Tag Archive: senior’s life

Having parents who are too old, sick, and unable to take care of their selves are among the major problems adult children face, especially when their parent does not want to live in a nursing home. Time, effort and dedication are needed to be able to make their lives more comfortable and safe during this time. Though many children would consider getting a caregiver to take care of their parents, some still opt to do the caring on their own, even if the parent or parents decide to live in a separate house. If you are one of those who has an elderly parent to take care of, you might want to read the following tips to help you with the process.

Safety

Whether the parent is staying with your or not, you have to check the house for safety. Check all possible hazards that could be the cause of injuries such as slippery rugs, furniture that is on the way, stairs, and more. Make sure that the house is safe for your parent to move around even if he or she is alone in the house. Install some helpful devices such as smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. Also, put some grab bars in the bathroom and some other places in the house. It would be wise to use non-slip rags and pads on floors, especially in the shower.

Accessibility

Putting your parent’s room on the second floor of the house or in a room that is difficult to access might be a bad idea. Going down the stairs and finding ways throughout the house could be difficult for an elderly. Also, make sure that telephones, monitors and other forms of contact to members of the family or emergency team are accessible and easy to use. Although you have already made sure that your parent is safe even if she’s alone in the house, you still can’t predict when emergencies can happen.

Comfort

Some children expect their parents to stay in bed the whole day. But, that is close to impossible unless the parent is bed-ridden. That is why, it is vital to ensure comfort to your parent wherever he or she is in the house. Replace some chairs in the kitchen to make it easier for an elderly to sit with ease while dining. Invest on some great lift chairs from Lift with Style. And also, a cozy chair out in the patio for when he or she wants to have some fresh air.

Enjoyment

Some entertainment devices in the house like TV and radio, or even the computer, can give a bit of enjoyment to old people. However, that enjoyment might turn into some boring routine if it’s the only thing they do every day. Schedule some time to take your parent out for some walk or even some nice dinner in a restaurant. Arrange some programs for him or her to join in and meet other people, too. You might want to check with your community on some special activities that elderly people can do in the area.