What Is Needed to Ensure Comfortable Aging in Place?
According to the Nursing Home Abuse Center, there are 1.4 million Americans living in nursing homes. Only 15.5 percent of those individuals are younger than 65 years of age. The majority of them – 33.8 percent – are between the ages of 85 and 94. Naturally, many older adults require assistance with everyday living. However, with the coronavirus pandemic raging on, many Americans feel that nursing homes aren’t the safest places for their moms and dads.
This concern is coaxing many people to have their elderly parents live at home. But what is needed to ensure comfortable aging in place for seniors?
Encourage Plenty of Sleep
The importance of adequate rest should not be underestimated. At least seven to eight hours of restful sleep each night is required by people of all ages. But, as you can imagine, elderly adults genuinely need good night sleeps to feel rested and alert. Ensure that their sleeping quarters are comfortable and quiet. Also, make sure that they have quick and easy access to bathrooms. Getting up to use the bathroom is often a top hindrance to a restful sleep.
“There is really nothing that should hold you back from going to bed early,” adds AgingInPlace.org, “Quality sleep is very important. This doesn’t imply that you should sleep for twelve hours a day. But, you can make it seven or eight, depend on your preference.”
Put Your Family History on Display
One of the top reasons so many seniors prefer to age in place is because they cherish familiarity. Nursing homes can often feel foreign and even desolate. A family home, on the other hand, is filled with wonderful memories. Put these memories on display. Be sure to hang and prop up photographs that showcase your family’s history. It will go a long way in making your aging parent live a more enjoyable life at home.
“Think about images that evoke happy moments in your life—memories and funny moments you can look back on and laugh at yourself or a colleague,” suggests AgingInPlace.org, “We all have those memories; memories of high school or college. Memories that take you back to decades when you just joined your first company. Those are the great images you should display—the sort of photo that visitors would inquire about to which will strike up a conversation and stir the happy memory pot.”
Look Into Home Care Assistance
Taking care of an elderly loved one certainly isn’t easy. This is especially true if he/she contends with mobility issues and you have a job to attend to. Is home care assistance a requirement? Even if you don’t think it’s necessary to consult a professional, reach out to family members and friends to ask for their help whenever they may be available. You can’t be expected to do everything yourself!
“Is bathing, washing your hair, or dressing getting harder to do?” asks the National Institute On Aging, “Maybe a relative or friend could help. Or, you could hire a trained aide for a short time each day.”
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