End Your Dad’s Feelings of Isolation With Companion Care at Home

One out of four adults aged 65 or older meets the criteria for being socially isolated. This is a concern as people who are socially isolated or feel that way have higher rates of dementia, heart disease, stroke, anxiety, and depression.

Your dad may have people stopping by and still feel isolated. Or, he may not see others enough and feels isolated because his social circle is so small. Living alone, having a chronic health condition, hearing loss, and loss of friends and family members can all increase feelings of isolation.

What can you do to help your dad? You know he feels isolated, so how do you help ease those feelings? Support from a companion care aide is one of the best ways to stop isolation and loneliness.

He’s Able to Get Out of His Home

Being home day after day after day can heighten feelings of isolation. If your dad is always at home, it can become isolating. While it’s convenient to have his groceries delivered, his prescriptions switched to mail order, and shipments of household items like cleaning supplies and paper products shipped to his home, it’s isolating.

Instead of your dad being home every day for weeks and weeks, get him out of his home. He can go out with a caregiver to run errands, shop for items he needs, and explore his community. A day in an area museum or nature park will do a lot to help him avoid isolation.

He Has Someone to Join Him for Dinner

Eating alone is tough. As a result, people who eat alone tend to eat less, aim for meals that are ready to eat, and increase orders of takeout or fast food. Make sure your dad is eating well and eating with others by arranging regular family dinners.

When that’s not possible, make sure he has a caregiver available to cook meals for him. When the meal is ready, his caregiver should eat with him to ensure he has company and isn’t rushing through his meal.

He’s Supported While Running Errands

Running errands can be difficult for someone who is isolated. Your dad may find it difficult to navigate aisles, figure out what to purchase, and pay at the register. If the store has self-checkouts, they can be confusing and difficult to work with. 

With a caregiver’s support, your dad has someone to help him work through his shopping list, pay at the register, and carry everything to the car. He has a caregiver to bring items back inside when he’s home.

His caregiver helps him with other errands, too. He has someone to help him get packages at the post office, fill prescriptions at the pharmacy, and drop off items at the local thrift store.

With companion care at home aides stopping by regularly, your dad’s loneliness and isolation diminish. Learn more about this vital service by talking to your dad about his goals as he ages, getting together a list of questions, and talking to a specialist in companion care at home.

If you or an aging loved-one is considering Companion Care at Home in Miami, FL please contact the caring staff at Elite Care At Home today at (305) 231-0555.

Sources:

https://www.cdc.gov/aging/publications/features/lonely-older-adults.htm