7 Ways To Be There For An Elderly Friend Or Relative – AD

*This is a paid partnership with Welbeing*

Growing old is an unavoidable part of life. As much as we don’t want it to happen, old age inevitably creeps up on all of us. We all have someone in our life who is elderly, be it a relative, friend or neighbour.  As much as these loved ones like to retain their independence, even if they won’t admit it, there are times where they need a little more help than they used to. Being in the care profession previously, you learn to respect the independence of an individual and to help them retain their dignity.

I have put together a list of 7 ways to be there for our elderly loved ones that help without interfering.
 

Let them know your schedule

Instead of asking them every time you pop out if they need anything, tell them, or write down your regular schedule. If you always pop into town on a Monday, or always have shopping delivered on a Saturday, let them know. This way if they would like a lift into town, or a bottle of milk from the shop, they are more likely to ask as they don’t feel that they are putting you out.
 

Ask their advice

A lot of elderly people have feelings of being irrelevant. Instead of just passing the time of day when you talk to them, why not ask their advice on something? They have been on this planet longer than you and quite possibly have the answer that you were looking for. Even if you don’t take their advice, at least they feel that they helped and have contributed.
 

Look out for new opportunities

How many times have you seen flyers or posters for groups that have no interest to you? Just because you are not interested in chess, why not take a flyer for your elderly friend? Find out what their interests and hobbies are. You never know, you may have more in common than you think, and maybe you could even join a club or visit a group together.
 

Show them new things

Our elderly neighbour is very much stuck in 1985 technology wise. We managed, however, to introduce him to Skype and he now has regular video calls with his family who live quite a few miles away. By giving a little of your time to show people something rather than just suggesting it can make the world of difference.
 

Keep in touch

We know only too well how little spare time we have each week. Allocating time to spend on the phone to elderly relatives can seem so difficult. A simple phone call though can remind people that they not alone and that they do have people that care about them. If it is an elderly relative, why not make up a rota with other family members to call on certain days. That way, you can ensure that there is regular contact and the responsibility is shared.
 

Give them peace of mind

It is not always possible to be with our elderly loved ones as much as we would like. A lifeline pendant could make life much more secure for the elderly person in question, as well as giving their loved one’s peace of mind. Choose a subscription and have the unit installed, if ever there is a problem, just press the button on the pendant and the emergency services can be called, or the control centre can call a loved one for them to go round. This gives security as well as allowing them to maintain their independence.
 

Offer to cook

Cooking a Sunday roast for one is not very practical, however, if your house is anything like ours, a family roast could easily stretch to another plate. Why not offer to take a roast dinner around when you cook yours? If you batch cook, you could also take portions round for reheating.

 

Help With Appointments

As we grow older we can obtain more ailments, meaning more appointments to attend. Help neighbours or friends out by offering a lift to appointments such as GP check ups, opticians, Moor hearing tests and so on.

Do you have an elderly relative or friend? What do you do to help them?

*This is a paid partnership with Welbeing*