The bonds seniors have with their caregivers can enhance the overall quality of care and make it more enjoyable to spend time together during the day. Making sure seniors have good relationships with their caregivers also provides a few benefits that directly impact their physical, emotional, and mental health.
Identify New Health Conditions Early
Due to the close contact caregivers have with seniors every day, they’re often the first people to notice when something’s wrong. Caregivers who are attuned to seniors’ personalities and behaviors will often notice things like increasing memory lapses and mood swings faster than nonprofessionals. This allows the symptoms to be reported early enough for your aging loved one to have the chance of a better prognosis.
Promote Independence & Dignity
Caregivers and seniors who truly care about each other will go about their daily routines with a focus on making sure everyone is happy. Caregivers will be more likely to use strategies that increase your loved one’s dignity, and your loved one will work harder to be independent as a result. Words of encouragement, gentle requests, and gestures of appreciation are all things caregivers and seniors use to make each other’s day better.
When considering in-home care, families should make sure their senior loved ones have the resources they need to maintain their independence and remain healthy. Trusted in-home care professionals can assist seniors with daily tasks like cooking, bathing, and exercise, and they can also encourage them to focus on healthier lifestyle habits.
Enhance Social & Emotional Wellbeing
When two people spend a lot of time together, it’s important for them to like each other. Caregivers often share meals, venture out into the community, and spend time doing things like reading with seniors during the course of a day. Having a strong relationship makes these activities enjoyable, and seniors who enjoy the opportunities for socialization have a decreased risk of depression.
For families living in Columbia, respite care can be a wonderful solution when their aging loved ones need companionship and socialization a few hours a week or just need minor assistance with daily household tasks. At Assisting Hands Home Care, we thrive on helping seniors maintain their independence while living in the comfort of home.
Encourage Compliance with Care Strategies
Stubbornness is a trait seniors sometimes display when they feel like their caregivers are unfair or unkind. However, refusal to comply with his or her treatment or care plan places your loved one’s health at risk. Fostering a strong relationship with a caregiver can get your loved one more interested in following along with the daily routine. In fact, seniors who like their caregivers experience fewer illnesses and injuries simply because they’re motivated to maintain their health and strive for longevity.
If you have a senior loved one who needs help maintaining a high quality of life while aging in place, reach out to Assisting Hands Home Care, a leading provider of home care Columbia families can trust. Our caregivers help seniors focus on healthy lifestyle habits such as eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and maintaining strong social ties, and we offer mentally stimulating activities that can boost cognitive health and delay the onset of dementia. Contact one of our experienced Care Managers today to learn more about our reliable in-home care services.
