8 Tips To Take Care Of An Elderly Parent At Home

I realized just the other day that the table had turned and now I had to look after my elderly parents. This made me think of ways in which I can make their life comfortable living with me.

Here go the 8 tips of looking after elderly parent/parents:

1)    Realize that your parents may be old, yet they are human beings that have their own likes and dislikes; make sure you ask them what they like to eat and include those food items in your grocery list.

2)    Spend quality time with elderly parents at home; play board games with them or read to them. It would be best to get them books they love to read from the local libraries or get them a Kindle to download books they like.  Getting them a radio to listen to music and the news would help. Encourage your children to talk to their grandparents and sing and dance for them. It would also be great if you could take them for rides/visits to their friends whenever they wish to brighten their entire day.

3) Empathy is the keyword when it comes to listening to elderly parent/parents at home; listen patiently to their aches, pains and complaints. You cannot cure them, but your patient listening helps them.

4)    Laugh with them, cry with them and when you get mad let it all out; this would make them feel like they are in the same family as you; most elderly parents cannot take bottled up feelings and abuse, but would gladly take and forgive you for blowing off steam. 

5)  Most of us love to be told that we are loved and appreciated; elders at home are no exception. Reassuring them daily that they are loved, appreciated and useful would bring great joy to them; it would also help to thank them for all the wonderful things they did to you in your life.

6)   All of us need our own personal space to feel good; our elder parents at home are no exception and would love to have their own room with a bed, a TV and phone. It is also necessary to make sure there is a chair and table in the room that they can call their own; this chair could be used to sit on to write at the table or near the window to look out.

7)    I can never forget the happiness in my mother’s eye when I ask for her advice or opinion; this would not only help make them feel that they are still cared about. Also sometimes their opinion or advice could be right and good for us.

8)    Do not just go about your work, but take elderly parent’s help also; this will make them feel included in the family, experience the joy of being a parent and useful.