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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – In our head-down world where many of us spend our days plowing through life and checking things off our lists, it’s easy to forget that oftentimes there’s a human at the other end of the exchange. The times that we stop and remember to look up and smile, to say thank you, to sincerely ask “how are you?” or to linger for a bit and engage, can be day makers. Making someone’s day is what I set out to do when I founded Comfort Keepers® more than 20 years ago.
I was working as a registered nurse in home health care and was restricted by the plan of care to only tend to my clients’ medical care needs. As I got to know them beyond their charts, I noticed the majority of my clients longed for companionship, someone to brighten their day with conversation and a person who could lend a helping hand with household tasks and errands. They needed much more than my custodial tasks, more than someone checking the boxes of their care; they needed someone who could bring them comfort.
When it comes to in-home care ― whether from a service like Comfort Keepers or from a family member ― the emphasis needs to be on bringing connection, purpose, hope, and, importantly, joy into the life of the person needing care and helping to make their days brighter, safer and more enjoyable from the comfort of home.
The key to more joy? According to the annual National State of Joy survey conducted by Comfort Keepers, it’s simple pleasures and human connections. Listening to music, traveling, being out in the sunshine, and spending time with family are all activities respondents said bring them joy.
Experiencing joy also has beneficial mental and physical health effects, as it releases dopamine and serotonin – important neurotransmitters that help regulate movement, learning, mood and emotional responses. Experiencing joy on a more regular basis can help to reduce negative feelings and emotions and improve overall well-being.
A person’s quality of life depends on many factors. People are happier and healthier when they are active, connected and feel they contribute to the world around them. It is important to know that interaction should be customized to the individual, and it should focus on the “whole person,” in order to maintain activity and engagement in life.
The engagement of the “whole person” is the philosophy behind Interactive Caregiving™. The basis of this is approach is to interact with an individual physically, mentally and socially in ways designed to enhance their overall health and well-being. Research indicates that seniors who are physically and mentally active enjoy better health, a more positive outlook on life and higher cognitive functioning.
For those facing the possibility of providing care to an aging parent or looking for in-home care, the true art of caregiving for the elderly extends beyond task-oriented responsibilities and includes engaging in activities that help maintain a healthy spirit and body. Talk to the senior in your life to help determine what his interests are, then form a plan to do those things together and keep the elements of interactive caregiving in mind.
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Physical activity, which should always be approved by the senior’s physician, helps reduce the severity of illness, increases strength and reduces the risk of falling. Dancing can reduce high blood pressure, strengthen bones and lower the risk of heart disease. Dancing with friends also provides a social outlet that stimulates the mind and can reduce the effects of dementia. Activities such as gardening and housekeeping inspire positive self-esteem and improve quality of life.
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Socializing with family and friends makes seniors feel less isolated and promotes good memory retention. The effects of being socially active are just as beneficial as physical activity in terms of self-esteem and higher quality of life.
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Mental stimulation, such as crossword puzzles or other brain games, keeps minds active and facilitates healthy mental and emotional function, and fosters a sharp mind and positive outlook.
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Emotional well-being includes feeling connected to family and friends, being involved in the community or taking on a hobby. Emotional stability helps seniors feel happy and optimistic and can keep depression at bay.
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Encourage seniors to help with tasks such as folding laundry or writing a grocery list. Play a game or work on a puzzle, read the paper over a cup of coffee; take a walk together. Shopping together is another form of exercise and the chance to do something together. Gardening is not only fun; it provides a sense of accomplishment.
There are many activities that can improve the quality of life for seniors. Use your imaginations and work together to plan fun things that will transform even daily activities into special memories.
About the Author: Kristina Butler, RN, is the founder of Comfort Keepers, a leading provider of in-home care that is rooted in joy, love and hope, offering customized services to meet the unique needs of seniors or other adults in need of assistance. From the beginning, her goal was to keep clients comfortably at home and provide the uplifting care that would help seniors’ physical and mental wellbeing. Interactive Caregiving®, a holistic and active approach to care that focuses on the mind and body as well as the spiritual and emotional aspects of a client, sets Comfort Keepers apart. This industry-changing approach has been embraced by caregivers, clients and their loved ones at more than 700 Comfort Keepers locations worldwide. Comfort Keepers has received several industry awards and endorsements and, for the second year, was recognized by Newsweek as “America’s Best Customer Service” in the category of Home Care Services for Seniors and Disabled.