Changes will occur as your parents age. They might find themselves unable to do certain things that they used to do like bathing or maybe shopping for groceries. Add in the appearance of illnesses and they’ll surely need someone to accompany and assist them often. In situations like this, remember not to make any decision without consulting your loved one. If your aging father wants to stay at home instead of moving into a nursing home, grant his wishes. After all, it is still possible for him to receive the care and assistance that he needs in the comfort of his home through elderly care services in Chicago or anywhere in the US.
Aside from hiring elderly care services, there are several ways to help your elderly parent age independently. Here’s how:
Teach Him Online Shopping
Is your father finding it difficult to drive? If your father can no longer drive, then other parts of his routine like grocery shopping will be affected. You can help him by shopping for his groceries or driving him and accompanying him shopping instead. This task can also be assigned to his caregiver.
Another way of helping your father with his groceries is by teaching him how to shop online. Online shopping is prominent now and almost every shop in the country offers this kind of service. This way, your father can still shop for his groceries independently without having to wait in line at the store!
Rearrange the Furniture
It is likely that your father is finding it difficult to navigate around his house. In an effort to help him, try rearranging his furniture to make it easier for him to move around his home. Remove the things that might block hallways and make things harder for your dad to navigate the house. In fact, if possible, widen the pathways so that your loved one can move around freely.
Think about installing tools that would prevent your aging parent from falling or slipping down especially in wet areas of the house. Install grab bars in the bathroom and in hallways. Also, place rugs in the lavatory and other rooms with floors that can be slippery when wet. Consider placing ramps to make your father’s ascend up and descend down the stairs easier. Lastly, if your father often gets up at night, consult him about the installation of night lights to avoid accidents.
Assess Your Loved One’s Caregiving Needs
The slight loss of independence is part of aging. More often than not, your elderly parent will rely on you to do things such as going from one place to another or maybe cooking his own meals. Make sure to assess which activities your father needs help with. Create a list so that you know what to help him with. This list can also be used when crafting a care plan for your loved one. If you are going to hire elderly care services for him, you have to take note of the activities that your father needs help with to give the home care agency an idea of the services that needs to be performed.
You or any of your family members can help your aging father in fulfilling those tasks. However, it would still be better to hire a professional caregiver to perform those duties. Hiring a caregiver will eliminate ‘or at least lessen ‘ your worries for your father. Instead of attending to his needs, you can spend more time just enjoying your dad’s company and doing fun activities.
Aging independently might be a challenge for your father. Although with your help and support, it is possible! Follow the tips above to make your loved one’s stay at home comfortable and fun.
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