How to take the stress out of older relatives living on their own

If you’re concerned about the safety and well being of an older relative such as a parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle, who lives on their own, you’ve come to the right place. Simply continue reading to discover a helpful, handy guide which contain helpful tips.

Purchase a personal alarm for your family member:

If you’re worried that your loved one may suffer an unexpected fall or may require medical attention after a heart attack, it’s well worth purchasing a personal alarm for your relative. So that if they find themselves in a situation where they require emergency medical help, they’ll be able to request an ambulance, with a touch of a button. Which will also give you peace of mind as you’ll be able to trust that your loved one will be able to call for help in an emergency.

Make sure that they know how to use a smartphone:

Purchasing a simple smartphone for your older relative is also a great idea. As you’ll be able to teach them how to text, if they’ve never sent a text message before. As you may feel less concerned about them, if you know that they’ll be able to easily text their friends and family members. Especially as older individuals who live alone, often crave human interaction.

Ensure that their are no potential hazards in their home:

It’s also a great idea to inspect their home, to ensure that there are no potential hazards in their home. As an example, you may want to arrange for extra handrails to be placed around their home. To prevent your loved one from falling. Or you may want to ensure that any rugs which they may own are securely in place and are unlikely to shift under your loved one’s body weight.

Pay for your loved one to visit a physiotherapist on a regular basis:

One way to decrease your relative’s chances of falling or injuring themselves in their home, is to ensure that they see a physiotherapist on a regular basis. As a qualified, experienced physiotherapist will be able to help them increase their flexibility and mobility, which will make it easier for your loved one to stay mobile as they get older.

Encourage your older relative to exercise:

Seniors who spend each day watching TV or relaxing in an armchair, will lose their mobility and flexibility far sooner than seniors who are committed to staying active. So it’s a great idea to encourage your older relative to exercise, several times per week. For example, you may want to take them aqua jogging at your local public swimming pool, once or twice a week. Or you may want to arrange to take a leisurely stroll along a beach with them, once a week.

So if you’re currently concerned about the health, safety and well being of an older member of your family, such as a parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle, it’s well worth following all of the steps listed above. To ensure that you increase your loved one’s chances of leading an independent yet safe life, in their own home.