Our parents care for us throughout our childhood, and sometimes even briefly into adulthood. One day, you may experience that the tables have turned, and now your parent needs care. If taking care of the elderly in your home is an option, it is one that you might want to consider offering to your aging parent. I’ve even got some tips to share with you, in partnership with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield.
Having my father in law living in our home over the past few years has been beneficial to him as he ages. He has us to help ensure that he is taking his medication and following orders from his doctor. He’s able to socialize with us, as well as visitors that we have. He’s also able to enjoy the outdoors in our yard and stop to smell the flowers.
Caring for an aging loved one can be challenging, but it’s not something that you have to go at completely alone. Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield offers Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement products that can help to make daily life easier not only on your loved one, but for you as a caregiver as well. Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield realizes that lowering barriers when it comes to health needs can help people to live happier and healthier lives. Check out these tips, and the information below.
5 tips for taking care of the elderly in your home
- Seek help from other family members – If you have other family members who are willing and able, ask them for help. It can be something as simple as sitting with your aging family member for an hour or two or bringing a warm dinner one evening.
- Keep them social – Loneliness can be downright lonely and reduce the quality of life as we age. Look into the wellness services that Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield gives consumers access to, such as visits to adult day centers for socialization and planned activities.
- Get meal assistance – Your loved one may have a special diet, and you can get healthy food delivery through Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield. This would help you to save time cooking a separate meal, while also ensuring that your parent is getting the nutrition that they need for their specific diet.
- Consider in-home help – Perhaps you work full time, or just have other commitments that prevent you from caring for your parent around the clock. Personal home helpers are another service that consumers of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Medicare Advantage plans have access to that can help with daily activities at home.
- Have patience – People tend to cranky as they age, and their health deteriorates. It’s important to try to practice that same patience that they showed to us as they were caring for us as infants and children. If things get too overwhelming, call someone for backup so that you can get some time away.
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is committed to providing high quality healthcare services that are affordable through Medicare Advantage plans. They realize that offering access to services like healthy delivered meals, assistive devices and day center visits can help to improve the quality of life and help to manage chronic conditions better. The following questions and answers below might help you in planning to care for an aging loved one too.
How can I make my elderly parents happy?
There is no guide when it comes to helping to make other people happy, but there are a few things that you can do to try to make your elderly parents happy. Be their advocate when it comes to healthcare and seek out potential problems. Emphasize with them and encourage them to be active as much as they are able to comfortably do so. Get other family involved to call or seem them often, so they feel less alone.
How do I keep my elderly parents busy?
Keeping elderly parents busy can really help to increase their quality of life. Look into local senior programs and clubs. Many communities have planned weekly and monthly events that aging adults can participate in. Visits from other family and friends who do not live in the home with them are always nice too. Perhaps you can plan a weekend brunch or dinner every few weeks.
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield.
