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Tag: senior care tips

4 Tips to Avoid Caregiver Pitfalls

Aging is a natural and inevitable development. As a person ages, their life experiences become a part of them, which makes communicating with the elderly and engaging in discussions with them an interesting matter. However, interacting with them must be done respectfully and strengthen the relationship between the two parties – seniors and caregivers. In this month’s blog, you’ll find some tips to avoid some caregiver mistakes and give your loved seniors the best care.

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Consider the Age Difference

The age difference is what dictates respect, attention to behavior and even tone of voice.

What to do: Talk to seniors in a calm, understanding, and honest manner about their needs and what you can offer them. Also, do not hesitate to seek help from a caregiver to provide further care. Especially if they suffer from a disease that prevents them from serving themselves, which is something you must fully understand and accept with open arms.

Related: learn more about how to choose the right caregiver here.

Keep Them Strong with a Healthy Diet

Keeping a healthy weight is worthwhile for seniors, so it’s important to follow the golden rule – provide them with healthy food rich in fiber and protein. In addition, if they are suffering from any disease that requires a special diet, it’s best to seek advice from a doctor or nutritionist.

Related: learn more about the healthiest diet for seniors here.

Talk With Them Regularly

Sometimes people forget that seniors get bored quickly. They might have less day-to-day interactions, so this could affect their mood or mental health.

What to do: Allocate time with seniors to have meaningful interactions. Including them in conversations and discussions can lead to better mood improvement and provide deeper connections.

Be Patient

Some elderly people may suffer from disorders that affect speech and comprehension. Memory can be affected by Alzheimer’s, so patience is one of the most important things to have. Moreover, please remember to be understanding of a senior’s medical status, as new symptoms may emerge or change.

 Related: Learn more how to cope with an Alzheimer’s patient here.

Conclusion

From having meaningful conversations to dietary changes, there are certain areas of a senior’s life that may need more attention. If you need professional and friendly caregivers in Wilmington, NC, look no further than Home Instead Senior Care. Visit our website or give us a call at (910) 421-2574 to learn more about our services.

Signs it’s Time to Hang up the Car Keys for Good

Sooner or later retiring your keys and driver’s license will be the right thing to do to ensure the safety of everyone on the road. For some that time will come sooner rather than later, and determining exactly when that is can be difficult for families and aging individuals to navigate. Below we discuss three major signs that may indicate it’s time for a driver to retire their keys for good.

Declining Vision

Regular trips to the eye doctor for up to date vision tests is the best way to definitively determine if it’s safe to continue driving. Each state has their own laws regarding the age at which seniors must visit the DMV in order to keep their licenses. Most DMV locations also offer convenient vision tests and refresher courses for individuals over a certain age.

Confusion

Regularly getting lost or confused while behind the wheel is a major sign one should no longer be driving, especially if it happens in familiar locations. Regardless if the individual has experienced any other signs of memory loss or early dementia, becoming disoriented while driving should always be taken very seriously.

Property Damage

An increasing number of dents, dings, scratches and scrapes on one’s vehicle may hint at difficulties with night vision, depth perception, or delayed reflexes. Regularly assessing the vehicle for damages can help determine how often these mishaps occur and if they become more frequent.

Final Thoughts

Ensure your aging loved one can always get around comfortably and safely with professional transportation services. Home Instead Senior Care is a nationwide provider of home care and safe transportation services that help keep the rhythm of everyday life in place with rides to the hair salon, grocery store, worship services and other events. Contact us at (402) 205-8492 for more information.