How Helping with Gardening Can Improve Our Care for the Elderly in Greater Gilford, NH
Visiting Angels of Gilford Offers a Wide Range of Care for the Elderly to Keep them Happy and Independent at Home
As the weather warms up, many of us start itching to get outdoors with the nicer weather. Your aging loved one feels the same urge to enjoy the change in seasons, and outdoor hobbies like gardening can be a great way to increase daily activity and wellness. Whether your loved one wants to cultivate a plot full of blossoms, a small vegetable patch, or a yard that the neighbors will love to look at, gardening can keep your aging loved one active while offering a sense of accomplishment and well-being.
If you are a family caregiver for an elderly loved one or help to provide home care for an aging family member, don’t forget that their home and lawn may also require maintenance.
The Importance of Maintaining the Outside of a Senior’s Home
While raking is a regular fall activity for most of us, it is particularly important to clean up fallen leaves and detritus from outdoor spaces for an aging member of your family. Small items underfoot can be a trip and fall hazard, especially in frequently used spaces like walkways to garage or parking spaces, or front stoops. Turning this activity into enjoyable outdoor time gives your loved one a way to participate in maintaining their safety and health. Our home care providers can help care for the elderly by assisting them with gardening, mobility assistance, transportation to local gardening centers, and more.
Of course, lawn care is a common need during the warmer months. While your loved one’s caregiver can’t help with home maintenance tasks like these, we can help your loved one make a plan to keep their home maintained and comfortable. Spring is a good season to attend to other aspects of home care for the elderly. If the furnace in their home hasn’t been serviced during months of heavier use, take this opportunity to check their filter, and to make sure it runs smoothly.
Talk to Your Aging Loved One
As with any work you do in the home of an aging family member, take advantage of the opportunity to ask them for their thoughts and preferences. Seniors may feel like they have less control over their homes or lives, so asking them what height they’d like their hedges trimmed to may feel like a small gesture, but will make them feel independent and engaged with the seasonal yard work.
Contact Visiting Angels of Gilford today to learn how we can care for the elderly and help your loved one maintain their independent and happiness at home.