Simple Ways to Keep Your Parent’s Routine Organized
Routine and predictability are important for elderly adults, particularly those who are dealing with cognitive functioning decline.
But even if your parent is not struggling with these challenges, a routine can help them to experience structure and to feel more in control of their daily lives. As a family caregiver, a routine is also valuable to you. When your parent has a set structure to their care you can better predict their needs and the efforts that you will need to put forth for them can schedule your time and can identify where you might need to make changes and seek help.
Home Care in Smithtown NY: Keep Your Parent’s Routine Organized
Try these simple ways to keep your parent’s routine organized:
-Sit down with them at the beginning of each month and put important dates on a large calendar. These should include appointments, dates when they need their medications refilled, doctor’s visits, and other set tasks
-Set specific days when you will take on specific care tasks for them, such as their laundry or their grocery shopping. Stick to those days as much as possible
-Utilize meal planning to streamline shopping and save time with preparation. This can also include preparing and freezing meals for later use
-Use the services of a home care provider to ensure that your parent’s needs are met effectively and efficiently even when your schedule is excessively busy
-Encourage them to maintain a scheduled day of getting up around the same time, getting dressed, and following set activities or points in the day so that they can keep their health and quality of life high
Being a family caregiver can be fulfilling and meaningful, but it can also be stressful.
Handling your parent’s needs as well as the needs of your children, your career, your marriage, your home, and yourself can leave you feeling as though there is never enough time and you never have enough energy. Fortunately, home care is there to help you. An in-home care provider can step in to fill care gaps, offer support and assistance when you need to focus on other responsibilities in your life, and encourage your parent to pursue independence, activity, and fulfillment throughout their later years.
Knowing that your parent has this care can ease your stress, improve your quality of life, and allow you to manage your time and energy effectively. These services can include transportation to where they need and want to go, dignified and respectful support with personal care needs such as bathing and dressing, meal preparation to boost nutrition, medication reminders to help your parent stay compliant with their health needs, and companionship to support mental and emotional health and well-being as they age in place.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering Home Care in Smithtown, NY, please contact the caring staff at Family First Home Companions. Serving all of Long Island. Call today: (631) 319-3961
Jennifer has specialized training in Alzheimer’s disease through the Long Island Alzheimer’s Association and the Long Island Alzheimer’s Foundation.She also volunteered her time with the Alzheimer's Disease Assistance Center of Long Island for 3 years by providing cognitive stimulation to an Alzheimer’s patient group.
Jennifer educates the community about elder care and speaks to caregiver support groups, senior centers, and at professional organizations.Topics include home safety, effective strategies for family caregiving, elder care planning, and awareness about elder abuse.
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