Brought to You by SafeWander.
by Jack Rein
As our population ages we get questions from a lot of 20 and 30 somethings about relationships, especially when it comes to grandparents and the problems they face as they get older. It can be very difficult to deal with the decline of people who you love, especially if they start to develop serious health issues.
So let’s give you a few things that you can easily do to help grandma and grandpa as they get older and more dependent on other people’s help.
- Consider yourself lucky that you have people in your life who love you unconditionally.
Keep in mind that these are the same people who spoiled you rotten, that you looked forward to seeing you when you were a kid and who would listen to you with endless patience as you wound your way through stories and experiences that you had as you were growing up. Remember that family is the most important and wonderful component that you will ever have in your life. - Spend some time with them.
This means getting your head out of the screen. If you can’t be with them physically then give them a call, if only to say that you love them and you’re thinking about them. You would be amazed at the psychological lift that this simple act can have on another person’s spirit. Dedicate a little of your time. This takes the most frightening thing that many millennials can possibly think of: commitment. - Embrace your new role with them.
Look, you probably have far more access to information and the way things are being done today then your grandparents and even your parents ever had. Now you can turn that screen addiction into something more powerful than you can imagine. You can help another human being become empowered, informed and connected. This is a wonderful gift that you can give your grandparents if you make the decision to use it. - Learn to become their advocate.
If you have access to information that they need and can use it to their benefit then communicate it to the people who can help them. This would include many of the things that would affect older adults as they live their daily lives, and make those lives easier. Transportation, exercise, nutrition, entertainment and physical care all fall under the umbrella of important issues that are necessary for vital, healthy, active and intellectually stimulated seniors. Your help and involvement with these issues will invariably help your grandparents to lead happier lives. - Make certain they avoid isolation.
In the worst case, grandma and grandpa will inevitably lose friends and family members through the natural processes of life. Make certain that they don’t close themselves to the things that give them joy. Take them to church. Take them to a senior club. Take them to watch a little league game, or any place that might stimulate them. Teach them how to stream a movie or a popular series. Engagement is incredibly important to happy human existence. Loneliness is a killer. - Network for them.
You have friends, they have friends, and you are truly socially connected and know how to work the system. Get your grandparents involved in the things that you discover about the world and how connected everything is. Oh…and a lot of your friends have grandparents too! In the final analysis, your connectivity will bring their world, and yours, a little closer.
Remember to use SafeWander when you can’t be everywhere at once. With SafeWander you’ll be notified when mom or dad, grandma and grandpa get out of bed or their chair. SafeWander drastically reduces the risk of catastrophic falls. Every 6Beds member gets a 20% discount on Safe Wander sensors and software. SafeWander can monitor multiple people at once. It’s safe, small, easy-to-use and information can be instantly accessed if you’re close by or far away using most mobile devices, tablets, desktop and laptop computers
Contact SafeWander right now for a peace of mind. Here’s the link: