Making Seniors Feel Special
An unfortunate, unintended consequence of a friend or loved one who has decreased physical mobility or mental health is sadness or depression. They tend to feel left out or disappointed that they are not able to do the activities they used to enjoy. Also, if they have extensive home health house calls or therapy, they may not be able to get together with friends or family like they did in the past. With that said, as a friend, family member or caretaker, there are little things you can do to make your senior feel special.
If your friend or loved one is a female or a male that values staying well-groomed, you can have a hair stylist come to the home and cut or style their hair. Yes – some hair stylists do house calls! Even if it is just styling their hair in a new way to make them feel beautiful or dapper – a little can go a long way! Another beauty item that can really make a difference for seniors requiring home health or therapy is manicures and pedicures! While there aren’t many people in that field that do house calls, you can do it yourself if your friend or loved one isn’t mobile. If they are able to leave the home, it could be a good way to get out and feel special with a couple hours of pampering. Be sure to ask your loved one’s home health nurse or therapist about any health concerns with a manicure or pedicure.
Especially if they aren’t mobile, seniors can sometimes get lonely. If they enjoy board games or card games, it would be extremely special for you to bring over a new game or deck of cards and spend some time with them having fun!
If your friend or loved one is mobile, try going on a walk around the neighborhood or at the local park. This is a great activity not only for quality time, but fitness, which helps to encourage vitality and recovery for geriatric home health patients.
Many geriatrics patients love talking about their loved ones and looking at photos and videos from the past. Taking some time to sit down with them to go through pictures and tell old stories can be a great way to lift their spirits amongst tiring home health therapy sessions and geriatrics doctor visits.
What other activities can you do for seniors receiving home health house calls or therapy to lift their spirits?