday.
  2. Be aware of who to call for information when needed.
  3. Have an awareness of their diet, medication, and limitations.
  4. Post emergency contacts, phone numbers, and addresses on the refrigerator.
  5. Check expiration dates on medications and foods. Properly dispose of all expired medications and food that are no longer good or needed.
  6. Understand the older person by getting to know them, asking questions about their life, and reminiscing about their past.
  7. Be aware that they have their habits and familiar ways and working around their needs.
  8. Have a flashlight by the bed in case of emergency.
  9. Always be respectful yet also have a sense of humor too.
  10. Do not promise something you can not deliver.

More Tips On How To Care For An Elderly Loved One!

  1. Clear pathways of clutter, loose carpeting, etc.
  2. Set healthy boundaries for everyone’s good.
  3. Make sure the chairs and recliners are safe and solid.
  4. Have safety precautions such as rails, ramps, and other basics.
  5. Consider getting a raised toilet seat. Use rubber mats in the bathtub.
  6. If you do not know something, contact the doctor, pharmacist, nurse, or whoever has the answers you need to help them.
  7. Try to think about what they like, dislike, love, and fear, and comfort them in any way you can.
  8. In your mind, be their bodyguard, meaning make sure they do not trip, fall, or get hurt.
  9. Mark the stove with tape or nail polish dials, especially the OFF position.
  10. Have fun with them and share parts of your life when appropriate, but do not weigh them down with your problems.

 


 

 


 

How To Care For An Elderly Person?


 

Below Are 14 Tips For Elderly Care At Home:

If elders stay home, you must prepare the house for them. However, most seniors prefer staying alone because they don’t want to burden their kids. In such cases where they plan to remain independent, you need to  do the following 14 things:

1. Make Changes In The HouseMom and I out to eat with our dog shirts on. NeedEncouragement.com

Making small changes in the house can save a lot of trouble. You can take care of the following –
  • Remove all kinds of extra cluttered furniture around the house that might make it difficult for your elders to move around freely.
  • Have grab bars near the toilet and the shower. I know they don’t look good – but they are a must.
  • Smoke detectors with vibrate or strobe lighting can wake seniors when conventional devices don’t.
  • Anti-scald devices for showers and faucets protect older skin and prevent severe burns. You can also set the water heaters at 120 degrees—to a “low” temperature.
  • Ensure all cables and wires are tucked away to prevent slips or falls.
  • Install non-skid mats, strips, or pads in the toilet, bathtub shower, and other slippery areas of the house.
  • Carbon monoxide detectors are suggested as older adults are at risk of even a low concentration of the deadly gas.
  • Make sure night lights are installed strategically around the house so that when your elders go to the bathroom or fetch water at night, they can find their way around.
You can add much more to the list for better elderly care at home, so do that in the comments section.

2. Keep Track

If your parents or elders are going to be alone at home, you need to make them comfortable and safe.
Some families use unique elderly care products at home that rely on strategically placed motion sensors to track sensors to keep track of their elders. No microphones or cameras are used, so the pry remains intact, and these sensors send an alarm or message if anything out of the ordinary occurs. If your parents are tech-savvy, a mobile phone would be ideal, or a website update every 2-3 hours would keep you less worried.

3. Hire Someone

Sometimes, the distances are far, and you cannot be with your loved ones or elders, even though you want to.
In such cases, you can hire a skilled professional that you can find from various agencies or places. They can help by being companions, helping out when your elders need them, or even taking them to the doctor in emergencies.
Thankfully, we can get paid help on our end, though we need to register them with proper identity proof before keeping them.

4. Cater For Expenses

You need to anticipate the expenses when caring for your elders who aren’t living with you. You must pay for a few services to maintain your health and independence.
These could include a helper or caretaker, if any, and the amount they would charge. It could also cover their health charges, routine check-ups, and daily expenditures if they depend on you.

5. Visit Them Often

The time you spend with your elders makes a difference to them as they look forward to being with you. Also, if you visit them, you will often know whether they are safe, living well, and emotionally sound. You can keep an eye open for any changes – like if the house is unkempt, unopened mail lying around, plants not watered, soiled clothes, any bruises indicating they had a fall, etc. Ensure your elders have good neighbors who can check in often—Health and Safety of elders. You must ensure your elders are healthy and safe; to do that, you must take specific measures.

 

6. Regular Exercise

It’s a well-known fact that if older people exercise regularly, they remain protected from diseases, making them functionally younger by 10 to 15 years. So, let them start with light exercises and something they can do, and later, they can take up more depending on their capability.

7. Be Careful With Medicines

Sometimes, your elders living independently might have to be supervised due to poor medication management.
They see various specialists but take prescriptions from a single pharmacist, who might need to be better and more trustworthy.
You must ensure that the prescribed medications have no side effects and don’t interact with other medicines.
Also, ensure that the pharmacist is honest and of repute, as sometimes they can repackage pills that shouldn’t be taken by making them look all new. Another critical point is to ensure your parents or elders don’t mix up their medicines, as this problem does arise with old age. Reasons could be many: poor eyesight, memory problems, sleepiness, or other health issues. Sometimes, I’ve seen my Dad take some medicines that he was supposed to take at a different time because he was preoccupied. You can label the medication and put them in separate drawers or compartments, making it easy for your parents or elders to find them.

8. Driving Problems

It’s tough to handle parents or elders at home and tell them not to drive. Especially once age catches up, you see they aren’t able to go as well as before. You can see the changes when their cognitive abilities begin declining, their reaction time lessens, their body stiffens, and their driving err. If your parents or seniors are told not to drive, some even become stubborn enough and refuse to listen to you. It’s best to sit and explain things to them, and if they remain adamant, suggest hiring a driver. Again, I’ve done the same for my Dad, even though he can drive – just being safe.

9. Stay Away From Scams

If your elders stay away from you, they are vulnerable to many scams. It could be anything from their telephone or mobile investments to their usage of credit cards. You should get your parent’s credit cards checked periodically and get to know if they haven’t landed in any scams. Don’t forget to keep track of their bills, too.

10. Talk About Finances

If your parents depend on you, it makes sense to have open discussions about the monetary aspects.
Be open with them, seek their advice, suggest your ways, and chalk out something that works best for both sides.
You should be frank enough to let them know how much you can offer and see if it fits well for you.

11. Documentation

Please complete all the paperwork beforehand. Like a power of attorney, just in case you need it if your parents or elders can no longer control their finances. It’s recommended that seniors add a second person with a detailed photograph, whether a friend or professional, who will also be there to keep a check on things. Similarly, let your parents make their will and keep it in safe custody with the lawyer or whatever they prefer. Your parents and elders also feel happier when all of this is done.

12. Get The Elders Involved

The best way to reconnect them with the world is to involve your elders in socially valuable activities. Now that they don’t have to manage kids or careers, most seniors like the opportunity to reach out and help others. With age setting in and their losses, many elders become isolated and lonely, while others suffer from depression.

Take care of your elders and ensure they stay connected with the rest of the world. They have years of wisdom to pass on to others. And they prefer doing this to sitting at home doing nothing or watching television. Your parents or seniors could also join voluntary programs or participate in educating those who need it – their way of helping others. Sadly, a few elders prefer remaining home, leading to unhappiness, depression, and other ailments. They feel they don’t have a purpose in life any longer. Life doesn’t end when they get old, which you must convey.


13. Make Friends

If you are busy and can’t take care of your parents and elders, it’s good for them to befriend people their age.
They can mix with others and visit clubs or join standard hobby courses. Walking together, playing games or cards, shopping, or talking can help your elders feel better. Remember, at their age – it’s the company they seek more than anything else. I see my mother-in-law in a similar situation and often wish I could spend more time with her. If they have lost their spouse, their life can be very lonely.

14. Sharing Meals

Your elders might need help preparing their meals or lose interest in cooking. It could be due to a lack of interest, depression, or other health issues. I read about congregate meals that often take place at senior centers. Such group meals are a lifeline for elders who can’t prepare meals. Moreover, they remain happy in the company of others in a similar place and situation. Everyone sleeps better when care givers work with the elderly in a way that honors them and watches out for their best interest.

 

 


 

How To Make Time For Yourself As A Caregiver?


 

Some Specific Scriptures To Encourage You:

1 Timothy 5:1-2 ESV 

Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.

Proverbs 23:22 ESV 

Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.

Psalm 71:9 ESV 

Do not cast me off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength is spent.

Proverbs 20:29 ESV 

The glory of young men is their strength, but the splendor of older men is their gray hair.

Proverbs 16:31 ESV 

Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life.

 


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