It can be hard to see the people you love get older. When it comes to your relatives, you watch them from the moment you’re a small child right up until you become an adult, and one day it can suddenly dawn on you that they’re growing up too.
In times like these, watching your aging relatives become different people, who often need more support than you’re used to giving, is quite the transition. However, it’s never going to be more of a transition than for the person themself.
That’s why it’s crucial to do whatever you can to help your older parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and even siblings step into this further stage of life. If you do the work together, they’re more likely to face the older years confident and happy.
As such, here are 4 ways you can help an aging relative through this transition and come out the other side with a smile.
1. Make Time For Them
We all know it’s important to spend time with relatives who are getting older, but making time is a separate thing you should also consider. You may have a pre-planned visit that means you go round their house once or twice a week, but if they call you for a lengthy chat one evening outside of these hours, will you be available?
Sometimes you won’t be and that will be unavoidable, but if you’ve got nothing else on, it’s worth it to stay on the phone and have a good natter. In doing so, you show them they still have an important part in your life, even when unannounced, and they’ll feel a lot brighter about how connected they are to their family.
2. Support Them Discovering New Hobbies
Getting older usually means retiring and stepping back to live a more peaceful and even exploratory life. However, a lot of older people find they have nothing to do once they stop working.
This can very easily lead to ill health and depression, so be sure to support them in discovering new hobbies. Give them lifts to events, go shopping with them, and simply stop and listen when they want to tell you all about it.
3. Research Future Accommodation Needs Together
It’s unlikely that a person is going to be able to stay at home forever. They may be able to get someone to come in every week to help them, and that’s a great way to allow someone getting older to retain an important sense of independence, but assisted or collaborative living is often best.
But telling an aging relative that they may have to consider this one day can feel like a hard blow, both for the person hearing it and the person telling it. It can sound like you’re sending them away, or you’re announcing that you’re unable to even try and care for them anymore, and feelings can run high on both sides.
That’s why it’s key to stay with them throughout this process. Do the research with them, hug them when they’re feeling vulnerable, and look into every kind of accommodation that could be suitable for them. For some people a retirement home that allows for independence in tackling their needs will be perfect, while others may need a senior living care home that has a more hands-on approach.
4. Teach Them About Technology
Technology can be hard for older hands. Phones can be small, screens can be hard to see, and anything you have to learn about later on in life is much harder to pick up than it is when you’re under 40.
Because of that, take some time to teach an aging relative about the tech they’ll have to use. Most things are digital nowadays, and if you don’t know how to work a smart TV or use a laptop to access the internet, you can be effectively isolated from the world at large.
Digital literacy is essential. Whenever you see them, ask how they’re getting on with their tech. Above all else, ensure you walk them through how to avoid running into a scam or falling prey to someone trying to hack them.
If you have an aging relative who’s looking down their senior years with complex feelings, you can step in to help them with the 4 tips above. The older side of life is something worth celebrating, and the more you can do that with the people you love, the happier this stage of life will be.
We are not doctors and this is in no way intended to be used as medical advice and we cannot be held responsible for your results. As with any product, service or supplement, use at your own risk. Always do your own research before using.
Meg is an author at Cinnamon Hollow. She writes on a variety of topics sharing tips and ideas for daily life.
