If you’re caring for your elderly loved ones, there are some things you need to stay on top of in order to make sure that they’re happy and healthy. But before you even begin to think about what kind of care they need, you have to assess where they’re at in this stage of life and if they’re still capable of being independent. There are also different levels of independence when it comes to getting old, so you’ll want to take that into account when caring for your loved one.
For example, they might not be able to shop for their own groceries, but they may still have the ability to prepare specific meals. Or perhaps your loved one may have difficulty with remembering to take their medication. It all depends on your family member and how much care they’ll need. Here are a few things you’ll want to stay on top of when caring for an elderly loved one.
Understand their level of care.
If your elderly loved one is still capable of caring for themselves, then you’ll likely only need to brush up on a few things. But if your family member experiences symptoms of Alzheimer’s, then you can’t expect yourself to take everything on for them. Understand the level of care that they need, realistically, and make sure to discuss it with all of your other family members. If their dementia is mild, then it may not be too difficult to care for them. But if they have severe cognitive decline and experience memory loss, then you’ll want the help of a professional care team.
Make sure to improve the safety of their bathroom.
Accidents like slips and falls are most common in the bathroom. Even if your loved one is independent, you’ll need to help them make daily life easy by installing grab bars or adding non-slip flooring to the home. It’s crucial to consider these factors in order to prevent them from getting severely injured.
Help them stay on track when it comes to appointments.
Your loved one will likely have a lot of appointments scheduled, such as doctor’s visits, dental services in West Michigan, or eye exams. Add their appointments to your calendar and make sure they have the means to get to their destination. Remind them when appointments are coming up, and help them prepare for any other responsibilities they might have that involve caring for their health.
Keep an eye on their medication.
As your loved one gets older, the number of medications they take every day tends to increase. This is just due to the natural aging process. It’s not uncommon for your health to decline or require more care just to function. But it could also be the case for elderly populations who develop chronic conditions or other diseases when they get older. Keep an eye on your loved one’s medication to see if they’re taking it regularly and when they’re getting refills. Look around for any pills on the ground they may have dropped. Skipping medication can worsen their symptoms.
Caring for a loved one can be tough once they reach a certain age. Some of your loved ones will need more care than others. And you always have to be prepared for any kind of emergency that may occur. Besides staying on top of the things listed above, you’ll also want to make sure that your loved one visits the doctor regularly and that they get treatment for any ailments sooner rather than later. It’s your responsibility to make sure they’re cared for and that they have a great quality of life regardless of age.
