Living with old people is in itself a very life affirming activity. They are wise and the advice that they can dole out to us due to years of experience of having actually lived out their lives is absolutely unmatched. But caring for the older members of our family can prove to be a tough task if the right kind of devices and help is not there to assist you at the right time. For the benefit of both the carer as well as the elderly, it is a good idea to invest in some digital products which can help them to live a much fuller and less dependent life in the long run.
In this article, we have listed down a few easy ways in which taking proper care of the elderly members of your family does not turn out to be uncomfortable in any way for either you or them. Even though they might be old now, who does not want to lead a dignified and an independent life, no matter which age you are or if you need assistance even for minimal mobility. So do make it a point to continue reading this article to find some unique nuggets of information about how you can take proper care of your old parents and/or your grandparents in an efficient as well as an effective way.
- Invest In A Good Walking Stick:
We young people may not understand the importance of having a good walking stick for the purpose of independent walking as elderly people do. But a good and comfortable walking stick is one of the main prerequisites for them to walk even short distances in a proper and easy way. Also, it becomes difficult to store these walking sticks in cramped spaces or may become a hindrance in the case of travelling. So it is a good idea, according to us, to buy a foldable smart walking stick for all the elderly people around you. Not only is it really good in terms of convenience but also keeps the old people entertained as it has an in built radio which may help to make their unassisted walks much less lonely. There is also the feature of an LED torch in here so that if there are any visibility problems, those can be mitigated through the use of this stick. Moreover, there is also the provision of setting up an SOS signal that the person using the walking stick can push to receive immediate help. This feature is particularly useful in the case of any kind of an emergency.
- Buying A Sphygmomanometer For Them:
Most of the older population of the world suffers from some kind of heart disease or even hypertension most commonly. So it is a good idea to get them either an aneroid sphygmomanometer or an LCD sphygmomanometer. What this helps in doing is to take their blood pressure on a regular basis which can help them in understanding any potential health problems that may come to plague them in the near future. The reason why we are suggesting a sphygmomanometer instead of a digital blood pressure machine here is as they may not be very comfortable in taking their vitals on a digital device, even though it is more convenient and easier to use. It is anyway a difficult and a nearly impossible task to convince older people to change their ways so it is a better bet to get them this device so that they do not nurse any apprehensions about how to put the digital one to use.
- Spending Time With Them:
Nothing gives old people as much happiness as their offspring or their grandchildren spending good quality time with them. But the truth about most of the young people’s lives is that there is always paucity of time. We are always rushing to finish some task or the other, all day and everyday. This leaves us with little to no time at all left to spend with our older family members. While this fact may not affect us in a big way, it does matter to them a lot. Being left alone a lot can push them into a depressive state which can be extremely detrimental to their health, both mental and physical.
- Taking Them To The Doctor For Regular Check-Ups:
Old people require more care than younger people as they are much more susceptible to infections and diseases due to their reduced immunity levels. So the onus to take them for regular check ups every few weeks or months to medical facilities rests on us, their younger family members. This will help to detect any early signs of dangerous diseases and proper care can be given to them accordingly to prevent dire circumstances later.
- Keeping A Check On The Food That They Are Eating:
It is a good idea to monitor the portion size of every meal that you tend to give to old people as most elderly people suffer from the deficiency of some or the other nutrient or even a common but serious disease like hypertension or diabetes. So it is better if you regulate what all nutrients are there in their every meal and what needs to be added or subtracted to/from their meal to help them live a much healthier life which is largely free of major diseases.
- Giving Them Puzzles To Solve:
Humans tend to lose their memory as their age advances and this can prove to be dangerous as it may also mean the onset of diseases such as alzheimer's or dementia. While one can never really stop the complete onset of these diseases but their effects can be delayed by a lot of years through the use of puzzles or other activities which can keep the mind engaged, active and sharp for longer. Giving them at least one puzzle a day like a Sudoku or a Crossword can really make a huge difference in this regard.
Let us know if any of these points helped you in understanding how to look after the elderly people around you in a much better way.