Everyone wants to be independent. From early childhood when we say, “Let me do it!”, to our teen years when we want the car keys to drive ourselves to school, or in our adult years when we want to own our own home, and in our golden years when we want to stay in our home and care for ourselves.
No one wants to leave their home and have to live in an institution, whether it be an assisted living facility or a nursing home. Familiarity and friends are left behind, and a home where so many memories were created. We must begin over again and learn a new environment and a new daily routine.
Fortunately, in-home care has blossomed, and more seniors can stay at home much longer than in the past. What was once a luxury only for the wealthy has become much more accessible for more people. Thanks to home health care, many aging adults are able to enjoy living at home longer. The industry has made it possible for seniors to maintain both their independence and dignity, and they’re remaining healthier longer and are happier.
Let’s look at four ways that home care continues to promote independence in the elderly.
1. Physical Activity
Many seniors are healthy enough to enjoy activities that have brought them pleasure for years. Walking, dancing, gardening, swimming, and other fun ways to exercise are still things many seniors can do.
Home health aides encourage and help seniors to engage in physical activity. They help establish a schedule and routine, which ensure that physicians’ guidelines for a set amount of weekly movement are met. In addition, home health aides are there to offer assistance if the older adult has any type of injury or emergency.
2. Socialization
Everyone loves to have friends and share life with. Over time, seniors build a social circle of friends they’ve had for a long time, as well as new friends they meet at events and places like community centers. They love to play cards together, do arts and crafts with a group, or just sit and chat over coffee.
A home health aide is a companion that a senior can do all of these things with if they’re no longer mobile enough to be out and about, and a home health aide can help seniors with things like Zoom calls and social media that keep them connected with friends and family. Not only does this benefit them emotionally, but research has shown that socializing slows the development of memory problems.
3. Mental Stimulation
Being in the company of a home health aide is mentally stimulating for seniors. They get to share memories, talk about their friends and loved ones, and laugh more often. They also enjoy getting to know their home health aide, who, over time, can become someone they can trust and share life with.
Additionally, home health aides make great companions. They’ll play games that are favorites of the senior, like checkers, chess, and cards. They’ll read together and talk about what they’ve read. This reading and discussion are helpful with maintaining cognitive abilities for the senior.
4. Emotional Well-Being
Another benefit of home care is seniors feel better about themselves and others in their home setting. An isolated senior is an unhappy senior. The simple things in life like a walk with a companion or a sympathetic ear help them feel connected with someone who cares, which is good for their attitude towards life in general.
Reliable In-Home Care That Promotes Senior Independence
Our well-trained and carefully screened caregivers help seniors stay at home and maintain their independence. They can provide daily living assistance services for personal care, respite care, nursing care, companionship care, Alzheimer’s, and dementia care.
With offices in Palm Beach, Miami-Dade, and Broward Counties, Dependable Senior Care is your family trusted provider for senior in-home care in South Florida. To learn more now, or to schedule an initial consultation, please visit www.dependableseniorcare.com.