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10 Sweet Gestures to Pamper Your Elderly Family Member

It’s not easy to watch a family member age over time. The older they become the more helpless you may feel when it comes to taking care of them. The truth is that just because your loved ones are getting older doesn’t mean that they still don’t enjoy being spoiled a little bit every once and a while. Whether your loved one is receiving at-home aged care services in Melbourne or living in a senior living facility, there are many things that you can do to show your loved one how much you care.

10 Sweet Gestures to Pamper Your Elderly Family Member

Below is a look at the top ten sweet gestures to pamper your elderly family member.

1.Install Tinted Windows

People’s eyes tend to worsen as they age. In order to reduce the risk of eye problems, seniors should protect their eyes from the sun’s damaging UV rays. Purchasing sunglasses for your loved one is a great first step, but going the extra step of having their home’s windows tinted will really make them feel privileged. If you drive your elderly family member around a lot, you also may consider car window tinting in Melbourne

2.Take Them Out

If your elderly family member is no longer able to drive, they will feel very restricted on what they can and can’t do. You will make his whole day by just getting out of the house or senior care facility for a little while. You can take them out to eat, to a special event or just for a ride around town. No matter where you plan to go, your family member will love being out in the community again.

3.Plan a Visit

Many seniors struggle with depression because they feel alone and isolated. You can help them fight depression and its serious side-effects by visiting your them often. Make a conscious effort to set time aside every week or month to go visit your family member at their home or care facility. If your loved one is in a senior care facility, ask the staff when the best time of the day is to come.

4.Play Games

There is scientific evidence to prove that playing all types of games can help fight dementia. You can pamper your elderly loved one, while helping to slow down the onset of dementia, by simply sitting down and playing some games with them. Basic card games, and other types of games, such as Bingo, are a great option for seniors.

5.Feed Them Home-cooked Food

This option can be a win-win for the both of you. Ask your elderly family member to tell you what their favorite food is or better yet, ask for a recipe. Make sure there are no dietary restrictions you need to consider and then make the meal and take it to your loved one. This way you learn a new recipe and your loved one gets to enjoy their favorite meal.

6.Record their Story

Seniors love to tell stories about their life, especially about their childhood. Ask your loved one’s permission to record some of his/her stories about his life. Go prepared with a list of questions to ask, in case your family member isn’t sure how to start. You probably will have to record his story over several days, weeks or months. It will be a comfort for him to know that his memories will live on and it can be a great memorial to share with the rest of your family.

7.Give the Gift of Music

Music is known to have a calming effect and can help to alleviate stress and anxiety. Purchase a mobile device for your loved one and show them how to use it. If you think this might be too complex, then purchase a CD player and some CD. Be sure to pick songs that your loved one likes – some of the oldies would work fine. They will enjoy listening to these old songs again.

8.Make a Family Album

Seniors love looking through old pictures, but they may have a hard time remembering who everyone is in the pictures. You can help by making a family album and listing everyone’s name right under the picture. It is recommended to use copies of original picture so you don’t risk having them lost, misplaced or damaged. Spend some time going through the book with your loved one before you leave. Place it somewhere that is easy to see and reach, so your loved one can enjoy the album even when you are not there.

9.Do Some Chores

Even basic chores like laundry, grocery shopping and doing the dishes can be exhausting for an elderly family member. You can help to lighten their burden by doing some of the work for them. Make arrangements with your loved one beforehand and find out exactly what type of work they need done the most. You may even be able to get a group of family members together and plan an entire chore day.

10.Read a Book

As your loved one’s eyesight worsens, reading a book may become nearly impossible. If your elderly family member loves to read, you would be giving them a great gift by visiting and reading books to him. Find out what type of books they like to read. Alternatively, you can purchase audio books or even rent audio books at your local library and take it in for your loved one to listen to.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are many things that you can do to make your loved one feel special. All it takes is a little planning and a commitment to spare some time. Even just a few minutes of your time will mean the world to them. If your loved one is in a senior care facility, be sure to ask permission before planning any special events to make sure your loved one is healthy enough to participate. Take the time now to pamper your elderly loved one before it’s too late. You will be glad that you did.

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