Impact of Personal Care Assistance on Seniors' Well-Being
If you're concerned about navigating changes as a senior, you don't have to make the journey alone. Pursuing senior care services can be an excellent way to boost the quality of life in a caring community. Having the help of trained and compassionate individuals can make each day easier and brighter.
Keep reading to learn about personal care assistant duties and how they can impact seniors' well-being!
Understand What Personal Care Includes
First, it's important to be clear on the scope of offerings within personal care services. And it's even more critical to find a community that offers the amenities and types of care you or your loved one will need. Elderly care duties can include providing help with:
- Bathing and dressing
- Tracking medication needs
- Cleaning tasks
- Assistance with mobility issues
Ultimately, personal care from staff members can enhance the well-being of elderly individuals. As individuals age, limited mobility can make daily or weekly tasks, like dusting or sorting laundry, difficult. Moreover, tracking daily medication needs can be tedious, and it's not an area any senior can afford to neglect.
Personal care assistants can provide critical help with these needs. They can help with personal hygiene needs, too.
Regular bathing, for instance, can be a chore for seniors unable to move as easily. But with help, bathing can be a regular habit that helps prevent illness and infections.
In a caring community with trained staff, seniors will always have a reliable source of help. Staff can alert seniors to refill needs and make tasks like getting ready for activities easier. They also can help seniors safely make it to their next activity for the day.
Improve Physical Abilities
Most seniors will face challenges when it comes to physical activities as they age. Weakening muscles and bones can make even simple movements hard. And that makes mobility feel like an uphill battle.
The personal assistance of staff members in a senior community can help restore a sense of mobility. Seniors won't feel as limited when they know they have a helping hand with anything from preparing food to attending an activity.
Assistants will know seniors' schedules and can work with them to ensure they're on time for appointments or events. They'll be a literal and figurative support as seniors get ready, helping with anything from grooming to moving.
Personal assistants also provide a watchful eye. They can spot tripping hazards, like rugs, and other obstacles that could lead to falls and injuries. Seniors will be able to feel more secure in their living environments.
Boost Mental Health
The personalized care that comes with staff assistance can reap rewards for seniors' mental health. That's in large part because seniors won't be isolated when they're in an intentional senior community. Instead, they'll have a regular source of interaction.
Caring staff members aren't just there to do tasks. They're there to help the seniors with whom they interact have a more meaningful experience each day. With personal assistance, seniors can experience:
- A better mood
- Emotional support
- Improved socialization
- Reduced loneliness
For many seniors, aging creates challenges in maintaining a social calendar. An inability to drive, for example, can make it harder to reach friends. That's where living in a retirement community that provides personal assistance can be a significant difference maker.
Seniors will have an instant source of companionship as they get help from caring staff with daily activities. With regular interaction comes better cognitive stimulation, too. Additionally, staff members can help seniors plot a calendar of activities, like exercise classes or lectures, to stay socially active - and happier.
Help with Nutrition
With assisted living support, seniors can feel more confident that they're getting balanced nutrition. And for seniors on targeted or restricted diets, it's essential to stay within the limits advised by their doctors. Staff members can help them with:
- Light meal preparation
- Understanding daily nutritional needs
- Medication reminders
Seniors may need assistance prepping food or packaging leftovers, for instance. And many seniors have specific dietary restrictions that require extra vigilance. Personal assistants can help with the logistic parts of cooking while making it a joyful experience.
In some instances, seniors may need to take certain medications with food to avoid uncomfortable side effects, as well. Assistants can offer gentle reminders and ensure that seniors include medications as part of a balanced diet. They can alert other staff members, too, if they observe shifts in dietary habits or needs.
Enable Independence
Finally, one of the best personal assistant benefits is the potential for seniors to retain a sense of independence. With the aging process comes an increased need for reliance on others. Sometimes, it's easy for seniors to feel like they have to give up a portion of their identity.
With a little extra help, however, it's possible for seniors to feel confident going about their daily activities. And it's possible for them to continue living independently and with a sense of dignity.
Personal assistance services can help seniors can feel an enhanced quality of life and well-being. Personal assistants can be a needed source of encouragement, too, for seniors. Seniors might feel more interested in joining a walking group or gardening club in their community thanks to nudging from a caring staff member.
Family members will feel at greater ease, too. They'll have some relief from the hands-on work of helping an aging loved one with daily tasks. And they'll feel relief knowing their loved one has a reliable source of daily help and monitoring.
Pursue Personal Care Assistant Duties
The right personal care assistant duties can enhance a senior's quality of life while helping them live independently. Personal care assistants can help seniors with routine tasks to maintain safe and healthy living situations. In doing so they can brighten moods and provide a welcome source of social interaction.
At Bennett Place, we help residents feel right at home thanks to our caring staff. With a variety of activities and first-rate amenities, residents always have a way to stay active and engaged. Contact us today to learn more!