Elderly care needs are numerous, and you need to meet them on a daily basis to promote the person’s quality of life. With so much to do, it’s common to forget to assist the older adult with some, e.g., taking medication or changing their clothing. And to some extent, this is understandable, considering the stress that comes with offering care. Having a list of daily needs for elderly care really helps in this case. It acts as a constant reminder of what you must do to ensure efficiency of care.
This article highlights the care needs to be aware of and shares a list of items that your daily checklist should include. This will help to streamline your job and eventually enable you to be better at what you do.
Understanding the Core Elderly Care Needs
Here’s a list of daily needs for elderly care that you can focus on to ensure their optimal well-being:
Personal Hygiene
In some cases, your elderly parent or relative may need assistance with bathing, grooming, oral care, and dressing. You should also ensure their environment, e.g., where they sleep and stay, is always clean. This greatly reduces the risk of infections and improves their quality of life.
Proper Nutrition
We are what we eat. Therefore, it’s vital to ensure the older adult consumes a healthy diet that has the correct balance of essential nutrients. Have a dietician or health provider formulate a daily meal plan tailored according to their medical and physical needs.
Management of Medication
Your loved one may be taking several prescription drugs daily. Due to their advanced age, they are likely to have challenges managing their medication schedule. Therefore, assist them in taking the drugs as indicated and at the correct time. Set reminders and work collaboratively with health professionals to avoid medication errors and adverse reactions.
Emotional Support
It’s easy for the senior person to feel lonely and withdrawn as the rest of the family members become busy with other activities. So, emotional support is one of the elderly care needs that should be prioritized to ensure the mental wellbeing of your loved one. Ask them about their day and how they feel, and talk about anything else to get the conversation going.
How to Meet the List of Daily Needs for Elderly Care
Juggling between your daily activities and caring for your aging parents can be overwhelming. Check below to discover what you can do to meet the list of daily needs for elderly care:
Set a Routine
When it comes to meeting the elderly care needs related to personal hygiene, it’s vital you establish a consistent routine for bathing, dressing, and grooming. Ensure you perform these activities at the same time every day to help your loved one get accustomed to the routine and cooperate.
Plan Meals
Plan and prepare meals according to the needs of the senior person. You can even have a timetable that indicates the suitable breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack options. Be sure to integrate all the foods recommended by the dietician and avoid the ones advised against.
Administering Medication
Use pill organizers to categorize prescription drugs or use reminder systems for effective medication management. Remember to monitor the older adult for any interactions or side effects and contact the healthcare provider if need be.
Plan Social Activities
Dedicate part of your day, maybe during the afternoon or evening, to engage in meaningful conversation with your loved one. Also, encourage the older adult to participate in activities like joining a book club, going for walks with peers, attending community events, playing cards, etc.
Prioritizing Needs in Elderly Care Needs: What Matters Most
There are elderly care needs that must be met first before the others. Which ones are they? Let’s discuss below:
Safety
The risk of falling is high among the elderly. They can also get easily lost, especially if they have failing memories. Ensuring their safety is thus paramount. Examples of measures you can implement to enhance their safety entail providing adequate lighting and handrails, investing in monitoring technology, etc.
Healthcare Services
Take your loved one for regular checkups to help them manage chronic conditions and maintain overall wellbeing. Have their vital signs checked, get reports on their progress, new medication (if applicable), and report any concerns to the health professional. You can ask for more guidance on how to care for the older adult better to enhance their life quality.
Dignity and Respect
The list of daily needs for elderly care wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the importance of treating the senior individual with dignity and respect despite their cognitive or physical abilities. Let your loved one feel that they are valued and their opinions matter. As a result, they find life more meaningful and worth it.
Daily Care Checklist for the Elderly: List of Daily Needs for Elderly Care
You may want to have a checklist that’s tailored to the needs of your loved one to ensure comprehensive support. For a general list of daily needs for elderly care, find the essential items below:
Personal Care
- Bath and wash hair
- Brush teeth
- Dress the person and help with getting the shoes on
- Apply lotion (if allowed)
- Comb hair
- Nail care
Toileting
- Taking the senior to the bathroom
- Offer incontinence care (e.g., change underwear, help with putting on the adult diaper)
- Assist with urinal
- Empty catheter bag (if applicable)
Mobility
- Assist with walking
- Change position in bed (this part of the elderly care needs checklist is applicable for a bedridden patient)
- Provide support while walking with mobility aids like canes, walkers, wheelchairs, etc
- Help with gentle exercises and supervise activities to prevent falls
Nutrition
- Purchase groceries
- Create a timetable for meals
- Prepare breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks in between
- Assist with feeding
Medication Management and Healthcare
- Pick up prescriptions
- Remind the elderly individual to take medication and help them if necessary
- Check blood pressure and sugar levels
- Obtain refills as needed
- Schedule medical appointments
Emotional and Social Support
- Have heart-to-heart talks and watch TV together
- Visit friends/family
- Go for outings
- Play games
- Encourage participation in hobbies
Safety
- Keep the living environment safe
- Install bed rails, grab bars, etc., to minimize falls
- Have non-slip mats and adequate lighting to improve safety
Overcoming Challenges in Meeting Elderly Care Needs Daily Requirements
Performing the list of daily needs for elderly care can be challenging and overwhelming. Here are some strategies to help you cope:
Look for Support
Ask for help from other family members or friends when you need it. This is good to prevent burnout and give you time to unwind so you can offer better care. Ensure you have a solid support network that you can count on every time.
Use Community Resources
You can leverage community resources available within your locality to make your job of meeting elderly care needs less stressful. These can include transportation services, support groups, and respite care.
Educate Yourself
You will be in a better position to care for your loved one effectively when you learn more about their condition, specific care needs, and medications. Therefore, educate yourself on such topics through books, asking health professionals questions, attending workshops/seminars, etc. You can also read relevant articles online and get some tips on caregiving from YouTube.
Take Care of Yourself
You can easily forget about yourself when caring for your aging loved one. In any case, take time to relax, participate in hobbies, go on vacation, meet up with friends, etc. Doing so will improve your physical and emotional well-being, which will allow you to offer better care to the older adult.
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