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Home Caregiving How to Encourage Independence in the Elderly?

How to Encourage Independence in the Elderly?

How to encourage independence in the elderly

Knowing how to provide the elderly with proper care is important and crucial to their mental health. Although fully independent in their younger years, most elderly are more reliant on family members and caretakers as a result of illness and/or reduced mobility.

A key part of caring for them is encouraging them to continue exercising independence. This helps them maintain their agency and increases their confidence in their abilities. Here are 3 ways we as caregivers can do this.

1. Community support

Old folks home and nursing homeSource: Ren Ci

A community of peers from similar age groups can be a source of emotional and social support for the elderly. Spending time with friends on a regular basis is important for both mental and physical wellbeing, and contributes to the elderly’s quality of life.

Some places to find community support for the elderly are:

  1. Day care centres where activities are organised for the elderly.
  2. Public spaces like parks and community gardens.

2. Active ageing

Active ageingSource: NTUC

The process of active ageing encourages the elderly to remain physically active and socially involved in their communities as they age.

According to the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC), active ageing is threefold and includes:

  1. Going for health screenings; this includes functional screenings and chronic disease screenings.
  2. Exercising regularly.
  3. Participating in social activities.

Active Ageing Centres and Active Ageing Care Hubs are facilities that support active ageing in Singapore. They are drop-in social recreational centres that support Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents aged 60 and above. Here, seniors have access to quality care and recreational social activities.

3. Assistive equipment

Walking Aids

An elderly’s access to the right assistive equipment is crucial to their independence in and out of the home. 

Choosing equipment suitable for an elderly’s unique needs will empower them to navigate spaces as freely as possible. Some key equipment to consider are:

  1. Mobility aids; like walking sticks, walking frames and wheelchairs.
  2. Bathroom assistive equipment; like grab bars, anti-slip mats and shower seats.
  3. Bedroom assistive equipment; like bedside railings and specialised hospital beds.

For elderly reliant on mobility aids like wheelchairs, knowing the wheelchair rental and transportation options available makes accessing public spaces independently and travelling to medical appointments all the more convenient.

wheelchair bus transportation in singapore

At Medical Assistance4u

Our team of medically trained staff at Medical Assistance4u can provide you with consultation services to assist you in providing good elderly care for your loved ones. 

We also provide wheelchair bus transportation and a range of wheelchairs for sale and rental within Singapore. 

Chat with us now!

Contact us at 9053 6727 (WhatsApp or call) or email us at [email protected] for more information!

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