Parents are responsible for your being here in this beautiful world and it is they who brought you up and made you what you are now. Your parents and other elderly relatives deserve your time and attention the most if you want to better up your community. Caring for the elderly must be your topmost priority.
No doubt, a lot among you are already doing remarkable in this regard. Moreover, certain welfare organizations and their supporting partners like Global Faces Direct are fulfilling this noble cause with their fundraising campaigns and other projects at the community level as well as globally.
Here are the things you and your community can and should do for them.
Things to be taken care of by you
1) Keep in contact frequently
No matter whether your parents and a lot of other close maternal and paternal relatives live away from your house, you must remain in touch with them quite often. Courtesy to modern technology, you are well able to see their faces any time regardless of whether or not you are with them.
Your daily call to your parents before leaving for work and for a home will make them absolutely glad and they will add it to their daily to-do list. This especially holds true and more effective if any of them has lost the significant other.
2) Pay frequent visits to your parents
Your in-person visit has no match to how many times even a day you call them. No doubt, you must be a busy person in your daily life, yet it is your parents who can claim your time any time anywhere. Frequent visits on your part will keep both you and your parents and elders absolutely glad and contented. Take along a few gifts, food items or other necessities while visiting them. They will feel highly proud of you and will keep praying for you selflessly.
Your caring for the elderly will make a huge difference in their way of living. They will feel elated and motivated all the time and, in return, you will also feel spiritually contented.
3) Go for recreation with your aging parents
Whenever you plan some outing, shopping or even dining out with your family, take along your parents as well. This will produce a very healthy influence on their health, mind, and psychology. Apart from the city functions and parties, you may take her to the local ceremonies as well. Old people never like to miss their cultural heritage. All this will boost up their morale, enabling them to face the other routine matters freshly and boldly.
4) Take along your parents to your office off and on
Taking your parents along to your office off and on will make them feel that they are still an active part of your busy routine work. It will also save them from boredom and loneliness, the ultimate pitfall for the old age. They will keep waiting eagerly for the next turn to come and relieve their monotonous routine. So, accompanying them along to your workplace is always a welcoming idea.
5) Make them well familiar with the latest technology
This is the age of technology and humans have almost become its slaves. Regardless of language, culture, and religion, people of almost all ages enjoy themselves with a lot on social media networks. It will be so nice if you teach them how to use modern technology like YouTube, Skype, Android phones, etc.
It will not only keep you connected with them even if you are too busy to visit them in-person but will also save them from getting bored when they find nothing else to do. They will be able to remain in touch with many of their old friends and relatives through the latest apps, etc. Also, a lot of videos and other entertaining material will be there to amuse them in their leisure time. These will go a long way towards your caring for the elderly.
6) Motivate your aging parents to attend community gatherings
Almost every community has its social events at times and all and sundry often attend them with zeal and zest. These gatherings are a very healthy source of sharing your feelings and exchanging your views through joyful conversations with your age fellows.
You must motivate and encourage your aging parents and other elders to attend these social events for the sake of their refreshment through entertainment. There being engaged with these social activities will also keep you less worried about their mental and spiritual well being. Their involvement in these social gatherings will also reduce their stress of being alone and they will think less of their current situation. Soon you will find them transformed from shy old parents into lively senior citizens.
7) Consider hiring a professional caregiver as well
Despite the fact that you try your best and spare your maximum time to give a quality company to your aging parents, there is still a dire need for a permanent professional caregiver. He or she will keep your parents busy in various chores and will also manage regular health care plans for them on a long term basis. You may also consult with various firms or others which provide health caring services at your home.
The presence of a kind caregiver never means the absence of your role. You still have got your liabilities to fulfill in this regard. The caregiver is there to provide that extra touch you are unable to manage out of your busy schedule with your office and children. No caregiver can ever take your place as the son or daughter of your parents. Thus you see that caring of the elderly not only makes them feel that they are still useful but also keeps your heart, mind, and soul satisfied.