With the holiday season approaching your thoughts might have started going toward decorating. As a family caregiver for your elderly parent, you might worry that their limitations might make it challenging or even dangerous for them to have these decorations. Making their home festive and attractive, however, can be tremendously beneficial for your parent’s mental and emotional health, and help to create treasured holiday memories for your family.
Use these tips to keep your parent’s holiday decorating safe:
- Examine all strands of lights to ensure that they are in good condition and not frayed
- Consider replacing old or outdated lights with LED strands that are more efficient and safer
- Avoid placing any decorations in intended walkways that might cause tripping or impact injuries
- Do not plug too many decorations into the same outlet and ensure that all outlets are properly grounded
- Avoid using ornaments or other decorations that are breakable or might shatter if they are knocked over
- Do not use decorations that contain candles with real flames
- Ensure that all decorations are placed a safe distance from any heat-emitting appliance, including space heaters, radiators, and furnaces, or fireplaces
- Ensure that the decorations that you place around the home do not create shadows or other dangerous visual issues that might increase the chances that your aging parent will suffer a fall
- Consider putting a timer on your parent’s outdoor lights so that they turn on automatically so that your parent will not need to go outside to turn on their lights
Being a family caregiver for an elderly adult can be extremely challenging, but fortunately home care is there for you. An elderly care provider can make a tremendous difference in your parent’s quality of life, and in your life as well. The highly personalized services of this care provider can ensure that your aging parent’s individual needs, challenges, and limitations are met in ways that are right for them. This not only helps them to stay healthy, happy, comfortable, and safe, but also promotes greater independence, activity, and fulfillment as they age in place. For you, this can ease your stress and allow you to step back some from your parent’s care efforts, enabling you to focus on other needs in your life such as your children, your partner, your career, and yourself. This not only protects your health and well-being, but allows you to give the effort you can as effectively, efficiently, and meaningfully as possible.
If you or an aging loved one are considering caregivers in Gretna, NE, please contact the caring staff at Seniors Helping Seniors® Greater Omaha at (402) 215-0308 today.