No doubt, we all love our seniors, and we want the very best for them. But how do we keep them safe and comfortable, especially amid a pandemic? Safety and comfort are some of the major concerns when taking care of seniors. But you don’t have to worry yourself much; TrueBlue of Sugarland is here to help. Their Age Safe Certified professionals will help you develop safety modifications like stair rails, bathroom remodels, grab bars, etc., to ensure your aging loved ones are safe and can comfortably move around.
In this article, you will learn how to take great care of seniors with ease. Read on!
1. Keep the environment clean and friendly
To maintain the good health of your aging loved ones, the first thing you should do is ensure that their house and environment are very clean. Ensure you regularly disinfect the whole home area to kill any bacteria.
Since most seniors have people taking care of them and keeping them company, it is obvious that many places in the house, including the doorknobs, washroom doors, light switches, cookers, and refrigerators, are often touched. To avoid coming into contact with the bacteria, you need to clean those places regularly. Generally, make sure that your place is clean throughout. Also, you should avoid sharing food and other sensitive items. The reason for this is to reduce the risk of spreading bacteria.
Due to the pandemic, many people are not welcoming visitors. It can be risky but at least make your elders meet with people. All you need to do is exercise caution(ensure your seniors are masked up and often sanitize to kill any virus they might contact). Remember, the elders’ immune system is usually low; hence they can easily be infected with any disease. Ensure that the visitors wash their hands thoroughly, wear a face mask and keep social distance.
2. Keep them company
Have you ever been alone for a long time in your house? Did you feel lonely and isolated? That’s what the aged go through when you leave them alone. You need to avoid this at all costs and make them feel wanted and loved. The best thing you can do is to keep them company. If you are unavailable, you can hire a good caregiver for them. However, remember to keep in touch with them most of the time. You can always spare some time and communicate with them through calls or even video calls to assure them you’re there for them.
When you get some time with them, try doing some activities they like. Share stories with them about the sweet memories you have, play easy games with them, do the house chores they love like washing utensils, baking, and gardening with them.
Know that the elders are looking upon you. Assure them that you are always there for them. This will make them feel they indeed belong there.
3. Provide them with a healthy diet
The more a person grows old, the weaker their immune system becomes. To keep them strong, they must feed on a balanced diet.
The best meal for the aged is unprocessed and fresh foods and fruits. This is because vegetables and fruits provide the body with the required vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
A healthy balanced diet saves them from the risk of getting attacked by diseases that mostly affect the elderly, like diabetes, high/low blood pressure, and coronary conditions. Ensure that the meal consists of starch, proteins, vitamins, and fruits. Also, remember to keep junk, fatty, or salty food away from them.
When preparing the meals, practice proper food hygiene using the following tips.
- Always use safe and clean water
- Wash your hands before you start cooking
- Make sure that all the utensils to be used and the whole kitchen is clean
- Wash your vegetables well beforehand
- Cook the food thoroughly
- Always keep the cooked food at the right temperatures.
Furthermore, you know that water is life. Make sure your elders drink enough water. When the weather is cold, give them warm water to protect them from cold flu.
4. Let them do some exercises
Exercising is vital for keeping the body fit, even for the elderly. Your senior can do exercises like moving, stretching, and yoga when they are at home. Also, if they are in good health, they can lift light objects to keep their muscles strong.
Adequate sleep is another essential exercise for seniors. When they get at least 8hours of sleep, they will be very strong and relaxed.
The pandemic will not last forever, but you need to take extreme care of your seniors to keep them safe. You should also monitor their health frequently, and when you notice they are unwell, don’t hesitate to take them to the hospital.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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