Day-to-day activities may keep you from seeing your elderly loved one as often as you would like. However, it is important to find the time to visit. Regular visits could enhance your loved one’s overall health and increase his or her longevity. Here are some of the reasons family members should visit their senior loved ones regularly.
Boost Mood
Visits from family members can prevent seniors from being bored and isolated. The visits provide a chance to interact and socialise, which can boost an ageing adult’s mood. Your loved one may be happy to have company, which stimulates the release of feel-good endorphins. These positive hormones can lower stress levels. Staying emotionally engaged can also prevent high blood pressure and depression caused by loneliness.
For families living in Newcastle, respite care can be a wonderful solution when their ageing loved ones need companionship and socialisation a few hours a week or just need minor assistance with daily household tasks. At Home Care Assistance, we thrive on helping seniors maintain their independence while living in the comfort of home.
Evaluate Overall Health
Visiting your loved one gives you the opportunity to see how he or she is doing mentally, physically, and emotionally. Some seniors are fearful of being removed from their homes, so they hide health issues from their family. Making regular visits to your loved one’s home gives you the opportunity to talk about his or her health, which includes eating habits, mobility issues, and reactions to current medications. You can also see these things for yourself. For example, you can watch how your loved one moves around the home and check the cabinets and refrigerators to make sure he or she is eating healthy foods. When you evaluate your loved one’s health, you can determine if he or she needs in-home care on a regular basis.
If your senior loved one needs professional in-home care in Newcastle, Home Care Assistance is here to help. We are a trusted provider of respite and 24-hour care, and we also offer specialised Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s, and stroke care for seniors.
Show Gratitude
Many seniors don’t want to feel like a burden on their family members and friends, so they don’t ask for frequent visits or assistance with daily activities. However, it is important for seniors to have regular contact with their loved ones, regardless if the visits are long or short. Showing love, appreciation, and gratitude could boost your loved one’s mental and physical health.
Prevent Elder Abuse
Seniors are often the target of scams, including health insurance and credit card fraud. Visiting your loved one allows you to identify scams as well as signs of elder abuse. You can make sure your loved one is not being neglected, mistreated, or abused in any way. If anyone has access to your loved one’s personal and financial information, make sure the person is not using that information for his or her own personal gain. It is important to go through your loved one’s mail and conduct regular credit checks.
One of the most challenging tasks of helping an elderly relative age in place safely and comfortably is researching agencies that provide elderly care. Newcastle families can turn to Home Care Assistance for reliable, high-quality in-home care for ageing adults. We offer 24-hour live-in care for seniors who require extensive assistance, and we also offer respite care for family members who need a break from their caregiving duties. Call us at (02) 4089 3000 for a free in-home consultation.
