Caring for Aging Parents: 4 Effective Tips

There are more than 40 million unpaid caregivers for adults over the age of 65 in the United States. In this group of caregivers, 9/10 are providing care to a relative or parent. Why do so many people choose to provide free care to their loved ones?

For many families, this is the better option, as many seniors enjoy aging in the comfort of their own homes. If you’re caring for aging parents, then you’ll want to continue reading below. Here’s our guide on several helpful tips for caring for the elderly.

1. Create a Set Schedule

As your elderly parents begin to age, you may notice some confusion. This comes naturally with old age. If your parent suffers from dementia or Alzheimers, then it’s even more essential to create a daily schedule for them.

Use a whiteboard or a large calendar to write out who’s coming to care for them and at what times. You can also write out times for them to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner as well. This can help them stay on track and prepare for the day.

2. Store and Secure Medication

As your parent ages, they’ll most likely be given a variety of medications from their doctor to ensure proper health. As necessary for your parent to take these medications, you also want them to be safe. As your parent’s memory slips away from them, they could easily take more medication than needed, thinking they haven’t taken it yet when they have.

For this reason, you should store and secure medication out of reach from your parent. You can use a weekly medication separator to place all of their AM and PM medications in for each day of the week.

3. Keep Risk of Tripping Low

Your parent’s home is their safe place, and they shouldn’t be worried about tripping and falling while there. To eliminate the risk of tripping and falling in their home, you should install handrails near toilets and in showers. Remove all loose rugs or doormats.

Make sure all walkways in the home are wide enough for your parent to fit through with a walker if needed.

4. Introduce Them to Technology

Who says technology is for the young folk? Seniors are now finding more ways to enjoy using technology. Now is the ideal time to introduce them to a few features and help them learn how to stay connected.

For example, they can use technology to connect with other loved ones via video chat. You can show them how to easily order groceries online with needed as well. Read the full article on junipercommunities.com for more information on how seniors are benefiting from technology.

Caring For Aging Parents Starts Here

Have you recently made the decision to care for your aging parent? Caring for aging parents isn’t always an easy task. It requires a lot of patience, understanding, and love. If you’re ready to start caring for seniors, then be sure to keep all of these helpful tips in mind.

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