I decided that I wanted to do it better so, I set up my own company, West Park Care, to support clients who want quality care for their nearest and dearest to allow them to live in their own homes. And over the past four years, I have learned many things about caring for elderly people and that at Christmas, they are especially vulnerable. So, here are some ways you can best support your elderly relatives at this time of year.
Plan
It may sound obvious but plan who will be visiting your elderly relatives and when. This allows everyone to know what to expect – you, your elderly relative, and your family. We share our Christmas rota one month in advance so our Care Experts know when they are working and can make their Christmas plans and so our clients know who will be looking after them during the Christmas period. This simple act offers everyone peace of mind over the festive period so if you can, try to do the same.
Admit you are not superhuman
Be realistic about what support you need over the Christmas period. If you need to ask others to help, do so and if you need support from a care company, let them know in plenty of time. Often people come to us for help when they’ve already reached a crisis point. We get calls from daughters and nieces who say they’ve been caring for an elderly relative, but it got too much. What happens is that slowly over time, the care tasks become overwhelming and by Christmas – with all the extra responsibilities that come with the festive season – they find themselves at breaking point. Try to avoid that for yourself and if you can, call on the help of others.
Be honest about personal care
Many elderly people rely on family members for personal care support such as bathing and going to the toilet. There is a huge issue with family members acting as unpaid carers in this country and there isn’t enough space here to discuss it. But ask yourself if you want to do personal care for your parent at Christmas. Furthermore, does your parent want you to do it for them? For an elderly person, it can be a matter of pride. If you are close to your parents and have the sort of relationship where this isn’t a
problem for either of you, carry on. But if you can bring in outside help, do as it means a trained carer will carry out those duties, your loved one gets to keep their dignity and you have more time to watch your children open presents.
Make sure their heating is on
If you only do one thing this Christmas, make sure your elderly relatives are warm. Our team make sure that our clients keep the heating on where appropriate as we know that many elderly people switch it off in winter to save money. (And never is this truer than this year with sky-high energy costs.) However, you must remember that dropping the temperature below 18 degrees Celsius is dangerous. To be brutally frank, the cold is the biggest killer amongst the elderly at Christmas so, make sure your elderly people are warm.
Make them feel loved
Finally and most importantly, make sure your elderly relatives feel loved. We all need human connection to thrive and this is never more important than during the festive season. All our employees are well-versed in the importance of taking time to talk to our elderly people, and we always send them Christmas cards. So, as well as doing the duties, listen to their stories, share a memory or tell a cracker joke. And together remember what Christmas is all about.
If you need an extra pair of hands with your elderly relatives, we provide quality at-home care, so get in touch.
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