Isolation can do a lot of harm to your senior’s emotional and physical health. You can do some specific things to help her, but you might need to be careful how you proceed.

Stop by More Often

If you live near your aging adult, stopping by just to say hi and to check on her in person can do a lot to lift her spirits. Other family members may be able to stop in more frequently, too. This is especially important if your senior isn’t physically as mobile as she’d like to be.

Be Specific about Offers of Help

Lots of times even caregivers will ask their seniors to let them know what they can do to help. This is a really vague offer of help, no matter how much you mean it. Your senior may not want to bother you and therefore be reluctant to reach out. Instead, be more specific about what you’re doing. Saying that you’ll bring her favorite meal over is one way to do that.

Let Her Grieve if She Needs To

Some aging adults isolate themselves as a result of losses they’ve experienced. Grief and loss hurt and being in pain, emotional or physical, is a common reason for not wanting to be around others. Instead of trying to rush the process, just be there for your senior.

Help Her Find Ways to Reach Out

It’s really hard to reach out to others. Your elderly family member may have had friends move away or die and that can leave a gap that she’s not sure how to fill. She might benefit from taking a class or taking up a hobby, but that might not occur to her as an option. Help her to explore those options.

Make Companionship Readily Available

Hiring elder care providers is an easy way to both check up on your senior and make sure she’s okay and ensure that she’s got some companionship. This can be helpful if you live far away or if you and your senior have a sometimes difficult relationship. Home care providers can keep you posted and be there for your elderly family member.

Ask Her What She Really Wants

Talk to your aging adult about your fears surrounding her isolation. It’s possible that she doesn’t feel as isolated as you fear that she is. Try asking her what she really wants so that you can help her to meet her goals.

Isolation is something that you want to avoid for your elderly family member as much as possible, but if she’s making this choice you may not be able to do as much as you’d like. Stick with the plan and do what you can to help her.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring a Caregiver in Los Gatos, CA, contact the friendly staff at Home Care Professionals today.
Call (866)-940-4855

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andy@hcprosonline.com

CEO at HomeCare Professionals

Andy Howardis a Bay Area Native who holds a BA in Political Science (University of Colorado at Boulder, ’97). After college Andy worked in the surging tech industry.His Grandmother however, would suffer a significant decline in health and ultimately needed in-home care. The experience of a loved one depending on outside help to age in place proved to be pivotal for Andy as he left the tech industry in 2002 for an opportunity in the home care world with a large provider. After having success in home care, but being frustrated by corporate constraints Andy founded HomeCare Professionals in 2005.He methodically built the company one client at a time by focusing on hiring quality caregivers to ensure positive outcomes. Currently Andy serves as the CEO of HomeCare Professionals and is also highly active in the non-profit organization California Association of Health Services at Home (CAHSAH) which advocates for a higher standard of in-home care for those who wish to remain living at home in California.

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