Life is busy, and it can be hard to juggle all of our work obligations, family responsibilities while still having time for friends and a social life. I’ve decided to write these three tips for taking care of your loved ones to help you remember how you can make a small effort that will make a big difference in their lives. No matter if your family members are located near or far, there are things you can do to make them feel cared for and important. This is especially critical when your parents or grandparents are ageing because social engagement can do wonderful things for their health! Here are my top 3 tips for taking care of your loved ones:
1. Check-in Regularly
It may sound ridiculous, but I think it can be valuable to schedule in time each week or month to check in with your elderly or isolated family members. I’m a firm believer in the motto “if you don’t make time for it, it doesn’t get done” so if being there for your loved ones is a priority for you then schedule it in! Add it into your calendar app so you can get a handy reminder about when you should call or pop in for a visit. If your family members live a long way away, Skype makes it easy to stay in touch and feel like you’re together with video chatting available on your mobile or laptop. You might need to help your family member set it up, but once it’s all set up it’s easy to use and free!
2. Look Into Their Entitlements
If you have a family member in a care home, you might be surprised to learn that they could be eligible for some NHS funding to help with nursing care costs. NHS funded nursing care can ensure that your loved one gets the professional support they need as without being a huge expense on your family. It can be a good idea to look into what entitlements and options are available to your loved ones once or twice a year to ensure you’re up to date with the help they can receive. As we get older it can be harder to stay on top of things so this can be a nice way to help them out.
3. Don’t Forget About Letters
We live in the digital age, where communication is usually a voice note, text message or email. Make things a little more personal by sitting down and putting pen to paper. Take the time to print out photos of what your family has been up to recently, and send off a letter with some pics. This will make your family member’s day and give them something to share with their friends! A small effort can make a big difference in their lives.
These are three simple ways that you can take care of your ageing loved ones! Let me know in the comments if you have any other tips you’d like to share.