How to Encourage Independence in a Senior

Articles

Knowing how to encourage independence in a loved one can be difficult. As people grow older, it’s natural to lose the ability to be independent, but that doesn’t mean they have to give up on independence entirely.

Physical decline can be tough to deal with, but we must support our elderly loved ones through the decline to help them maintain their independence.

Why Is It Important to Promote Independence in the Elderly?

Helping a loved one maintain their independence plays a crucial role in their overall wellbeing. Independence gives someone a sense of purpose, something that can easily slip away from elderly people who may be retired or spend a lot of time at home.

Independent living has a positive impact on physical and mental health. It encourages individuals to stay active, helping them keep moving while reducing the risk of issues such as depression. Cognitive function is also supported by independent living, encouraging decision making and problem solving, two processes that are required to live independently.

What Is Independent Living for Seniors?

While we want to encourage our loved ones to live independently, it’s important to know that providing support can go a long way. By providing some care at home, we can ensure our elderly loved ones aren’t straining too much, while encouraging them to be as independent as possible.

Support provides a safety net for an elderly person trying to act on their own, letting them take on whatever task needs doing while knowing your help is there if needed.

How to Encourage Independence in the Elderly

Encourage Social Events

Socialising is something seniors can miss out on, but it’s not something that should be neglected due to old age. Socialising helps combat feelings of isolation and depression, promotes cognitive function and gives people something to look forward to.

Whether you’re bringing your elderly relative to a social club or helping them arrange a get-together with friends and family, encouraging social events will help them maintain relationships, and maybe even foster new ones.

Finding gentle hobbies they can do at home can help too, so they can bond with friends over fun, social activities.

Help with Physical Activities

For elderly people with mobility issues, some physical jobs can be taxing. We should encourage our loved ones to perform physical tasks, such as gardening and housekeeping, while being on hand to support where necessary.

Physical tasks will help them maintain strength, flexibility and dexterity, which all contribute to independent living. While this is great, they mustn’t strain too hard to avoid injury. Knowing when to step in and lend a hand will go a long way, providing support while they maintain confidence in their abilities to perform physical tasks.

Provide Care When Necessary

For some elderly people, mental decline might be a bigger issue than physical. These people still require support, just in different forms. To help them remain as independent as possible, check in with them and see how they’re doing. They may need a reminder to take their medicine or advice on what foods to incorporate into their diet. By giving them a gentle push towards a lifestyle that helps them, they can remain independent with your support.

Create a Safe and Supportive Environment

You can’t always be there, so it’s a good idea to create a safe home environment for your loved one. Help arrange an easy-to-navigate space with no tripping or slipping hazards. Grab bars and ramps can be installed if needed, helping your loved one navigate without the need for assistance.

Our range of riser recliner chairs and adjustable beds can also improve independence for the elderly.

How to Encourage Independence with Mobility Furniture

Our riser recliner chairs and adjustable beds work to provide comfort, support and independence at home. With easy-to-use functionality, both the chair and bed can be raised and lowered, helping those with mobility issues sit down and stand up with ease! This removes the need for assistance sitting and standing, improving one’s independence.

Alongside improved independence, there is a range of benefits provided by our chairs and beds, such as improved circulation, reduced back pain and superior comfort!

Try Mobility Furniture for Better Independence

If the independence provided by our furniture sounds enticing, you can enjoy a free home trial to test it out. Choose a riser recliner chair or adjustable bed of your choice and see what you think!

Get in touch with our team today to test out the furniture with an expert on hand at home.