Nobody likes to feel as if they’re a burden on the people that they love or that they cannot do the things that they need and want to do. Those feelings can be even bigger for aging family members who know that their lives are changing. If this is something that your elderly family member is going through, it can help a great deal for you to understand why independence is so important for her and how you can help.
Your Senior Stays Involved in Community
Having a purpose and knowing where she fits into the community is more important for your senior than even she might realize. Staying as independent as possible helps her to have the energy to stay in contact with neighbors and socialize when and where she wants to. No matter how much or how little she does in the community, that’s an important factor for your aging adult.
She Helps Her Memory to Stay Strong
The brain is just like every other muscle in your elderly family member’s body. If she’s not using her brain and her memory, she’s much more likely to lose its abilities. When she’s doing as much as she can for herself and for others, your elderly family member’s independence is helping her memory and her brain to stay as strong as possible.
She Helps Her Body to Stay Strong
By continuing to do as much as she can, your elderly family member also works to keep her body stronger. It’s when your senior stops walking and stops moving around that she gradually starts to lose muscle function. That drive for independence is often what keeps seniors going physically, even when exercise isn’t on the table for her.
Her Routines Give Her Day Structure
Another aspect of being independent is that your elderly family member is sticking with her daily routines. Routines work so well for aging adults because they offer structure that is necessary. Each activity flows into the next and throughout the course of the day your elderly family member is able to meet all of her needs.
She Can Have Independence and Help, Too
Sometimes the problem is that how your senior defines “independent” makes her believe that she’s not truly maintaining her independence at all. Having a little bit of help from 24-hour home care providers does not take away from your senior’s independence. If anything, help from elder care providers ensures that your senior is safe and assisted while she is asserting her independence. By making 24-hour home care services available to your senior, you’re giving her a way to ensure that she’s able to continue doing all that she can for herself while in her own home, on her own terms.
If you’re worried about your senior trying to do too much herself or losing some of her independence, talk with her about what she’s experiencing. The solution might be as simple as bringing in caregivers to offer her a little bit more help while she goes through her daily activities.
If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring 24-Hour Home Care in Greer, SC, contact Heart of the Carolinas Home Care at 864-991-3116. Providing Home Care Services in Greenville, Simpsonville, Greer, Anderson, Spartanburg, Mauldin, Seneca, Laurens, Charleston, Columbia and the surrounding areas.
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