Seniors can age in place with grace and dignity
Social isolation may be one of the most overlooked health risk factors that accompanies aging. One in five adults over age 50 is affected by isolation, a problem associated with higher rates of chronic disease, dementia, depression and death, according to the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging. The decrease in interaction gets worse with age because of factors like retirement, loss of hearing, and loss of family and friends.
People who identified themselves as lonely had a 59 percent greater risk of health decline and a 45 percent greater risk of death, according to University of California physicians who analyzed CDC data.
Seniors Helping Seniors, a local in-home care agency, can help elders feel less lonely by providing a greater sense of dignity, hope and friendship. Giving up the car keys, for instance, can make the individual feel as if they are losing their last thread of independence. Seniors Helping Seniors in-home caregivers provide transportation to and from doctors' offices, help the client pick up prescriptions or groceries, and help fulfill other needs on the return trip.
Seniors Helping Seniors provides the human touch through compassionate, experienced in-home staff members who are over the age of 50 and therefore understand the needs and wishes of their clients. "When one of our seniors comes to help another, whether it's light housekeeping and cooking or running errands, these caregivers become good friends with the ones they care for," says Amy McDermott, owner of Sussex County's Seniors Helping Seniors. "Often our most important job is to provide companionship to someone in fragile health, thereby increasing their sense of dignity as well as creating lasting friendships. It often happens because they have so much in common and there's a mutual respect."
Seniors Helping Seniors also provides respite care for caregivers and will step in 24/7 for a few days or a few hours to keep life moving smoothly and keep their loved one safe. For a free consultation for support at a reasonable price, go to www.seniorcarerehoboth.com or call 302-858-7330.
