Emotional and physical changes are common as people age, and they can lead to behavioral issues in the senior years. The way family caregivers respond to the changes in behavior can either make caregiving more challenging or calm the situation. Here are some of the things you can do to manage your senior loved one’s behavioral changes.
Offer Encouragement
When your loved one’s health continues to decrease, he or she may become discouraged with life and want to give up. Keep your loved one’s spirits lifted, even on difficult days, by encouraging him or her to make healthy lifestyle changes. The foods your loved one eats and the types of physical activities he or she participates in could boost his or her mental, physical, and emotional health.
Explain to your loved one that there will be bad days, but with faith and healthy lifestyle choices, he or she can increase the odds of having better days. Remain encouraging at all times, regardless of the situation.
If your aging loved one needs help managing everyday tasks or encouragement to adopt healthier lifestyle choices, turn to Senior Stride Home Care, a leading provider of home care. Senior Stride Home Care provides professional in-home caregivers around the clock to help seniors live longer, happier, and healthier lives.
Be Understanding
Memory often decreases with age, making seniors susceptible to confusion, disorientation, and forgetfulness. Cognitive decline indicates your loved one may be developing dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, and these chronic conditions can cause poor judgment and difficulty with speaking and basic comprehension.
If your loved one has memory lapses, remain calm and understanding. Take your loved one to the doctor to have testing done and determine what’s causing the loss of memory. You can also simplify daily tasks without making your loved one feel embarrassed or ashamed.
Promote Independence
Receiving help from family members and friends can be difficult for some seniors, causing them to lash out and resist care. Many older adults dislike the idea of having someone in the home to provide daily assistance. Remember your loved one is going through mental and physical challenges each day, and these changes can be overwhelming.
You can make the caregiving process easier by allowing your loved one to do as much as he or she can independently, only stepping in when assistance is necessary. You should also consider using professional home care. Professional caregivers know how to incorporate daily changes that make seniors feel like they’re still in control.
Some seniors only require help with a few daily tasks so they can maintain their independence. However, those living with serious illnesses may need more extensive assistance. Luckily, there is professional live-in care Oshkosh, WI, seniors can rely on. Home can be a safer and more comfortable place for your loved one to live with the help of an expertly trained and dedicated live-in caregiver.
Increase Social Interaction
The loss of loved ones, a bad diagnosis, or lack of independence could cause seniors to become sad and depressed. Instead of participating in social and physical activities, seniors tend to isolate themselves, causing their stress and anxiety levels to increase. Sadness and isolation are common behavioral changes that could lead to serious health conditions such as strokes, heart attacks, rapid weight loss, or excessive weight gain.
To manage sadness, encourage your loved one to remain socially active. If your loved one refuses to go out of the home, invite friends and family members over to provide the social interaction and companionship he or she needs.
Not every senior has the same care needs, which means they don’t all need the same type of senior home care. Oshkosh families can rely on Senior Stride Home Care to provide individualized care plans to meet their elderly loved ones’ unique care needs. Our holistic Balanced Care Method was designed to help seniors focus on healthy lifestyle habits such as eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and maintaining strong social ties, and our Cognitive Therapeutics Method offers mentally stimulating activities that can boost cognitive health and delay the onset of dementia. Reach out to one of our dedicated Care Managers today at 920-717-1767 to learn about the high quality of our in-home care services.