Seniors can sometimes lose their sense of purpose as they age. Your aging loved one may worry he or she is becoming irrelevant after retirement, or a new health condition may cause a loss of independence. Using these strategies can make it clear to your loved one that he or she is valuable to your family and the community.
1. Give Your Loved One a Regular Chore
Staying in their homes helps seniors maintain their sense of purpose simply because they have to do more things for themselves. Although your loved one may need assistance from a caregiver, there are still things your loved one can help with. For instance, your loved one may be capable of folding towels while sitting up in bed, or he or she might really enjoy the warmth of the water while washing dishes. Find something your loved one does well and make it his or her usual daily responsibility.
2. Provide Adaptive Devices
Seniors who have lost some of their abilities may feel useless. Finding ways to overcome new challenges can restore your loved one’s self-esteem. Your loved one can use dressing aids to put on his or her shoes or button up a shirt. Being able to do certain things themselves feels good for seniors who are still adapting to the changes that come with aging.
Seniors who want to remain healthy as they age can benefit in a variety of ways when they receive professional at-home care. Assisting Hands Home Care is here to help your loved one accomplish daily tasks, prevent illness, and focus on living a healthier and more fulfilling life.
3. Ask Your Loved One for Advice
Older adults can feel obsolete as they watch the world change around them. While they may not always know about the latest technology, they still have a lot to share. Ask your loved one how to fix a broken doorknob or bake a cake from scratch. Then listen to your loved one’s advice carefully and thank him or her for helping you learn how to do something new.
4. Get Your Loved One Involved with Other People
Your loved one also needs to know he or she is useful to people other than you. Seniors have lived through enough experiences to be great at helping teenage grandkids get through friendship problems or learn how to prepare for job interviews. Aging adults may want to serve as tutors to younger kids who need help with homework, or your loved one might be just the right person to take in a shelter pet. Being helpful to others can renew your loved one’s sense of purpose within the community.
For families living in Fremont, respite care can be a wonderful solution when their aging loved ones need companionship and socialization a few hours a week or just need minor assistance with daily household tasks. At Assisting Hands Home Care, we thrive on helping seniors maintain their independence while living in the comfort of home.
5. Remind Your Loved One of His or Her Value
Adults of all ages can sometimes feel useless when they think no one notices what they bring to the world. Let your loved one know he or she is helpful to your family by complimenting the things he or she does. You can also write your loved one a letter or give him or her a card. You might even let your loved one overhear you singing his or her praises to another caregiver. Making it clear you notice your loved one’s contributions can encourage him or her to continue to do more things independently. If you have a senior loved one who needs help maintaining a high quality of life while aging in place, reach out to Assisting Hands Home Care, a leading provider of home care Fremont families can trust. Our caregivers help seniors focus on healthy lifestyle habits such as eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and maintaining strong social ties, and we offer mentally stimulating activities that can boost cognitive health and delay the onset of dementia. For reliable in-home care services, contact us today.
