Small Ways to Make Life Easier for the Elderly at Home

By Eric Hamilton

May 15, 2021 04:09 PM EDT

Small Ways to Make Life Easier for the Elderly at Home(Small Ways to Make Life Easier for the Elderly at Home) (Credit: Getty Image)

It's important to remember that the elderly are still living, breathing people who deserve to be treated with dignity. They're not fragile creatures incapable of doing anything for themselves anymore. The best way we can help them is by making their lives easier and more manageable in all aspects of life - including at home. 

Here are some small ways you can make life easier for the elderly:

Install a handrail on the stairs for easy access

Loss of balance and diminishing strength are the marks of old age. It takes a lot of energy to move and it is even more complicated where there is a staircase. A rail on the stairs will help your elderly parent feel safer and in control when moving. Handrails are necessary forthe elderly In Home Care as a safety precaution.

Put up pictures of family members and loved ones 

Pictures are the best conveyors of past joys and achievements. Assembling a collage of pictures that capture the family members in their highs and lows will help your elderly parent feel at home and proud of bringing up a happy family. Also, they add color and bring life to the house.

Add lighting fixtures to all rooms to increase visibility

The elderly experience vision loss or deterioration over the years. Without proper lighting, your loved one is at a high risk of falling and injuring themselves. Good lighting with accessible controls make the home safer and movement from one part of the house to the other much easier.

Clean out closets and drawers

Nobody likes to deal with clutter. It is even more difficult for senior citizens to maneuver their way in a disorganized house. Take your time and declutter closets and drawers so that they don't have to rummage through piles of clothes to find what they're looking for

Clean up after yourself 

Whether you live with your elderly parent or only visit occasionally, it is good practice to clean after yourself.  Don't leave dishes in the sink or dirty clothes lying around, as this will only add more stress to your grandparent and make it harder for them to cope with cores. It is selfish and inconsiderate to leave a mess in a senior citizens' home.

Keep track of medications and dosages 

Chances are your loved one is already on medication for various conditions common with the elderly. It helps to note down all the medicines and their dosages. This can prevent any case of confusion by family members or caregivers. Also, ensure that your loved one takes the medication as required.

In the end, it's not about what you spend on your home to make life easier for an older person living there. It's about how much love and care you put into making a safe environment where they can live out their golden years with dignity. We hope this list of small improvements has given you some ideas to start putting together to create that space for your loved one or aging parent. 

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