As humans advance in age, their needs gradually change along with it. There are some things that they are less than capable of doing now, and that adds up to the number of needs they have.
From physical and emotional to technical and financial, are amongst some of the most common needs that seniors need help within their golden years.
Here are 9 things seniors need help with. By showing these needs, hopefully, the people around them can help them access these seemingly essential yet straightforward daily essentials.
Aging at home
Even in the comfort of their homes, seniors can have some difficulties that can make their stay less than optimal. In fact, there are some daily activities at home that can prove too difficult or unnecessarily dangerous for them.
One factor you have to consider when there is a senior in your home is to make sure their safety and accessibility are made a priority. However, not all homes can be considered as friendly for seniors, and there are potential sources of hazards that can cause potentially catastrophic injuries to the elderly.
Multiple adjustments can be made to homes that can make it friendlier for the elderly. Keeping walkways visible and uncluttered can prevent tripping and slippage, a leading cause of falls and subsequent injuries to the elderly.
Also, you need to consider using non-slip flooring materials for bathrooms. You can also use steps and ramps in strategic places around the house. If they are using mobility equipment such as crutches and wheelchairs, you also have to consider that as well.
Aging at home can be made safer and more convenient with the right adjustments and modifications.
Helpful Resource
- Why a Reverse Mortgage is a Powerful Retirement Tool– If you have a home with equity this could be a great way to add cash flow to your retirement and be able to age at home.
In-home care
The elderly value their independence. However, there are some circumstances when they would need the help of someone else to help them perform their daily tasks. In-home care, whether in the form of a guardian or a professional caregiver, can come in handy for seniors who may be having different kinds of problems as they age. In-home care can be provided either on a part-time or a full-time basis, depending on their personal needs.
For those who are in a relatively good state of health, a part-time caretaker can be a great companion for the elderly. They can assist when needed while still providing adequate freedom for the old folks when they want/need it. For those who are already dependent on others for their daily tasks, a full-time caretaker is the best option.
You can even get a trained caregiver if your elder companion needs special assistance or have serious health concerns. Aside from providing great aid when they need it, the right caretaker can end up as the older adult’s ultimate buddy.
In-home care can be the best thing that a senior citizen can have as they advance in age.
Lawn care
Taking care of the lawn is one of the more common hobbies of the elderly if they are strong enough to handle the work of maintaining it. Having a beautiful lawn at home provides people of all ages a place to hang out and relieve stress. However, the problematic part of having a lawn is the upkeep associated with it.
Of course, you have to maintain it to keep it looking nice. The problem is that the elderly may not be up to the task of maintaining lawns, especially if they are large. Some elders stay healthy enough to maintain their lawns, but they are often the exception rather than the rule.
The good thing is that there are lawn care services available in just about any part of the globe. Lawn care services include but are not limited to, tasks such as grass mowing, plant trimming, planting, and placement of ornaments. Trained professionals operate some of these services, so these jobs are often completed most safely and efficiently.
Even better is that most of these services have special offers that cater specifically to homes owned by senior citizens. They may offer discounts, and in some cases, these services are provided for free to seniors.
Taking care of the lawn need not be inaccessible for the elderly.
Transportation assistance
Going around can be quite a challenge for the elderly. Some of the elders in our population require the use of specialized equipment to move around. Even those who can walk have physical limitations that put them at a disadvantage compared to their younger peers.
Seniors still need to get around town in the most efficient ways possible, which is why the multiple directives aimed to make transportation a much smoother experience for seniors are highly commended. Depending on the country, there are multiple concessions made for seniors to help them with transportation.
Not all seniors are deemed safe to operate a motor vehicle by themselves. Still, there are concessions made for those who can to make driving easier for them. For those who will be using public transport, multiple concessions are also made to make their travel experience better.
Aside from being given priority seating in buses and trains, some of these public transportation units have facilities that accommodate seniors who use assisted movement devices such as wheelchairs. There are even communities that deliver specialized transportation services for the elderly.
Efforts have been made to make traveling easier for seniors. Make sure to check them out.
Technical Support
The common misconception is that older adults are opposed to new technologies. This is far from the truth, as a lot of seniors are now able to use the latest gadgets such as mobile phones to their advantage. Even the makers of tech items recognize this. They are appropriately creating products and services that are specially tailor-made for the needs of senior citizens. From apps specifically designed for elders to accessibility options that make it easier for seniors to use these devices, all these techs can prove very helpful as they advance in age.
With that in mind, seniors need to receive technical support on how to make use of these various technologies currently available. A senior citizen can benefit from interacting with someone knowledgeable with these tech options, whether it may be from a well-versed relative or a tech guy with experience in handling such items.
You’ll be surprised to know that most seniors are fast learners and will actually find great uses to these devices that can boost their productivity and their ability to take care of themselves.
Provide technical support for your seniors: it can help them as much as it can help the younger ones.
Nutrition
People’s nutritional needs change as they advance in age. Not recognizing this can lead to poor health, and can lead to debilitating disease – and even death. Making sure that seniors stay healthy takes a multi-step approach, and it all begins with nutrition.
Developing a diet that provides for their daily nutritional needs is one way to prevent disease, both acute and chronic. The right nutritional habits can also augment the effects of medications and supplements for managing different kinds of health conditions. Making sure that all nutritional needs of elders are fulfilled is a multi-disciplinary approach.
Consulting a physician and a nutritionist every now and then is a must to determine the best nutritional approach for a senior citizen. This is because the needs of each individual are different from the other. Aside from considering the changing state of the body as it goes beyond 60 years old, one also has to consider the presence of diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and the deterioration of internal organs due to a combination of wear and tear and physical abuse.
From there, one can create a diet plan that is tailor-made for the senior. It will be a concerted effort by the senior, their relatives, and their caretakers to follow this diet.
Nutrition is one of the keys for seniors to live a happy and healthy life.
Personal care
Personal care is an essential part of our everyday lives, much more when it comes to senior citizens. Aside from being an integral part of the basic daily routine of seniors, personal care is also essential to prevent health problems and other possible inconveniences.
Basics of personal care include personal hygiene (taking a bath, dressing up, brushing, keeping nails trim), physical fitness (exercise), and grooming (haircuts, dressing up). Missing out on these personal care essentials can make seniors miserable. It can, therefore, adversely affect the quality of their lives.
It would be great if seniors are still able to do these things by themselves. But if for any reason, they become incapable of doing so (ex.: paralysis), it would be essential if there is someone who can attend to their personal care needs. During recovery from certain diseases, treatment should also include helping them regain the ability to perform these personal care activities by themselves. Not only are these good for their health, but it is also a way to uphold their self-esteem and dignity.
Personal care should not be overlooked for seniors. If they cannot do it themselves, there must be a way to help them with it.
Financial management
Not all seniors are capable of handling their finances. Contrary to popular belief, financial management goes beyond just calculating one’s daily expenses compared to what they earn from various financial streams. There are also other financial concerns to be covered, such as taxes, insurance, investments, and the like.
Mishandling any of these financial elements can lead to serious financial complications for seniors, especially considering that they are not anymore capable of working like in years’ past. Bankruptcy is one of the worst outcomes seniors can face, and it can happen to anyone.
Helping seniors manage their finances is one of the most important things you can help them with. From advising them on how they can manage their savings and remaining financial streams to making sure all of their bills are paid, helping them out with managing finances will ensure that they have enough money for their needs.
Also, getting the right insurance coverage will help them out if an emergency (ex.: hospitalization) somehow hits them. A consultation with a legitimate financial adviser can also come in handy for them.
Helping seniors with how they handle money is arguably more important than giving them money.
Helpful Resources:
- What is a comfortable retirement?– You may be closer than you think to be able to live or maintain a comfortable retirement.
- A Simple Retirement– It’s important to know where you stand or what you need to live the retirement you want to achieve.
- What Is The Average Retirement Income– Sometimes it’s hard to understand wher you need to be. You may be well above the average which can help you put things into perspective.
Health care
Some of the facts in health care was already touched on in the nutrition section. However, even the most disciplined and well-taken care of elders can still fall prone to illness, partly due to the increasing fragility of their bodies due to age.
If and when disease strikes, regardless if it is acute or chronic, it is essential that they receive the appropriate health care that they need so that they can enjoy their twilight years in the best possible form.
When a person gets diagnosed with any type of disease, they should get access to health care as much as possible. This is especially so with seniors whose health condition can deteriorate really quickly if they are unable to receive the right care promptly and consistently.
Fortunately, multiple health care programs are specially tailor-made with the elderly in mind. Depending on the country, seniors can receive discounted and even free consultations, screening, and medications for various health care issues. Also, they can get special deals for hospitalizations if necessary.
Seniors will need all the help they can get with their health care. Fortunately, there are multiple avenues for them to get this help when needed.
Helpful Resource:
- How To Stay Healthy in Retirement– It is not difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle in retirement if you know your options.
- Why you Should Consider Early Retirement– There are some interesting studies that show early retirement can improve your long term health.
Conclusion
Those are the 9 things all seniors need help with as they approach advanced age and all the problems associated with it. Receiving much-needed support in all of these areas can significantly enhance their chances of enjoying a high-quality life, even at an advanced age.
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