{"id":166,"date":"2020-03-10T11:08:11","date_gmt":"2020-03-10T11:08:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sisteranne.co.za\/?page_id=166"},"modified":"2020-07-04T11:01:54","modified_gmt":"2020-07-04T11:01:54","slug":"visiting-older-folk","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sisteranne.co.za\/?page_id=166","title":{"rendered":"Visiting Older Folk"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Here is a list of ideas as to how to cope with visiting and elderly relative or friend. They used the term \u201colder adult\u201d in their list of ideas to enhance your visits. Below are some of the activities suggested.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When your older adult lives in a nursing home or assisted\nliving, visiting regularly is an important way to stay connected and show how\nmuch you care. Spending time with you will brighten their day and knowing when\nyou\u2019ll visit next gives them something to look forward to. But some people may\nfind it awkward or uncomfortable to visit because they don\u2019t know what to do or\nsay. Having some ideas in mind and bringing activities with you can make\nvisiting fun and positive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of these activities are equally as good for seniors who are seriously ailing or have Alzheimer\u2019s or dementia. Your visits can be supportive and meaningful, even if they can\u2019t participate much or don\u2019t remember it later \u2013 the feelings of happiness and contentment will stay with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Here is our list:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Keep them connected with family<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seniors living in a care community can get lonely because\nthey have so little contact with family. Use your visit as a chance to keep\nthem connected and reassure them that they\u2019re not forgotten. To keep them in\ntouch with family members, you could bring visitors with you \u2013 especially\nchildren, teens, or someone who might feel too awkward to visit on their own.\nFor family members who live far away, arrange video chats or phone calls so\nthey also have a chance to virtually visit with your older adult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When bringing children to visit, you might want to bring a\npuzzle, art project, or simple game so they\u2019ll have something fun to do with\nyour older adult. A shared activity helps them bond and keeps everyone happily\nengaged. Another idea is to encourage a young child to bring something for\n\u201cshow and tell\u201d so they can share something they\u2019re excited about. Sharing\nvideos of the kids\u2019 activities is another fun way to spend time together. They\ncould watch a video of a soccer game, school play, or other event together.\nSharing current photos and videos is another way to keep them in the loop on\neveryday family activities or trips. They\u2019ll especially enjoy watching videos\nof the kids. You could even share Facebook feeds to show what family members\nhave been up to lately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When possible, include them in family celebrations. If\nthey\u2019re able to attend in person, you could help them get excited about the\nevent by telling them about the planning or asking for their input on food,\nmusic, or decor. At the event, take plenty of pictures so you can share and\nrevisit the fun times during future visits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Enjoy music together<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Music has a universal ability to boost mood, reduce\nagitation, and increase happiness and engagement. It\u2019s also a wonderful\nactivity to share with your older adult. When you\u2019re together, play their\nfavourite songs or set up a simple music player so they can listen anytime. You\ncould sit and listen together, have an impromptu sing along, or listen as they\nreminisce over memories from younger days. If you\u2019re not sure what music they\nenjoy, ask relatives or bring a selection of songs that came out when they were\nyoung and ask which they like most. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Music is also an ideal activity when they are not well or\nhave reached a stage of their illness where they can only lie in bed. Soft\nmusic is calming, comforting, and something you can still do together. If\nyou\u2019re not sure they\u2019re enjoying the music, watch their body language for\nclues. If they seem agitated, switch to something more soothing, lower the\nsound, or switch to a different activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Reminisce over old photos<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking over old photos or videos is a great way to spend\ntime together and strengthen your bond. You never know what stories or memories\nyour older adult will be inspired to share. Photos are also a great\nconversation starter. If you both are interested in a project, you could even\nwork on creating a family tree or family history \u2013 something that\u2019s both fun\nand meaningful!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Bring a furry friend along<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Petting a dog or stroking a cat is a highly therapeutic\nactivity. The next time you visit, why not bring your pet with you? If your\nolder adult is an animal lover, they\u2019d probably be overjoyed to spend time with\nan animal, especially a beloved family pet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research has found that spending time playing with animals\nlowers heart rate, blood pressure, and stress levels. And in the long term,\ninteracting with a pet can even lower cholesterol, prevent depression, and\nprotect against heart disease and stroke. But before you bring a pet, check\nwith the care community to make sure furry visitors are allowed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Eat a meal or snack together<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We all enjoy companionship when we eat. Whether you join\nthem in their community dining room or take them out to a restaurant, sharing a\nmeal is another way to bond with your older adult. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If mealtime isn\u2019t the right time for a visit, you could still have a snack together. Bring a little \u201cpicnic\u201d of tea and cookies, crackers and cheese, or something your older adult really loves. You could even jazz it up with a mock cocktail \u2013 add sparkling juice or bubbly water to lemonade, juice, or iced tea and put it in a nice cup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Get some fresh air<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also use the opportunity to help your older adult\nget some fresh air and exercise. Instead of staying in their room, take them\noutside to the courtyard or garden. That could mean walking slowly and\nsupporting them as needed or pushing their wheelchair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the care community doesn\u2019t have a suitable outdoor area,\nwalking around inside the building is still a great activity \u2013 and good for\ntheir health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Take them on short outings<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Going out can be a treat for someone living in a nursing\nhome or assisted living. If their health permits, a wonderful thing to do for\nyour older adult is to pick them up and take them anywhere they\u2019d like to go. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They might enjoy going to religious services, the hair\nsalon, a drugstore, or the shopping mall. Or, maybe they\u2019d enjoy eating at favourite\nrestaurants, getting some ice cream, strolling through a museum or park, or\ntaking a scenic drive. You could also take them to visit nearby friends or\nfamily members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Discuss this idea with your older adult to see if they\u2019d be\ninterested. Some people may want to go out, but need your help to choose where\nto go. Offering two options is often helpful \u2013 shall we take a walk in the park\nor visit the ice cream shop? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. Give a massage or manicure<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many people in nursing homes and assisted living would\nbenefit from the therapeutic effects of touch. Depending on your relationship\nwith your older adult, some pampering may be a great way to spend an afternoon.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You could bring some lightly scented lotion and give them a\ngentle hand massage or bring some tools and give them a manicure. Women may\neven enjoy some nail polish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people enjoy a good body massage. Consider giving a\ngentle massage while they sit in their usual chair. Use a very light touch\n(senior skin and muscles may be fragile) and massage their neck, shoulders,\nback, and arms \u2013 wherever you can reach. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. Read aloud<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another fantastic activity is reading aloud. It\u2019s a great\nway to connect and let them know how much you care without having to make a lot\nof conversation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reading aloud is especially good for older adults who are\nbedbound, not very responsive due to an advanced health condition, or those\nwith vision impairments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bring one of their favourite books and read a chapter or two\neach time you visit. Or, you could bring an audiobook that both of you could\nlisten to together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10. Watch a TV show or movie<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Watching TV or a movie is something we often do with friends\nand family \u2013 why not do it with your older adult? It\u2019s another way to spend\ntime together without feeling so much pressure to make conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your older adult has a TV in their room, consider getting\nthem a DVD player so you can watch movies. If you have a laptop computer or\ntablet device and subscribe to a service like Netflix, you could watch whatever\nyou like on-demand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ask them what they\u2019d like to see \u2013 perhaps there are older movies or shows they\u2019d love to watch again. Or, maybe there are current shows you know they\u2019d love to see. No matter what you watch, it\u2019s a great way to relax and enjoy each other\u2019s company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Here is a list of ideas as to how to cope with visiting and elderly relative or friend. They used the term \u201colder adult\u201d in their list of ideas to enhance your visits. Below are some of the activities suggested. When your older adult lives in a nursing home or assisted living, visiting regularly is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sisteranne.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/166"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sisteranne.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sisteranne.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sisteranne.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sisteranne.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=166"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/sisteranne.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/166\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":209,"href":"https:\/\/sisteranne.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/166\/revisions\/209"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sisteranne.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=166"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}