8 Ways to Make Your Aging Family Members Happier at Home

When you see your parents or close loved ones getting older it can make you feel slightly guilty that you can’t do anything to help. Although many of their health issues might be beyond your control, there are a number of things you can do to make their home a more comfortable and enjoyable place to be. As your aging loved ones get older they may find themselves spending a lot more of their time indoors, so it’s a good idea to make sure their house is a happy, safe and peaceful place for them to be. Taking care of elderly loved ones can be overwhelming and stressful at times, but when you take a moment to consider their personal needs, you can create a joyful home environment that makes them feel well taken care of in every sense.

1. Get Rid of Clutter

A minimalist household is probably one of the best methods to adopt when you’re adjusting the living space of an aging family member. When they have fewer additional items in their home, they are less likely to misplace things, bump into unnecessary furnishings and they also have less items to clean. Working together with your loved one, you may want to reduce the amount of clutter in their home so that they can have a clean, clear and minimalist lifestyle. Although they may want to hold onto sentimental items, you can work with them to store them securely so that they aren’t a hindrance to them around the home.

2. Install a Stairlift

Creating a more comfortable and safe living environment for your aging family member will not only help them to feel happier whilst they’re at home, but it also gives you peace of mind that they’re safe from potential danger. Climbing the stairs as you get older can become more and more difficult, especially if your loved one struggles with their mobility. It can be physically exhausting to walk up and down the stairs several times each day, which is where quality stairlifts come in very handy. They are a secure way for your family member to navigate their staircase and have freedom in their own home. Helping them to get the wheels into motion and getting a stairlift fitted in their home will be a huge relief, and it will massively improve their quality of life at home too.

3. Invest in Comfortable Furniture

Creating the most comfortable living environment possible for your loved one is important, as it’s likely that they’ll be spending a lot of time in their home. This may mean going furniture shopping and investing in some new and comfortable pieces for your family members to enjoy. They may have a specific chair that they sit in everyday in the living room; ensuring that it’s well-suited to their medical needs will help them to be as relaxed and happy as possible.

4. Label Important Storage

5. Don’t Rearrange Their Belongings

As much as you want to help keep your loved one’s home as tidy as possible, you should try and steer clear from rearranging their personal items and day to day belongings. This is because they probably have a specific place in which they keep each of these important possessions and it may upset them or disrupt their day if it’s moved to another place in their home. Always consult them if you want to reorganize any specific area of their house, as they may have very tailored needs when it comes to storing certain everyday items.

6. Organize Their Closets

As mentioned above, it’s important to keep their home in a tidy and organized condition without disrupting the natural flow of their everyday routine. With that being said, there may be times when you need to organize their closets, put away their winter clothes and bring out their summer clothing. When it comes to aging, nobody can predict how smooth the ride is going to be; some people may be capable of doing annual jobs like this around the home. If you suspect that your family member needs a helping hand reorganizing their closets, this is the ideal physical task that you can help them with so that they can live in a happy and organized environment.

7. Help With the Cleaning

Maintaining a household, and keeping it clean and tidy is not an easy job, especially as you get older and your energy levels start to deplete. Helping your aging family member with their day to day cleaning will take a huge load off their plate and create a healthier and happier environment allround. You can arrange to go to their home on a regular basis and carry out any specific chores they may need a helping hand with.

8. Stock Up Their Cupboards with Groceries

Going to the grocery store and carrying heavy bags full of fresh foods is a big task for an older person. Helping your loved one to keep their cupboards and fridge stocked full of wholesome food is a brilliant way to help them feel happier in their home. It also gives you peace of mind that they have nourishing and satisfying foods to enjoy whilst you’re not there.

Hopefully, some of the ideas on this list will help you to create a wonderful, peaceful and practical environment that your aging loved ones can enjoy. Some of these changes may be quite simple to implement, and others might take a little more planning, but they are certainly going to put a smile on your family member’s face. It might be a good idea to talk to them about what they specifically need more help with around the house, so that you can spend more time focusing on these aspects. It may be that a stairlift would be an instant practical addition to their house to make their life easier, or more help with the groceries would be more useful at this stage. Keeping an open line of communication will ensure that you’re spending time on the tasks that are most practical and helpful for your aging loved one at home.