The baby boomer generation is now fast approaching its senior years. With more elders around, we need to stay aware of how to support and help them in the best manner. After all, they’re the ones who have raised the current generations and worked hard all their lives.
It can be hard to support senior citizens, especially if they’ve led hard lives and find it difficult to adapt. The tips below can be of help in such cases:
Start With Simple Goals
It can be easy for elderly folks to get overwhelmed by too many tasks or too complicated ones. Besides knowing their dietary needs, you need to fulfill their need for independence as well as foster a feeling of relevance within them. Remember, senior citizens are likely retired and don’t have a set of goals to accomplish every single day as young people do.
There are numerous activities for the elderly. Some tasks you can assign them include stretching a few times a day, working on a craft project they enjoy, or walking as much as they can. Be ready to facilitate them in any way they need it. Every small step needs encouragement, so acknowledge their efforts.
Affirm Their Identity
Again, freedom from their jobs and other routine work might make seniors feel empty and lost. Their children have flown the coop, and they simply don’t have too many responsibilities anymore.
You can fulfill their needs for emotional security and companionship here by simply affirming their identity in some manner. This could be as simple as sitting and listening to their stories. Even if they repeat themselves some of the time, this exercise could go a long way in establishing their relevance to themselves.
Of course, some individuals would need extra help in feeling like a person of importance. You’ll have to ensure that they get the medical and physical help they need, such as hearing aids Valencia offers or a self-propelled wheelchair.
Introduce Technology
For senior citizens to stay independent and secure in this ever-changing world, you should introduce them to new technology in some form. They might resist at first, but they must learn how to use a smartphone at the very least. Getting a good cell phone plan is really important so it’s worth shopping around.
One gadget that will go nicely with their smartphone is an Oticon hearing aid, whose cutting edge technology allows users to sync their devices and use these hearing aids to turn on the lights, activate their home alarm, and even get notified when their laundry is done!
In fact, many seniors might find online networking opportunities a great delight. They can look up old friends and stay updated on their circle much more easily this way. They won’t feel left out or cut off from the world quite so much.
Make Them Feel Needed
Along with affirming identity, see what you can do about getting seniors to use their time constructively. It’s all very well to sit them down in front of a jigsaw puzzle or the television. However, their need for feeling important will be fulfilled better if you give them some sort of function.
This can be tricky, as many seniors have limited physical movement available to them. You can start by asking them for advice on certain matters and have them help in making some decisions. This could be as simple as asking them what to make for breakfast instead of just serving it up. If they’re capable of it, ask them to teach a child a game from their own childhood or entertain everyone with a story.
Develop Coping Skills
As one grows older, they need to adopt some flexible skills to help them cope with a changing environment. These might include helping them break down their daily tasks and navigate their decision making.
The Takeaway
Having elders in our lives is a great blessing, but we also need to know how to handle this situation properly. Fostering positive relationships with senior citizens and caring for them are excellent skills to have. If we motivate and encourage them, we may enhance the quality of our lives as well as theirs.