If you have older loved ones in your life, you might worry that their lives are not as full and satisfying as they should be. This is a common concern and one that is perfectly valid: older people are less active, less social, and less happy than younger ones; or rather, they can be. However, it doesn’t have to be this way; there are many simple and easy ways in which you can ensure that your elderly loved ones have an amazing life. Read on to find out what some of them are.
Visit Them
This idea is so simple and yet often ignored as we are busy and generally exhausted. Yet, taking the time to regularly visit older loved ones is what can make their lives so much better. This is particularly true if they live alone, but even if their partner or spouse is with them (or someone else, such as a live-in carer or another family member), your visits will be important to them.
Whether you’re visiting them in their home or they live in a care home in Wimbledon, the point is the same: visit them as often as you can, and be present. If you’re keen to leave as soon as you get there, this will be noticed and will make the older person feel bad. Enjoy your time with them, and they (and you) will get the most out of it.
Help Them Feel Useful
No one wants to feel as though they are a burden or that their life doesn’t have any meaning anymore, and yet older people often feel this way. In some cases, this is because their family does everything for them. Although this will no doubt come from a place of love, the truth is that it can make the senior person feel bad.
It’s far better to have them help out around the house or go with you to do tasks and chores. Give them jobs to do so that they feel useful, and it will certainly improve their quality of life.
Chores can be anything from folding laundry to dusting or prepping food for dinner. It will depend on their mobility and their mental health condition as to what is appropriate. For example, it might not be wise to take someone with age-related cognitive ailments grocery shopping, but they will be able to fold towels or clip coupons.
Encourage Regular Physical Activity
Even mild exercise on a regular basis helps maintain the body and mind feeling balanced and optimistic. Physical benefits of exercise include improved strength and stamina, lowered blood pressure, better sleep, improved heart health, and a boosted immune system.
Therefore, one way to help an older loved one live a better life is to help them get this exercise. Whether it’s driving them to a class or going for a walk around the park with them, you can help ensure they stay as active as possible.
Keep Them Mentally Active
Reading, writing, solving puzzles like crosswords and sudoku, and playing other mental games are all excellent ways to keep your mind active and engaged. Being mentally alert and engaged is beneficial to an elderly person’s wellbeing, especially when it comes to preventing or delaying cognitive decline and mental health conditions.
When you visit, take some time to do puzzles and games together, and when you leave, give them some more to do in your absence. A little brain stimulation each day can go a long way.