What Are The Needs Of The Elderly Throughout The Aging Process?

Individuals worldwide are living longer, and most people can expect to live into their sixties and beyond. As people age, it is likely that there will be a gradual decrease in physical and mental capacity, while there is a growing risk of disease. In this blog, we will go through the needs of the elderly throughout the aging process and define all that goes into caring for the elderly.

What Are The Most Common Emotional And Psychological Needs Of The Elderly?

When it comes to emotional and psychological needs of the elderly, that list can become quite long. When thinking of your own emotional needs, you can assume that an older adult has the same needs and more. In addition, cognitive decline may cause a bit of an unintentional social withdrawal. Below are a few ideas to get a conversation going with an older adult:

Ask them for a recap of their day.
Ask them how they are feeling (mentally, emotionally, etc.).
Ask them if they’ve invested time into a new or existing hobby.

It is easier to ask them open ended questions to prompt a longer response. The best thing you can do for an older adult is listen, so that they know their thoughts are valuable to you.

What Are The Most Common Physical Needs Of An Elderly Person

Now, moving on to the physical needs of a patient, there are many tasks that are included in this category. Here are five things you must consider when taking care of the elderly and tending to their physical needs:

Adequate amount of sleep.
Proper oral care.
Healthy bowel and digestive needs.
Engaging in leisure activities.
Regular adequate exercise.

Daily List Of Elderly Care Tasks For Caregivers

From day to day, an elderly individual’s needs might look different. Caregivers should be prepared to perform a wide range of services to the client, whether that’s cooking meals, bathing, transferring, or providing transportation. Each client is going to have different needs, so ensuring that you provide personalized service to each is crucial. These daily needs greatly affect the aging process, and the elderly adult’s overall happiness. So, what are the daily caregiver tasks to consider when taking care of an older adult? Click HERE to see a caregiver task list, which will make figuring out caregiver duties a breeze!

Senior Home Companions Helps You Care For Your Elderly Loved One

If you’d like to discuss all the types of in-home services Senior Home Companions provides, please contact us today for your free consultation. Our offices in Indianapolis, Lafayette, and Central Florida would be happy to discuss your family’s options. Senior Home Companions provides non-medical, elderly care companion services to older adults in both Indiana and Florida. As a privately-owned company, we are dedicated to serving with integrity, effectiveness, and compassion. It’s what we would want for our parents and grandparents and believe your loved ones deserve the same. Contact us today.