Companion care at home is a fantastic option for seniors who are lonely and who need a little companionship on a regular basis. But many aging adults don’t realize that spending time with other people isn’t just a cure for loneliness and social isolation, it can also be a big boost for cognitive health, too. Spending time with companion caregivers can slow cognitive decline and improve overall well-being.
Understanding Cognitive Stimulation
But what is cognitive stimulation? This refers to activities and exercises that keep the brain engaged, promote mental agility, and keep cognitive function working well. For seniors, cognitive stimulation is a critical part of keeping their brains as healthy as possible.
What Do Companion Caregivers Do?
Companion care at home is a specific type of home care service. Whereas elder care providers offer hands-on support with tasks like housekeeping, meal preparation, and more, that isn’t what companion caregivers do. They are there to spend time with seniors, offering them personalized attention and meaningful interactions. Their visits are social in nature, rather than helpful in a practical way.
Engaging Conversations
Companion caregivers talk with the people they’re helping. In fact, engaging conversations are the core of what they do when they’re spending time with seniors. They might talk about all sorts of topics, depending on what seniors are interested in discussing. Conversations offer social engagement, but they also stimulate the brain, keep the memory working, and encourage verbal expression.
Opportunities to Remember
Reminiscing is another activity that companion caregivers might engage in with seniors. This often comes up during conversations where seniors share about their past experiences and memories. This directly impacts cognitive health because seniors are tapping into their memories and sharing stories, wisdom, and more with other people.
Planning Activities
Seniors might engage in all sorts of activities with companions. Planning and carrying through those plans involves many different areas of the brain. Then the activities themselves are typically ones that are good for the brain, too. Seniors might play games with companion caregivers, put puzzles together, try new hobbies, and so much more. All of these activities are likely to be enjoyable, but they also keep seniors’ brains strong and functioning.
Facilitating Therapies
Some companion caregivers might engage in therapies with seniors, like art or music therapy, storytelling, or other types of therapy. These types of activities evoke emotions, can trigger memories, and keep the brain active and engaged. That makes them activities that seniors should try to do on a regular basis, which is easier to do when there’s someone there to participate with them.
Companion care at home enables seniors to keep their brains stimulated in a variety of different ways that don’t feel like work. Spending time with companion caregivers offers seniors the social engagement that they need, while also helping them to find new ways to grow and enjoy their lives on their own terms. As seniors start to need more help, other types of home care services may take the place of companion caregivers.
If you or an aging loved one is considering companion care at home in Minnetonka, MN and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.
