The old have a special place in society. And due to their age, they also have special needs. Their needs can be peculiar, and unless one is experienced with caring for seniors, it’s challenging to ensure their comfort and well-being in their daily routine. Old age acts as a big leveler and makes the old susceptible to ailments which the young may, at times, scoff at. Since most people in the world have relations who are old, including their parents, uncles, and aunts, or even at times their great grandparents, it is essential that they understand their needs.
It is our duty, as well as an obligation on us, to ensure that the old are looked after and made comfortable at all times. Planning towards such a necessity will go a long way in helping avoid any kind of suffering on their part.
Here are some ways you can help make sure that the elderly feel comfortable in their everyday lives.

Help Them Stay Active

Keeping the elderly active, both physically and mentally, is important. They should be encouraged to participate in light physical activities, including walking, basic movement exercises, and physical therapy exercises. These can help promote their health and relieve stress, anxiety, hypertension, and help uplift their mood. Mental stimulation is just as important, and they should be motivated to read books, play games, and even watch movies.
What is even more important is to let them participate in daily chores. They should feel needed and important, and the best way of ensuring that is to seek their help in basic tasks. 

Help Them Embrace Technology

Embracing technology can help the elderly keep in touch with their loved ones and help them lead more comfortable lives. While living with technology may be second nature to us, adapting to technology can be quite challenging for the elderly. However, with some help and guidance, they can get used to using modern devices. There are various ways in which modern technology can prove useful. They can be used to set reminders for medicines, access locations for those who suffer from memory problems, and provide access to numerous useful apps and emergency services.
Many modern devices can also help the elderly keep track of their health. Some even come equipped with features like EEG, heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen level, and fall detection, and can even notify emergency contacts in the event of an accident.

Organize the Living Space

As one grows older, muscles weaken, movements and reflexes become slower, and balance falters. Joint pains, backaches, and other ailments are quite common. Such problems can make simple tasks, even waking, quite difficult. You could arrange your house to make it easy for them to navigate and use storage shelves and racks at a convenient height and do not need them to bend or reach out. The aging support experts at gogrit.org/ recommend using furniture that provides ample back support and tailbone support. You could further make the living area safer by using anti-skid tiles and hand support on the walls, especially in the wet areas.

Be Patient

Some effects of aging can be challenging to cope with for both the elderly and their friends and family. Poor eyesight, weak hearing, and forgetfulness can often make it difficult for them to keep up. At times, disagreements are bound to happen, for it is difficult for at that age to change one’s habits. However, it is important for you to be understanding and remain patient while interacting with them. 

Help them Discover New Hobbies

Learning new skills and trying out new hobbies can not only be a way of staying physically and mentally active, but they can also help ward off boredom and loneliness. Hobbies like gardening, learning a musical instrument, or some light sports can keep the elderly engaged, uplift their self-esteem, and can help give them a sense of well-being.

Encourage Periodic Medical Checkups

Periodic medical checkups can help the elderly keep track of their health, identify any deficiencies, and lead a better and healthier life. Prevention is better than cure. While the age at which someone is considered elderly is debatable and improving healthcare the bar is rising. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) defines the elderly as those above the age of 65. At this age, they are quite susceptible to diseases and ailments. Regular medical checkups can help prevent these and help them lead a more comfortable life.
With a few adjustments, you can help make the elderly feel a lot more comfortable in their daily lives. A little effort goes a long way. Be patient with them, listen to them, and spend time with them. While following these tips will definitely help you positively impact their lives, what they need the most is to feel and be loved. 

Help them Get Medicaid Cover

Another incredible way to ensure the elderly feel comfortable in their life is by helping them get Medicaid cover. Many people face many challenges in covering health care costs, and perhaps, getting Medicaid coverage is a better option. This is a state program that provides health care coverage. Anyone who qualifies for this program can gain from its benefits which include inpatient and outpatient, laboratory, physician, and x-ray services.
Other benefits may include physical therapy, prescription drugs, case management, and occupational therapy. In addition, seniors will gain from unique benefits such as home health care, mental health, dental care, and durable medical tools. While this sounds intriguing, it can be pretty challenging to qualify so it is always advisable to check if you qualify.
However, fortunately, there are special programs such as ALTCS in Arizona that cover long-term health care for anyone that qualifies, especially the elderly. You can help them apply for this program that provides benefits such as assisted living care, rehabilitation, residential care facility, and more. 

WRITTEN BY

Daria Brown