Spend time giving the elderly support and you could save a life
Different circumstances require different levels of help and unfortunately what we have to offer isn’t always enough. For those who need full-time care, there are many care home and in-home care options for you to choose from. However, if your elderly relative is able to live comfortably and independently, but you feel as though a bit of extra elderly support would give you some peace of mind, you might want to consider our telecare options. A personal alarm service will act as a safety net with someone always on the other end ready to assess the situation just in case you need it.
In addition to this support, we can all do our bit to help out. Whether the elderly person in your life or community requires full-time care or not, it is important to know how helpful a bit of company each week can be for their wellbeing. Some support you could offer is volunteering for a ‘Meals with Care’ service such as the Royal Voluntary Service’s – delivering meals to the elderly community who may have difficulty shopping or cooking for themselves. Other volunteering opportunities include participating in a reading to the elderly project. Reading in a local care home is a great way to connect with the older generation, as well as taking some time out of our busy lives to sit down and relax with a good book; when was the last time you did that?! All volunteering – no matter how many hours you put in – is sure to have a major impact on the health and quality of life of older people all over the country. You can find out more about what’s available on the NHS Choices website here.
Even if you don’t have time for regular volunteering, just offering a shoulder to lean on every once in a while can make the elderly feel a lot more supported. According to the Office for National Statistics, ‘Age UK identify loneliness as one of the major factors older people worry about’. Simply popping round to your elderly neighbour or relative for a cup of tea and giving them a bit of company every week is a great way to stay connected, and stop them from feeling isolated – you won’t believe the interesting stories they have to tell!
Whatever the circumstances, just a little bit of support can go such a long way and can certainly change someone’s life for the better.
For more advice and tips on how to help keep our elderly safe and happy please check out the other posts on our Elderly Care & Safety Advice Blog