How to Help Your Elderly Parents Maintain Their Independence

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There are many ways to support your elderly parents, and it’s important to do so as they get older and face more struggles with their health. But, they won’t want you to do everything for them, so you need to find the right balance between support and independence. This can be tricky, but not impossible. If you want to help your elderly parents make the most of their later years, consider these ideas.

Motivate Them

Some seniors get to the point where they are happy to do nothing at all. They claim they are exhausted. They’ve worked hard all their lives, and now it’s time for them to rest. However, this is the opposite of helping them find independence. Instead of letting them accept their sedentary lifestyle, you must try to motivate them and empower them without seeming like you’re pushing them. If they feel like they’ve made this decision themselves, they will be keener to pursue an active and independent lifestyle.

Stay In Touch

Staying in touch with your elderly parents and relatives is key to good health and preventing feelings of isolation. There are many ways for you to keep in contact with your loved ones, whether in person or via video calls. Arranging weekly chats and teaching them how to use technology or get to a specific spot, such as a restaurant or park, every week will help them stay on top of their independence and feel like they can do anything they like.

Help Them Find a Community

You cannot be with them all the time, and your parents may not know as many people as they used to. Furthermore, as much as they want to spend time with their kids and grandkids, they also need to speak to people their own age. You can help them achieve this by researching independent senior living communities and encouraging them to consider them. This allows them to surround themselves with people they can connect and bond with while still enabling them to live their life as they would previously.

Encourage Them to Stay Active

Activity is an excellent way to maintain independence. If you stay active, you are more confident, and you’re happy to tackle an array of different activities. The same goes for your parents and knowing the best exercises for seniors (as well as ones not advisable) can help them maintain a healthy and independent lifestyle. While they won’t be running marathons (or at least, not likely), they can still go for walks to maintain bones and muscle strength, which will reduce the risk of injuries, keep their minds in excellent condition, and make it easier for them to live alone.

According to this dentist in Keene TX, they should also complement an active lifestyle with routine health checkups.

Independent

Independence is crucial at any age. It can make your parents feel more capable and avoid a myriad of mental health issues that can come with old age. You may still need to offer support, but you can also use these tips to help them be as self-sufficient as possible. Just don’t be surprised when they stop answering your calls because they’re having too much fun with their new friends.

*contributed post*