As the number of senior people living in the community increases, it’s important to figure out how we can support these seniors. This blog is going to explore a few different ways you can help make life easier for your senior citizen friends who are living outside of a long-term care facility.
This is a very important topic for senior citizens. There are so many different ways to help support them, and unfortunately, there isn’t enough time to list everything.
Here are # of the most important ones.
1) Be Happy for them
When you’re happy for your friends and family members, it makes it a bit easier for them to cope with the stress of aging. I like to call this The Dale Carnegie Rule (or “The Golden Rule”) because it basically says that people should be nice to each other, even if they don’t deserve it.
2) Identify sources of support
It’s important to identify sources of help for your friends and family members. They might not have enough help in the house, or their friends may not be as helpful as you would hope. They may even need help from a social worker or other trained professionals. Just because they do not live in an assisted living facility does not mean that they are on their own.
3) Don’t Interrogate them
Some senior citizens don’t want to answer all of your questions about how they are doing, what their problems are, etc. Just because they live in a different environment than an assisted living facility does not mean that they are not happy living on their own with help from family and friends.
4) Be Respectful
This ties in with the previous point, and most importantly, don’t make fun of them or tell jokes at their expense. Use common sense and common courtesy when talking to your friends and family. Not only is this a good way to build relationships, but it will also probably extend your friendship for a long time.
5) Be As Helpful As Possible
Not everyone living on their own is super capable of doing everything. Sometimes, they just need a helping hand from someone to make their life a lot easier. It’s important to be as helpful as possible to your friends and family members who are living on their own. This might mean doing some shopping for them or even taking care of their pet.
6) Respect their Privacy
The more you know about your friends and family members living in the community, the better you can help them. However, don’t think that means you should be snooping in their business or personal lives. The best way to help is to wait until they ask for help or advice.
7) Be aware of the many Senior Services
It’s important to be aware of the many senior services available to your friends and family members who are living on their own. This might mean programs provided by the government that offer senior citizens discount prices at certain stores, museums, etc.
There are many ways to support seniors living in the community, either through pure kindness or financial support, or a combination of both. This is just a small list of the ways you can provide support to your friends and family who are living on their own.
