I Want to Hold Your Hand…
Every day, we get older and older. As our nervous systems pass the point of maturity, they begin to decline. Synapses fire more slowly, or not at all. Nerves have more difficulty communicating, which translates into difficulty for seniors in performing manual tasks. Picking up the phone, cutting food, even turning a doorknob become difficult burdens.
Ideally, this would not happen, but because it does, it is the caregiver’s responsibility to find a way to help the senior overcome this handicap. An interesting way of doing so is the caregiver putting him or herself in the older person’s shoes. Well, in the older person’s hands, so to speak. The caregiver can simulate the neurological difficulties that come with age by donning a pair of mittens.
Wearing these mittens, the caregiver should go through daily activities in the life of the senior: turning on lights, flushing the toilet, opening doors. When the caregiver encounters difficulty, then he or she will know that the senior would be in a similar situation and can work to fix it. Change the light switches with big square buttons. Install a large button flush or a motion sensor flush. Switch the doorknob with a handle.
Clothing may also become an issue. Many seniors find difficulty butting shirts and tying shoes. It may be in the older person’s best interest to get velcro or zipper shoes and shirts without buttons or with snaps.
If you have any questions about this post or need help finding senior-care options for a loved one, call 1-866-483-4896 to speak with a care advisor in your area.
