We all need help from time to time. Seniors are no different. Here’s what older adults need to thrive—and how their family members can help.
What Older People Need to Thrive
There is no single one way to support an older relative. However, a combination of the following types of support, customized to each person’s unique needs, can help improve quality of life.
1. Emotional Support
Social needs are an important part of overall well-being. To truly be in good health, one needs regular social interaction.
Exercise classes, religious services, game nights, cooking classes, and family dinners can all be great social activities for senior citizens. Even just a brief daily phone call can help provide seniors the emotional support they need to feel valued and loved.
2. Mental Support
Mental health is another important part of overall health; this fact is especially true for elderly people. Older adults are at unique risk of social isolation, which can lead to new or worsening mental health issues like depression and anxiety. Further, studies have shown a strong link between depression and dementia, with the presence of one strongly increasing the risk of the other in elderly individuals.
Ways families can support their aging loved one’s mental health include:
- Knowing the tell-tale signs of depression (social withdrawal, mood swings, excessive sadness, changes in appetite, etc.)
- Getting the older person professional help if mental health issues arise
- Practicing active listening techniques (asking questions, making eye contact, noticing body language, etc.) when speaking with the person
- Offering to help the person with daily tasks or errands
- Always including the senior in social activities
- Being patient and being present in the person’s life
- Providing mental stimulation to the senior in the form of games, engaging conversations, helping them learn new skills, and more
3. Physical Support
Physical health is another important part of overall wellness for older adults.
Physical support for seniors can come in many forms, including:
- Hiring in-home caregivers/personal care services to assist the senior with activities of daily living (ADLs) like bathing, toileting, or dressing
- Taking the senior to doctor visits and other healthcare appointments
- Encouraging the senior to practice good sleep habits like avoiding excessive naps, caffeine, and alcohol
- Reminding the senior to address any health problems, such as taking daily pills for managing heart disease, regularly doing doctor-approved pelvic floor exercises for incontinence concerns, or getting hearing aids
- Encouraging the senior to engage in regular physical activity, such as walking, swimming, or yoga
- Making changes to the senior’s home to reduce the risk of falls, such as installing motion-activated lights along walkways, putting non-slip mats in the shower, and adding grab bars near the toilet
- In some cases, encouraging the senior to downsize so that chores, upkeep, and bills are more manageable
4. Financial Support
Bills and expenses don’t stop with retirement. One of the most overlooked needs of older adults is financial support.
In practical terms, that can mean:
- Setting up two-factor authentication and other fraud prevention measures on the senior’s devices,
- Putting reminders in the senior’s calendar to pay bills on time,
- Setting up autopay for their recurring expenses, and
- Exploring funding options for senior care services, such as Medicaid, Social Security benefits, or long-term care insurance.
5. Assisted Living Transition Support
Many seniors want to live in their own home for as long as possible. With family support and professional in-home care services, aging in place can work for many individuals. When it is no longer safe to age in place, however, making the move to senior living can be the right choice.
Moving to an assisted living or other senior living community can be hard, even if it’s for the best. Ways to support a loved one making the move to assisted living can include:
- Talking ahead of time with the staff at the senior home to personalize the move-in plan
- Helping them pack their belongings or hiring professional moving services
- Being present on move-in day
- Visiting them regularly, especially during the first few weeks
- Bringing a thoughtful gift, like fresh flowers or a framed photograph
- Taking them out for dinner or other events
- Still including them in family vacations, if it is safe to do so
The needs of older adults are varied; while seniors need emotional, mental, physical, financial, and assisted living transition support, the way you provide that support should be tailored to what you know is best for your loved one.
Disclaimers: This article is for informational purposes only.