There is no denying that life can be hectic, especially when you are juggling work, family and everything else in between. Without even realising, weeks have passed since you last went to visit your elderly family members or friends. To you, this time has flown by but, to them, it can feel much longer.
Unfortunately, there are so many elderly people that feel incredibly lonely the majority of the time and to know that someone you care about is feeling this way can be heartbreaking. The older generation are vulnerable to social isolation and this can have a serious effect on their health. But, thankfully there are ways you can help them to overcome loneliness. To assist anyone looking for some advice, Safe Hands Live-in Care have put together some tips for tackling loneliness in the elderly.
Getting out and about
Try to encourage your loved one to get out and about. Whilst this may be more difficult for some than others, it is still something to consider. Simply suggesting they pop out to their local corner shop or take a walk around the local park can get them interacting with others. Encourage the use of free public transport too and maybe even suggest that they meet up with friends or family outside of their home.
Inviting people round
When your elderly family member or friends are feeling down and alone it is easy for them to think that nobody wants to visit them. You know yourself that this isn’t the case and there are more than likely lots of different people that would love to visit. Suggest that your loved one starts to actually invite people round, whether its friends, family or neighbours, they will appreciate receiving an invitation to visit and will likely accept.
Keeping in touch by phone
You may feel guilty that you can’t physically visit your loved one but, having a chat with them over the phone can be the next best thing. Speak to others that are close to your elderly relative or friend and ask them to call every now and then too. You can guarantee that your loved one will really appreciate the call. If you have children, get them on the phone, you can be sure this will put a simple of their face.
Filling a calendar
Get your loved one a diary or a calendar that they can put up in their home. It can really help them to feel less lonely if they plan ahead and put things on the calendar to look forward to. Encourage them to put as much as they can on the calendar even if it is just a walk in the park or going to a local coffee shop, library or cinema. Of course, always write in when someone can visit too, this can make a huge difference.
Arrange for companion care
If you’re really worried about your loved one and you’re not local or they don’t have many people that can visit regularly then look into companion care. Lots of care agencies offer companionship for the elderly and their carers can visit your loved one as regular as you’d like. Companionship care at home is incredibly flexible and you can even get live-in companions for the elderly too.
How Safe Hands Live-in Care can help
Whilst in the past, loneliness was sometimes viewed as a trivial matter, it is increasingly understood to be a serious condition which can affect an elderly person’s mental and physical health. Thankfully, taking into account everything mentioned above you can make a real difference to how your loved one is feeling and make a huge impact on our overall wellbeing without stretching yourself too thin.
If you’re interested in finding out more about companion care, visit the Safe Hands Live-in Care website today. Our experienced team will gladly discuss this type of care with you in more detail and answer any questions that you may have. You’re not alone when trying to tackle loneliness in your loved one, Safe Hands Live-in Care will do all they can to help.
