It’s everybody’s basic human right to have a good quality of life. Nobody deserves to live in misery and difficulty, most especially the seniors. We owe it to them to give them a proper and comfortable life given all the sacrifices they made for us to enjoy the privileges that we have today. Our very own grandparents, who lived through various struggles in their own time, made it possible for us to exist at this very moment. They deserve to feel cherished and to enjoy what time they have left.
The solution? Never forget to let your elderly loved ones know how much they mean to you. Continuously shower them with love, care, and attention to lessen the emptiness and suffering that they feel. Do your best to be patient and compassionate with them because remember—someday, you’ll be growing old too.
As mentioned above, people experience various physical complications as they age. Their bones and muscles become weak and frail, increasing their risk of falling. They no longer have the same balance and coordination that they used to when they were younger. Given that, they must get proper assistance and be prevented from doing excessively strenuous physical activities that might get them hurt or injured.
The solution? Encourage your aging loved ones to exercise regularly. Accompany them as they go walking or jogging. You can even play sports with them (as long as they’re the ones that will not put too much risk on their health). As much as possible, keep them physically active but prevent them from overdoing it.
The elderly are more susceptible to developing diseases or reinforcing pre-existing medical conditions. We all know that most seniors out there have maintenance medications to combat illnesses. They’re no longer strong enough to keep their health safe from infectious and deadly diseases. This means they need to get more than sufficient medical attention and access to health care.
The solution? Strictly impose a healthy and balanced diet. Sometimes, seniors might act stubbornly when it comes to the food and drinks they want to consume but you have to discipline them for their sake. Also, manage their medications for them and remind them constantly of what they need to take to avoid any complications in their health. If anything out of the ordinary happens, immediately take them to a doctor.
Unfortunately, mental illnesses are also quite common among people as they grow older. Some have depression, fear, and anxiety due to the changes in their life brought about by their progress in age. They’re afraid of being burdensome to their family or of dying when they’re not ready. Some of them also lose their cognitive abilities such as short-term memory and easily getting confused or disoriented. With this, they need nurturing care, support, and encouragement that could help them overcome these problems.
The solution? It would be best to let them take therapy and get professional help from psychiatrists. They can give a proper diagnosis and the right medications for them to take to combat their psychological episodes. But what you can do on your own is to encourage them to take up hobbies and pursue passion projects that will nurture their minds and their spirits. Having something to look forward to every day might help get their minds off their internal problems.
Old people, like many young people of today, also feel the need for self-belongingness. It’s quite natural for the elderly to feel alienated due to their condition. Some grandparents feel lonely and abandoned when their children move them into nursing homes while others isolate themselves in their own doing because they refuse to connect with other people knowing that they’ll be going anytime soon. It’s important to help seniors maintain a social life and to allow them to meet and connect with like-minded people. Being in a supportive group or community consisting of people they can share the same experiences with will make their aging process less difficult for them.
The solution? Encourage your elderly loved ones to join support groups or participate in social activities where they can meet new people and make new friends. This will boost their self-confidence and give them a sense of belongingness, allowing them to have a life outside their nursing care needs and medications. This will add more color and meaning to their lives.
