They bounced you on their knee when you were little. They give you pocket money every time you come over to their house. They wouldn’t be satisfied until you had a full stomach. Grandparents are a blessing in anyone’s life. They bring so much joy and comfort and yet they don’t ask for anything in return. When you see they are having trouble taking care of themselves, it's time to step in and perform some basic care planning. On the face of it, it doesn’t seem like a big issue but this is a major lifestyle change for you and your grandparents. The little things matter a lot when you’re old, if even the small things go wrong it can greatly impact your mood and health.
Making sure they eat
Dieting properly is a big concern for the elderly. The simple fact of the matter is, people in their late 60s and over, have a slow metabolism rate. Anything they eat will be energy they don’t use or use very little of it. It's common for appetites to recede to the point that elderly people starve themselves without knowing it. You can feel drained and at a major loss for energy. If this carries on for too long, it can cause health concerns like exhaustion, fainting, joint and muscle pain. If you want to give your grandparents basic care, make sure you check on them to see if they’ve eaten a meal today. It should be part of your regular phone call conversations. Call them every other day and ask what kind of meal they had. If they indicate they’re struggling to eat proper meals, you could cook them a whole week of meals and store them in the refrigerator.
Firsthand evidence of care
Putting grandparents in a home is a matter of choice for them. If they would like to receive more care and be among other members of their generation, choose a home properly. Do your research and take your time. Just like when you’re viewing a home, go and have a tour and viewing of the retirement home that you put on your shortlist. You must keep an eye out for suspicious activity. Are elderly people properly dressed? Do they have food stains on their clothes? Is their hair combed? The reason you need to watch for these signs is because of the genesis lawsuit. The largest care home provider in the country with over 450 facilities across 30 states, had to settle for $53.6 million to poor care claims. It shows that even the most widely used care home service is not perfect so keep your eyes open.
A nice appearance
Grandparents can’t do the basic things we take for granted, without a little help. Helping them get dressed, shaving, combing their hair and looking good, can make a big difference to their morale. They say you feel good when you look good for a reason.
If your grandparents are unable to cook for themselves, make them meals for the whole week on Monday and freeze them. Choose a care home after proper thought and evaluation after a viewing.
