Tips to encourage and develop the autonomy and independence of your elderly family member
Aging can bring with it a loss of autonomy and independence, with autonomy refering to the ability to control and take initiative in one’s decisions and actions, while independence refers to the elderly person’s ability to perform tasks without the help of others. This is difficult for both the caregiver, who bears a greater burden of decisions and tasks, and the elderly person, who feels frustrated by their limitations and feels like a burden. However, these factors are not immutable. Even after these abilities diminish, they can be developed again. In this context, we have some tips to encourage the autonomy and independence of your elderly relative.
Assess the needs
Have a conversation with your elder. Make them aware that their abilities can change and that certain limitations can be worked on. Ask them where they need help, as well as what they can do to help. This help may be important to you as a caregiver, or it may be important for the elder to feel useful.
Let your elder take certain decisions
It’s not always possible to know what’s best for an elderly person, and sometimes it’s the elderly people themselves that know. Give your elderly relative space to express their preferences and let them make decisions whenever possible. It could be something as simple as what meal they want to eat or what clothes they want to wear, or something more comprehensive like what tasks they prefer to perform.
Give your elder simple tasks to perform
You can select tasks that are easy for the elderly person to do or relearn how to do. Some examples include folding laundry or setting the table. This is one of the factors that most contributes to autonomy and independence. And if the elderly person has certain functions already intrinsic to their routine, it is important to do everything possible so that they can continue performing these functions, thus giving them a sense of importance and a sense that little has changed with age.
Estabilish a schedule
Develop a weekly or monthly plan that addresses various commitments and needs of the elderly person, such as medication schedules and medical appointments. By having access to this schedule, your elderly relative can follow these plans more closely, which then frees up more time for the activities they want to do.
Promote good hygiene and nutrition
A healthy lifestyle is crucial for a person to feel more active, especially in old age. In this sense, motivating your family member to eat healthily and take baths on their own initiative will motivate them to make more decisions and accomplish other tasks.
Promote physical exercise
Physical exercise helps to combat various physical and mental complications such as muscle atrophy, depression, and loss of cognitive abilities, all factors that can strongly interfere with the autonomy and independence of the elderly.
Promote socializing
Help your loved one plan activities with family and friends, and also give them the opportunity to choose which activities they want to do and with whom they want to do them. This not only helps combat loneliness and make your elderly loved one feel integrated into the community, but also allows them to exchange experiences with people who may be in a similar situation and bring those lessons and strategies home.
Make the house safer
There is usually a great fear, both for the caregiver and the elderly person, that the elderly person might fall, because even the smallest injury can have a significant impact on their mobility. Fortunately, you can take several safety measures to prevent any accidents and give the elderly person more confidence, such as grab bars in the bathroom, canes, and walkers. If your family member has difficulty walking or maintaining balance, you can check out other tips we’ve shared in a previous article.
Helping your elderly family member is important, but it’s also relevant to approach this help in an empowering way and give them the tools to do more for themselves. This is beneficial not only for you as an informal caregiver, which entails a lighter workload, but also to awaken in your elderly loved one a rejuvenated sense of confidence, initiative, and self-affirmation.
At KindCare, we believe that care includes helping them care for themselves as well. If this is the type of assistance you want for your elderly family member, contact us on this website or at 960 139 517 to learn more.