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Originally Posted On: https://www.ruralmom.com/2022/12/how-to-support-your-parents-to-maintain-their-independence-in-old-age.html

The aging process affects us all. After a lifetime of support from your parents, helping them grow old gracefully is your opportunity to repay them.

Maintaining a sense of independence is one of the greatest gifts that you can give them. Here are five simple steps that can make all the difference.

Ensure They Get The Assistive Devices They Need

We all need a helping hand in different aspects of your life. However, senior citizens often won’t want to admit that they need it or feel like a burden on others. Therefore, learning to spot the signs that a loved one needs hearing aids or eyeglasses is vital. Similarly, gently advising them to seek support for their postural issues or other health problems may be the first step to success.

There are plenty of tools and devices that can help your parents navigate the challenges of daily life. But they’ll only benefit from those items if they accept the support.

Help Them Build A Better Home Life

A happy home setting is the foundation of a better lifestyle at any age. It is particularly important now that they are retired and spend more time at home. Living on one level could be a better solution as they get older. Professionals at Top Notch Mobile Home Services can complete the upgrades to turn a mobile home into their dream home. This includes external features to support insulation and safety.

When supported by any necessary accessibility features, your parents can take care of themselves. Without outside support.

Reach Out For Care

Even if your parents can manage most daily tasks independently, they may need help with others. Experts like Right At Home can provide visiting home care services. Whether needed daily or 1-2 per week, this is often a better option than living in a care home. It allows your loved one to maintain their independence while still getting help with home chores or other assignments. Best of all, the services are tailored to their needs.

Aside from helping your parents deal with new limitations, it’ll keep your mind at ease as a loving child.

Teach Them To Embrace Modern Tech

If your elderly parents are still unfamiliar with modern tech, now is the time to change it. Showing them how to hold a video chat or use Facebook to stay in touch with friends can work wonders. It helps them feel connected even when separated by distance. Loneliness can contribute to cognitive decline as well as reduced mental health. Avoiding this problem is highly advised.

Using an iPad rather than a smartphone or a laptop is probably advised. Not least because you can use icons to make it even easier.

Find Local Activities

Whether your parents move home or not, they probably haven’t embraced the local activities for seniors. You can find out about these through online and offline channels. This can help them develop a new hobby, make new friends, and restore some structure to their life. The third of those issues is crucial for anyone that wants to complete the transition away from working life.

A healthy and structured life supported by independence will allow your parents to enjoy some truly golden years. Frankly, it’s the least that they deserve.