Since 1988, August 21 has been celebrated as Senior Citizen’s Day. When President Ronald Reagan officially signed the celebration into existence, he intended for the date to be a time to give thanks, acknowledgement and compassion toward the longest-tenured contributors to our society.
SYNERGY HomeCare is proud to celebrate the seniors we serve every day, and Senior Citizen’s Day is a special opportunity for us to pause and reflect upon the specific areas where older adults most frequently need assistance. Read on to learn more about how you can better support the seniors in your life this August 21 and beyond.
Medication Management
The Need: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 70% of adults aged 40-79 regularly rely on at least one type of prescription drug while roughly 20% rely on five or more prescription medications.
The Fix: Take some time to help your loved one organize a medication calendar or weekly pill box. This not only gives you some insight into the medications that your loved one relies on, but it also gives you the chance to simplify a critical everyday task.
Meal Preparation
The Need: In late 2019, the University of Michigan found that one in seven adults between age 50 and 80 had experienced some type of food insecurity. This can be caused due to a lack of resources to buy balanced meals or a general lack of appetite that leads to missed meals or lower-quality diets.
The Fix: Help your older loved one achieve a more balanced diet by planning their meals ahead of time. While you’re with them this Senior Citizen’s Day, cook one large meal that can be repackaged and repurposed for the week to come. Grilled chicken, rice and vegetables is one of the easiest meal prep solutions and it could be enough to inspire your loved one to pick up the habit for themself.
Accident Proofing
The Need: Every year, the CDC reports that one in four adults over the age of 65 fall in their home, making it the leading cause of hospitalization for this age group. While many of these falls can be attributed to chronic conditions that hinder movement, there’s also another largely fixable cause–clutter. The National Library of Medicine (NLM) found that 70% of an older adult study group reported difficulty with home maintenance as the number one everyday issue they faced while aging in place.
The Fix: Home maintenance includes the tasks that every age group despises–vacuuming, doing laundry, cleaning the dishes, changing the sheets, and performing other basic chores. While these are just chores to us, they’re significant everyday hurdles for an aging adult. On August 21, spend some time getting your loved one’s house in order–do the things you know they don’t want to, and make sure you get ahead on the things that they probably can’t. You can also contact SYNERGY HomeCare and schedule a free safety assessment at your loved one’s home.
While Senior Citizen’s Day is an excellent reminder that the older adults in our lives could use some help, the reality is that they need our help every other day of the year as well. Activities of daily living are some of the largest stressors for an aging adult, and as much as you always want to be there to handle things, it just isn’t possible.
This is why professional caregivers exist. They can fill in the gaps that you can’t in order to make sure your loved one is getting proper care and attention year-round, not just when the calendar calls for it.
To see how you can utilize affordable caregiving services like those offered by SYNERGY HomeCare, click here. For further consultation, you can call SYNERGY HomeCare at 877-432-2692.
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