Monday, May 14, 2012

The Importance of Routines for Seniors

Sticking to a routine means having a set schedule each and every day. From the time you wake up to the time you go to sleep, a routine allows you to know what you have planned and what to expect. Some people may find that their busy lifestyles do not allow for a daily routine, but such a schedule is extremely important for elderly individuals. The seniors living in Durham, North Carolina, are looked after by elder care professionals who understand the benefits that routines provide to individuals who are aging in place.

Stability
A daily routine offers a level of stability that elderly individuals often enjoy, as it allows them to settle into a schedule that they understand. Many seniors do not like surprises, and having a routine allows them to anticipate and plan for what the day holds.

Stress-Free Environment
By setting a schedule, senior care professionals can alleviate the stresses associated with care giving for both themselves and elderly individuals. Changing a routine can be met with resistance, which can cause stress and, if severe, even mental or emotional damage to seniors. To reduce the chances of causing this high degree of stress, elder care professionals recommend setting a routine and sticking to it.

Memory Loss
Seniors who suffer from memory loss may constantly find themselves disoriented, wondering where they are and how they got there. This is particularly true of elderly individuals who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. By creating a routine, you can create a secure environment in which they can feel safe. Although this will not bring their memory back, it is much easier to cope with memory loss in a steady atmosphere than a tumultuous one.

Staying Involved
Although a routine is wonderful, it is important to allow seniors to maintain a certain amount of control over their lives. For example, allowing them to pick a new restaurant, choose what they want to do with a block of free time, etc. can allow the routine to work for both caregivers and seniors.

Your elderly loved one will benefit from a routine because it will provide a stable environment; however, it is important to honor your senior’s independence and remember that you are there to help them live their life—not make every decision for them. 

4 comments:

  1. Great article, Todd. Routines are so important for the elderly. It's important to maintain a stress-free and comfortable environment while also providing them with daily tasks to keep them alert and involved. This is something we do everyday as part of our assisted living services in Manchester NH.

    Thanks for the great post.

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  2. Thanks for this useful post. Hope this post will help a lot to family members finding difficult to take care of their aging parents or loved ones. Your elderly home care services and caregivers are really doing a great job by providing love, respect, compassion and highest level of quality care to senior and elders ones.

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  3. Excellent! Thanks so much for this post.
    excellent article thanks.

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  4. Thank you for the post. It is very helpful to maintain elders health.

    ReplyDelete