You love your elderly parents and grandparents. That is not up for debate. Yet, as your life goes on, you can find it more challenging to see them as often as you’d like, which clouds their mental well-being as much as yours. In addition, as anyone ages, loneliness and isolation become more prevalent, impacting overall engagement in life and those around them, so how can you keep older family members switched on?
Spend Plenty Of Time With Them
Spending as much time as possible with elderly parents is essential. Visiting them as regularly as possible will allow them to remember everyone and even help them connect with their grandchildren, filling them – and your kids – with joy.
Even if you can’t spend time with them physically, you can still chat over the phone or via video chat. You may need to teach them how to use these programs, but it will be worth it, as it means you’ll never feel too far from one another, and you can keep up with everything that’s going on in their life.
Keep Them Active
Seniors can find it more challenging to stay active as the years go by. They aren’t as strong or agile as they used to be, so even their preferred activities and sports have a significant risk of injury.
Still, being active is one of the most effective mental health-benefiting hobbies, even if it isn’t an intense physical activity. You can work with them to find safe but valuable alternatives. They may not be able to hike or run around as they once did, but swimming, walking, and even cycling all offer low-impact solutions that help them stay active and engaged.
Make Sure They Don’t Get Lonely
You can’t be with your elderly parents all the time, so it’s more likely they will get lonely, especially if their partner passes away, as is familiar with older couples. However, just because you can’t be there doesn’t mean they can’t still find people to spend time with.
Finding safe, reliable, and enjoyable senior communities is perfect for anyone who has retired and needs extra company and support to help them stay healthy. Of course, you’ll still do everything you can to see them as often as possible, but you won’t need to worry about them feeling isolated.
Reminisce With Them
Reminiscing is a great way to keep your parents and grandparents engaged. It can help prevent dementia and encourage them to remember the good days with their friends and family.
This approach is ideal for any seniors who seem depressed or apathetic. They might feel their best days are past or lack a purpose after retiring. You can bring their positivity back and even show them a new sense, such as being a grandparent.
Interesting Them in World Events
Being more engaged with the world around them can do wonders for your elderly parents. They can stay up to date on all the events in the world, which helps them maintain their memory and boosts their self-esteem while also avoiding common illnesses associated with old age.
