Have you ever wondered why nursing homes have gathering rooms, nicely manicured gardens, and plenty of activities planned throughout the days? Part of this is to make the home seem more attractive–both to residents and visitors–but that’s actually just part of it. These activities are also a way for seniors to stay engaged and involved with activities that may have once interested them.
Whether it’s a craft, a stroll through a garden, or a night of games, these activities are designed to help people do the things that they once enjoyed, albeit on a different level than they once might have been able to. It’s not perfect, especially since these activities are geared toward appealing to as many residents as possible. However, they are a good way to encourage activity, both mental and physical. Studies show that these types of activities can be helpful for slowing down the spread of dementia. That benefit is even bigger when the activities are ones that are familiar to the individual.
In other words, helping someone to keep up with their culture and background has huge benefits. It improves both mental and physical health and helps them stay at a higher level moving into the future.
And this makes a lot of sense. Just because someone has gotten older does not mean that they suddenly have no interest in the things that they once did. Think about it; we all have hobbies, talents, interests, and things that we enjoy doing. If you played baseball in high school and college, you probably still have an interest in it now. Maybe you play in your church softball league, or maybe you just like to go to your city’s team’s games whenever you have a chance. As you get older, that might be harder and harder to do, but that interest won’t just go away as you age and lose mobility.
Senior care services do not have an obligation to account for all of those interests, but it is something that the best caregivers will try to do. Connecting the person that is being cared for is an integral part of providing the best possible care. This is not the only way to do it, but it can be quite an effective one. Skilled caregivers try to make the person they are helping to live a comfortable and happy life. Connecting them to culture, hobbies, and the outside world in general is a valuable, yet often easy, way to do so.
One of the big benefits that in-home care can provide is to more easily account for the interests and pastimes of your elderly loved one. Because in-home care is given on a one to one basis, this is much easier than trying to help each individual residing in a facility. In-home care is not right for everyone, but it can be beneficial to a lot of people. If you’d like to learn more about in-home care and how it can help your loved one, give us a call. We can help answer your questions and point you in the right direction when it comes to finalizing care plans.
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