Article - The Meaning Of Independence

Surveys have shown over and over again that most seniors want to stay in their own homes as long as possible. That means performing household chores by themselves as well taking care of their personal and social needs. Many seniors won't complain about their ability to perform daily activities until their needs become debilitating. However, the earlier their issues are identified, the quicker you can make changes that support them and their independence.

During a recent visit to a loved one you may have noticed they were having a problem with a task. So, what do you do now? The staff at Dynamic-Living.com has some ideas to help you.

OK, what are their needs?

If you're very observant or just plain lucky, you may find it easy to pinpoint that Dad needs a louder alarm clock or Mom needs a telephone with larger buttons. Not all of us will be that lucky.

So how do you figure out what they really need? Observe observe observe:

1. What activities are they getting frustrated with on a regular basis? Making a list might help you see a pattern.

   Are they having trouble:

   • Using the telephone

   • Bending over or reaching up

   • Grasping objects or manipulating small devices

   • Standing / sitting

   • Going up / down stairs or getting in/out of their car

   • Toileting or performing other personal hygiene tasks

   • Remembering that food is cooking or to take medications

2. Tackle one issue at a time. You may observe a few things that get your loved one frustrated. Start with one, the most frustrating issue. You may think the solution is obvious, but are you sure?

   • The easiest way to figure out the problem may be to ask! "You seem to be having trouble going up the stairs, are you having trouble lifting your legs?" You may be surprised to find out, "No, I just can't see the stairs clearly, so I'm a bit hesitant." Aha! Now you know there's a lighting issue, rather than a stair climbing problem.

   • Observe again. Once you've discovered the problem, closer observation may prove vital in determining the solution: Dad keeps getting mad at the remote control. When you glance over, you see he keeps pressing the buttons over and over. It's easy to assume that Dad needs a more simplified remote. But, on closer examination, you see that he's pressing too many buttons at the same time. The buttons are simply too small for him now that his dexterity is more limited. Getting him a universal remote with bigger buttons will save tons of frustration!

What tools / methods will help?

Now that you've established what the biggest problem is for your loved one, you may be able to find just the right tool or product to help them. However, you may just as easily be saying, "now what?" If you've discovered a problem or issue that you are not sure how to solve, there are several ways you can go about finding the right tool:

• Talk to an occupational or physical therapist, doctor or other professional. They may know just the right exercise, tool, product or shortcut to help your loved one.

• Contact a local senior resource center such as the Area Agency on Aging. This organization offers help for seniors and caregivers.

• Look at online resources such as Dynamic-Living.com. Our website is organized so that you can find products for specific problem areas and issues. We also have many articles that may help you find just the right thing.

• Ask your loved one what they think may be helpful to them. They might have an idea what tool or product would work, but not know where or how to find it.

• Try, try again. If you think you've discovered a product that will help, try it! You'll know soon enough if it was the right choice when it either works to fix the problem or it doesn't! Most products (except those for personal hygiene) can easily be returned if they don't help. If it was not the right solution, don't give up. There are almost always more alternatives.

"You think I need what!?"

Now that you know what they need, it can be even trickier to give the products you know will help. How can you give it to them without hurting their pride? The staff at Dynamic-Living.com has personally used and recommended several ways to get those useful products into the hands of your loved ones who need them:

1. Involve them in the decision. Most of the time you don't need to tell someone they need help with something - they already know! They just may not know that products are out there that can help them. Try this: "Mom, I could tell when we were talking on the phone the other day that you were having some trouble hearing me. Would you help me choose a louder telephone that works better with your hearing aid than this one?"

2. Have a grandchild or younger relative give a product as a gift. Kids often think that reaching devices, specialized openers and little helping gadgets are fun. There is no stigma to weakness when given a gift by a child who just thinks the gift is plain cool!

3. Get one for yourself first. Lots of products are useful even before you really need them, like jar openers, special kitchen tools and non-slip pads for stairs, paths and baths. If you get one for yourself first, it is easy to then say "This is so great I'm going to get one for you too!"

4. Tell the truth! This is the simplest, but most often overlooked solution. Most of the time we want to get our loved ones a product because we are worried about them. Tell them about your worries and they might agree to "do it for you" (and at least that's a step in the right direction!). Better still, they might have just been waiting for someone to offer to buy it for them.

If your loved ones start to have trouble taking care of themselves or their household chores, you can help to improve their situation. So many products are available to help perform tasks that cause difficulty. Figure out exactly what the problem is, find those great items that will make their life easier again and convince them that it is not an embarrassment to need them, but an opportunity to continue enjoying their independence.

For other accessibility ideas, please take a look at the Home Assessment Surveys on our sister-site AdaptMy.com.

© Copyright 2008 Dynamic Living, Inc.
Dynamic Living Newsletter may only be redistributed in its unedited form. Written permission from the editor must be obtained to reprint or cite the information contained within this newsletter.

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