Here are five key points to consider when elderly parents choose to live home alone:
1. Home Delivery
Healthy eating is a key ingredient to safeguard overall fitness. Caretakers can take advantage of online grocery shopping to lessen the strain of waiting at stores. Daily drop-offs from a free food delivery service like Meals on Wheels are also available.
2. Safeguard the Home
The kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom are high-risk home areas. Bathroom railings help with support. Lower kitchen shelves and wardrobe areas create greater accessibility. Add more lighting and remove floor hazards. For safety, tablets or smartphones can provide video footage of key areas in near real-time.
3. Maintain Health Care
Caretakers can stay in contact with doctors, pharmacists and nurses of a elderly parent. Assist in implementing a low-intensity exercise program.
4. Have Emergency Care in Place
Personal emergency response systems (PERS), permit users to call for help with the push of a button. PERS can help relieve worries should a parent fall or come into trouble. PERS can provide a GPS capability, which could help locate an elderly parent in the event of an accident.
5. Take Care of Social Needs
Isolation affects the elderly and increases the risk of premature death. Social contact plays a big role in creating happiness for aging parents. Technology can bridge the gap. Seventy percent of seniors own chat enabled mobile phones that help adult children and other people keep in touch.
Visits to local community centers can provide seniors with computer or aerobics classes. Fitness is a key area to senior health.
Many of these principles hold true for Assisted Living and Continuing Care residences.