Try These Simple Ways to Promote Independence in Seniors

In a previous blog post, we stressed the importance of overcoming the impulse to do everything for an older loved one, and as much as possible, promoting independence in seniors. While this is certainly easier said than done, there are some steps you can take towards reaching this goal. The experts at professional home care services, Home & Hearth Caregivers, suggest the following:

• Encourage the senior to do things for himself, even if you’re met with feelings of reluctance or stubbornness, and even if tasks take longer than you’d like.
• Provide ample opportunities for activities and exercise. The senior’s physician can help by recommending an appropriate exercise plan – and Home & Hearth Caregivers can help provide any needed transportation to make getting to an exercise program easy.
• Ask before taking over any tasks. It’s natural to want to jump immediately into helping mode when you see a loved one struggling to accomplish a task, but before you do so, ask the person if help is needed. It could be that the senior just needs a little more time to complete the task on his or her own.
• Look into assistive devices such as medication reminders, products to help with specific conditions, and gadgets to make everyday activities such as opening jars or holding utensils easier.
• Let the senior manage some activities that you know he is capable of handling, such as washing up or walking a few steps without help. It’s important to remember that even if you have to help a little or provide supervision for safety purposes, small activities like these can still provide a sense of accomplishment and independence in seniors.
• Assist with installing home safety adaptations such as bathroom grab bars, hand rails, adequate lighting, home accessibility and with modifying furniture placement as needed. A personal care agency, such as Home & Hearth Caregivers, can help with this as well.

For more recommendations on helping maintain independence for your senior loved ones, improve sense of self-worth, and enhance overall quality of life, call on Home & Hearth Caregivers. We work together with families to help foster independence in seniors, and we would love to talk with you about how we can help your loved one as well. Serving seniors throughout Cook, DuPage, Will, Lake, Kane, McHenry, and DeKalb counties in Illinois, we’re just a phone call away. Call us at 800-349-0663 to find out how we can help promote a safe, independent lifestyle for your senior loved one.