Your mom fell and needed hip surgery. While she’s recovered, she still has to use a cane when she’s walking around. For that reason, she’s hesitant to go outside and do many of her favorite activities. How do you keep her active and get her to embrace her old routines? Here are a few ideas for how you and in-home care providers can work together to keep your mom active.
Find Hobbies She Enjoys
Does your mom have hobbies? Whether she does or doesn’t, it’s a good time to explore them. She loves photography, so use that to get her up and active. She likes to paint. Go to a park with her supplies and have her paint the scenery.
If she doesn’t have hobbies, it’s time to see if there are things that interest her. She might discover she loves gardening and making customized flower arrangements. Birdwatching is a good hobby if she has to take breaks every now and then when walking on a trail.
Heighten Safety Around Her Home
Go around your mom’s house and yard to heighten safety. Look for trip hazards outside. Uneven or loose patio bricks need to be secured. Loose deck rails need tightening. Potholes in a driveway or sidewalk need to be filled.
Check her lighting and ensure that it illuminates the entire area and doesn’t leave dim areas. Downed tree branches and wasps and hornets’ nests on eaves, under decking, or in shrubs are also things to check for.
Do the same things inside her home. Make sure the lighting illuminates the entire staircase and landing. Look for loose railings, carpeting, and tile flooring. If she has hardwood flooring, make sure it’s not cracked and splintering. Install grab bars in the bathtub or shower.
Help Her Regain Her Confidence
Make sure your mom has the encouragement she needs to stay active. If she’s doubting herself at all, she may lose the confidence to try something different. Help her regain her confidence by making sure she’s never alone.
Sometimes, it helps to have someone with her. She loves to take walks on the neighborhood trails, but she’s too nervous now. If someone is with her, she’s eager to walk. Do whatever it takes to help her gain the confidence she’s lost.
In-home care is a great asset to your mom’s care team. While you are there to help her out as much as you can, you have a job and children who also need you. Your visits with your mom are limited to weekends or after work. It’s hard providing all that your mom needs in quick visits.
Arrange to have home care aides assisting your mom on her walks, when working in her garden, or on grocery shopping days. Caregivers help her maintain her independence while staying safe and social. Call a home care agency to learn more and make the appropriate arrangements.
If you or an aging loved one is considering in-home care in Burnsville, MN, and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.
