Supporting elderly parents with their independence is key to them continuing to live fulfilling lives. Each one of us is unique and independence means something different to us all. Age, health; mental and physical, lifestyle, and experiences all play a role in how independent a person is.
This blog post looks at practical ways in which you can support your elderly parents or relatives to help them live their best lives.
How active are your elderly parents? Do they take their medications at the right time? Are they eating the right things? Are they prone to falls? Do they refuse help?
Whatever has led you to this blog post, we hope you find it beneficial and take something away from it that you can use.
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Having open and honest discussions with your elderly parents about any concerns you may have is the most important aspect to all of this. Involving them in decisions maintains that level of trust and if they trust you, they’re more likely to cooperate.
The opposite is also true. If you try to make changes, however big or small, and didn’t talk to them about it beforehand, resentment could set in and they could become resistant to more changes in the future.
If things have become heated in the past, don’t give up. Come at it from a different angle. Explain clearly why you think this or that should happen and explain, by it not happening, how it makes you feel. If possible, have the conversation away from where you would normally discuss such issues, a neutral venue so to speak.
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Our elderly parents having a fall is a major worry. We can’t, nor would we want to, wrap them in cotton wool. Reducing the risk of a fall happening around the home and when they’re out and about is very much something that we can do though.
Here’s 5 things you can do today to help reduce the risk of your elderly parents falling. Don’t forget everything we just said about communication either.
Approximately a third of people aged 65 and over, and around half of people aged 80 and over, fall at least once a year. There are over 11 million people in England and Wales alone over 65 (Census 2021.)
Independence can take a huge tumble too when an older person falls down. Bones are more likely to break and we don’t heal as quickly. Adaptations may have to be made for them to continue to live in their own home or worse still, they may have to go into a residential home because they aren’t able to take care of themselves any longer.
People with Osteoporosis are more prone to a fragility fracture should they have a fall. Read our blog post – Living with Osteoporosis for more information.
Lots of elderly people need to get up in the middle of the night to go to the loo. Having a night light that emits a dim glow is a good idea to ensure they can see where they are going. If they find it difficult to get out of bed due to arthritis or stiff joints, consider an adjustable bed which will assist them in sitting up in bed as well as having a whole host of health and postural benefits too.
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Some older parents won’t need any encouragement at all to get active. In fact, some will put the rest of us to shame with the activities they undertake and maybe one day we will ask them to write a blog post on how to motivate the younger generation into taking more exercise…
Others need a gentle push in the right direction and that’s where you come in. Showing them you’re prepared to do whatever it is you are suggesting they do, will probably be encouragement enough.
Clearly, people will have varying abilities but you will know your parents better than anyone so choose the right activity for their level of ability.
Even if they are restricted to the amount of strenuous activity they can undertake, there is always something that can be done to raise that heart rate. Always consult a GP when introducing strenuous exercise into their daily routine.
Does your elderly parent find it difficult to get to their feet? Do their joints stiffen up when sat for too long? A riser recliner chair allows a person to get to their feet with ease, meaning they will get up more often, resulting in them getting more exercise.
Taking tablets is a necessary evil for a lot of elderly people. Some need to be taken first thing, lunch time, after food, with food, and at bed time. There’s even advice issued with some medication that states you have to remain upright for half an hour after you’ve taken it. Some tablets have to be taken multiple times a day while others only require a weekly dose.
It’s easy to get it wrong. There are practical things you can do to help them remember when to take their tablets.
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It’s no secret that eating a balanced diet is one of the main things we can all do to help maintain a healthy lifestyle. Supporting elderly parents to do the same isn’t as straightforward though. The most beneficial way is to lead by example. Living with your parents means you are likely to eat the same things anyway but it’s more difficult to encourage someone to eat the right things if you aren’t around at meal times.
Elderly people, particularly if they live alone, can see it as a lot of effort to prepare a meal just for them. They opt for convenience over nourishment and that can have a negative impact on their general health over time.
The line between supporting elderly parents and coming across as interfering is a delicate one. You only want what’s best for your parents and elderly relatives but it’s important to take their feelings into account whenever you’re trying to make changes to what you perceive as improving their lives. We are creatures of habit after all and even the slightest of change can be met with resistance. We hope you will be able to navigate your way through supporting them more effectively having taken the time to read our blog post.
