Old and young women having fun in kitchen – Image Courtesy of Pexels

Most of us know someone who is getting older. And it’s a socially responsible thing to help an elderly relative, friend, or neighbor when they need it. Here are some easy ways to do so.

Offer to Help Prepare Meals in Advance

Even basic tasks can become troublesome when an older person has trouble getting around. Examples include making dinner, cleaning the living space, and using the bathroom. Hiring in-home care assistants for more delicate tasks such as getting in and out of bed or dignified bathroom assistance is best. However, if you are in regular contact, you can offer to prepare meals in advance, so they always have something to eat. For instance, you can make sandwiches to last a couple of days. Or open stubborn food cans for people with arthritis.

Ask About Their Access To Healthcare

As people age, healthcare can become an important service that they need access to. Ensuring they are able to seek medical care when they need it is crucial. A great step toward this is helping them find affordable health insurance for seniors mn, or in the local area. Financial protection can be a large factor in looking at healthcare providers, and insurance coverage, as elderly people tend to be on a fixed income. Knowing they have good coverage and necessary medical expenses taken care of, can give you both peace of mind when the need to utilize healthcare services arrives.

Ask if they Need Anything When You Go Shopping

Loss of mobility is one of the most common obstacles to the elderly. Your older relatives may not be able to get out and about as they once did. Perhaps they have a bad back, weak knees, or can no longer drive. In that case, getting groceries and essentials becomes a bit less manageable. However, it’s no big deal to ask if they need something when you are doing your own shopping. A couple of extra bags and minutes won’t kill you. And you will get great peace of mind knowing that your senior family member or friend has what they need to get on with life.

Help an Elderly Relative Stay Active

It’s a common misconception that the elderly simply don’t move. Although it becomes harder to do some of the things you did when you were younger, getting old doesn’t make you infirm. There are many physical and mental benefits to staying active when older. So, consider these:

• Take a walk around a local park with the kids and dogs. 
• Play brain training or physical video games such as Switch Sports.
• Attend local social events like dances, bake-offs, and festivals.

Getting out and about has many benefits, such as vitamin D from the sun, serotonin from exercise, and decreased stress from nature. Yet you can also help elderly relatives stay sharp with physical and mental exercise games such as those offered by Nintendo Switch.

Maintain any Required Aid Devices

The young and old alike often rely on devices for numerous things. For example, you might need glasses to see, hearing aids to hear, and frames for walking. Yet as excellent as aid devices are, they often become damaged, degrade or simply break. Some intricate devices, such as a hearing aid, might need a hearing instrument specialist to fix them. However, you can help prevent damage with maintenance. For instance, you can check hearing aids for dirt and debris and remove them with Q-Tips. And you can also check walking frames are safe to use.

Pop In, Call, or Text for Social Activity

According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, social acceptance is as vital as food and water. And being deprived of this can have disastrous results, especially for the elderly. The young and old alike are at a massively increased risk of severe conditions when left isolated and alone. For example, you could see an increase in depression and anxiety. But you can also experience much higher blood pressure and accelerated weight gain. Additionally, isolated older adults are at a much greater risk of dementia-related illnesses such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

Summary

You can help an elderly relative or neighbor when they need it most. Just a little spare time can help with meal preparation, staying physically active, and keeping up with social needs.