We often take care of our seniors by making sure that they go to the doctor regularly and get the right treatment. However, we can overlook the quality of their life when we focus on the quantity. We must make sure that they are happy – the happier they are, they will have a more enjoyable life and a potentially longer life span. Here are some tips that you can follow to enhance their quality of life.
Outdoor Activities
When a person stays indoors for too long, they can experience cabin fever. It can make people feel restless, sad, and even make them less motivated and cause them to sleep more. Seniors can easily get a case of cabin fever if they are cooped up indoors for too long. You need to make sure that they get enough exposure to the outside world by encouraging them to do outdoor activities. Plus, it is a great way to make them stay active and alert. There are many ways you can get them to do more things outdoors, such as encouraging them to take a walk in the park or to tend to a garden.
Home Care
As much as we would like to be there for our seniors as much as possible, it is not realistic that we can be at home with them 24/7. However, it is dangerous to leave them alone for too long – they will feel lonely and may potentially need medical assistance. Therefore, you should find a family home health care in Michigan that could offer you the help you need. They have experienced home care providers that will attend to your senior’s needs and keep them company.
Family Visits
Other than having a companion at home, it is important that your senior relative feels connected to their family members. You can schedule visits with your family members so that they can catch up – you can space it out by asking each relative to visit at different days of the week. They do not have to stay at home to spend time together either. You can let your seniors go out with them to the mall, a restaurant, take a walk, run errands together, etc.
Mental Exercise
Other than staying physically fit and healthy, you must take care of your senior’s brain as well. It is easy for someone’s senses to get dull if they spend all their time in front of the TV. Therefore, you can engage their brain in stimulating activities such as word puzzles or Sudoku. You can also let them join a book club to get both mental stimulation and social interaction. It will also encourage them to keep staying stimulated, so they have something to say during their book club.
Treat Depression
Your senior may get depression from several things, such as clinical symptoms, medications, stressful situations, etc. Depression can increase the risk of cardiac diseases and heart attacks. Therefore, you must look for any warning signs of depression, such as loss of appetite. If you see any symptoms of depression, make sure you consult a medical professional immediately.
We must learn how to enhance the quality of life of our seniors. You can follow any of the tips above to do so.
