Whether a senior is receiving home health services in a facility or at home, maintaining a sense of independence is a major consideration when looking to improve quality of life. When providing care for a loved one, it is easy to get into the habit of doing everything FOR the person rather than WITH the person. However, this well-intentioned behavior can actually have a negative influence on the person’s wellbeing. Sustaining feelings of senior independence is important for many reasons:

• The person receiving care will appreciate that you are seeing him as an individual still capable of making a contribution to society.
• It gives the person a sense of achievement.
• It gives the person a feeling of purpose for life.
• It makes the person feel that she is not dependent on help from others and can still do something for herself.
• It fights frustration and feelings of futility, which can cause rebellion or even violence.

Encouraging independence in a senior or disabled person involves two techniques: promotion of independence and maintenance of independence.

Promotion vs. Maintenance of Senior Independence

Promotion of a person’s independence entails providing opportunities for the person to maintain a better quality of life.

• Encourage him to do things for himself, even if met with reluctance or stubbornness.
• Provide opportunities for exercise and activities.
• Encourage a healthy diet. A healthy lifestyle encourages independence through fighting decline.
• Support brain health through social interaction and games that stretch the mind.
• Be patient with the slowness of movements or mental connections, and wait for him to do it or say it himself.

Maintenance of independence is making sure the person in your care is given the tools to follow through with her willingness to do something for herself. Examples include:

• Provide or arrange for transportation for running errands and attending social functions.
• Assist with home safety adaptations such as bathroom grab bars, hand rails, adequate lighting, home accessibility and furniture placement.
• Research assistive devices such as medication reminder devices, products to assist with specific disabilities and gadgets to make everyday activities such as opening a jar or holding a utensil easier.
• Ask for consultation from professionals on medications, resources in the community, and guidance when the future is in question.

How Home Care Helps Seniors Maintain Independence

Cultivating that sense of independence while also making sure the senior is safe, comfortable and has opportunities for life enrichment activities is the goal of personalized home care services. Here are a few ways that home care can provide assistance to enhance a senior’s independence:

• Transportation and special outings: An in-home caregiver can arrange, provide the transportation or accompany the senior for these outings.
• Creating a safe home environment: Aker Kasten Home Health Care offers a free in-home safety assessment to determine which home safety adaptations may be helpful to keep the home safer from falls.
• Nutritious meal planning and preparation: An in-home caregiver can plan and prepare nutritious and tasty meals alongside the senior for whom they are providing care, instructing on proper nutrition and encouraging assistance with the meal preparation when appropriate and of interest to the senior.
• Exercise and activities: Exercise is fundamental to maintaining circulation and bone density in seniors. An in-home caregiver can encourage activities and exercise that are suited to an individual’s capabilities and interests.
• Medication reminders: Medications must be taken as prescribed in order to obtain the best health results, and thus the most independence possible. Home health care agencies such as Aker Kasten can assist with assuring that only the most recently prescribed medications are taken, give reminders for times medication is needed, and teach the importance of following the doctor’s instructions.
• Nourishing the spirit: For seniors who live alone, isolation is an unfortunate aspect of their daily lifestyle. Visits with friends and family members or an in-home caregiver can boost their mood, while regular conversation fine-tunes the mind and memory.

Contact us today to learn more about the best home health care in Lantana and the surrounding areas. In-home care can make every day a meaningful day in the celebration of senior independence.