15 Ways to Incorporate Healthy Routines into Elder Care

Caring for the elderly is a privilege, despite what some might say about it being a burden. We live in a world where we get to take the time to see that our seniors live a comfortable life well into their years. It’s true that caring for the elderly is a lot of work, but it can be made easier by incorporating routines into everyone’s life: the caregiver and those being cared for. Whether you are a professional caregiver, or you have put your life on hold to care for your aging parents, here are 15 ways to incorporate healthy routines into elder care that will benefit everyone.

1. Make a list

An important part of any routine is to make a list of all the things you want to get done in the run of a day. Whether you need to make trips to the doctor’s office, the grocery store, or you want to catch the rerun of Rambo on television at 2pm, it’s a great idea to start your day off with a list of things that need to be accomplished. Then you can add to the list the things you want to accomplish.

2. Exercise

Whether you take a morning stroll or an afternoon walk around the block, getting out and exercising is good for you and the senior you care for. Even if you care for someone who is bound to a wheelchair, take them out for a walk to see the sights, smell the fresh air, and see some friendly faces around the neighborhood.

3. 80/20 Rule for Food

Caring for others is a lot of work and it can take its toll on people if they fail to incorporate healthy habits into their lives. Many fitness and health experts say that eating well 80% of the time is good enough for a well-balanced meal plan. That means that if you have been cooking food all week, order the pizza on Friday night and kick your feet up.

4. Sleep it off

Sleep is when our bodies heal and become rejuvenated for the following day. Even if the seniors you are caring for don’t like to sleep, they should at least be resting when the time comes for bed. Exerting minimal energy allows our body to store it for when we need it, and making sure everyone gets enough sleep is important to our health and happiness.

5. Maintain previous routines

You might be tempted to throw your routines out the window when it comes time to caring for someone else, but it’s important to everyone that you keep those routines. If you walk the dog at 3pm, try to keep doing that. If you get groceries on Saturdays, try to keep doing that. It helps make things feel normal and maintains a sense of control in your life and the person you are caring for.

6. Walk down memory lane

Everyone loves to tell old stories and laugh about days gone by. Get in the habit of telling stories before bed or over breakfast and watch how people’s faces light up with memories coming into full view right in front of them.

7. Make new memories

Create some new routines or memories with the senior in your life by taking them to the beach to watch the waves crash on the shore, pick flowers at a local market, or listen to new music and decide whether it’s a hit or miss. Doing new things keeps people engaged in life and helps them create new memories that mean the world to them.

8. Get the grandkids involved

Having little kids around is good for the soul. Elderly people light up when small children come around and they love listening to them laugh and play. Get the grandkids to stop by on a regular basis so that the elderly person in your life has something to look forward to and count on.

9. Create things

Crafts and making things doesn’t just pass the time, it helps seniors maintain dexterity in their hands, use parts of their brain that might not be stimulated as much these days, and it gives them something to focus on and achieve. Whether you color or glue photos in a scrapbook, creating things is a great way to incorporate healthy activity into your routine.

10. Visit friends

If possible, make a weekly trip to see the family or friends. If elderly people are living at home, taking them to see a friend at a senior care facility means connection for both parties. It might be a bit of work to get in and out of the car, but it will be worth it.

11. Find a support group

It’s important to create a support network for the elderly when they are being cared for, but it’s also important for caregivers to have a network of people they can rely on to help them get through the difficult times too. Make a habit of meeting for coffee or visiting a support group to talk about the struggles of being a caregiver.

12. Don’t rush

You might feel the need to rush a senior trying to get ready for bed or you might want to rush them to finish their breakfast, but take the time to enjoy the time you have together and help them move at a pace that is comfortable for them.

13. Read together

If you don’t get the morning paper delivered to your home, start having it dropped off. Yes, people still do that. It’s a great way to catch up on things that are happening in your local area and it gives you plenty of talking points when conversation halts or you’ve already discussed the weather 10 times since 8 am.

14. Bedtime routines

There’s no doubt that getting to bed at a decent hour and getting enough sleep is important for health and wellness. This goes for both caregiver and those being cared for. Whenever possible, get to bed on time and do you best to get a good night’s sleep. Your body will thank you for it.

15. Call in reinforcements

Taking care of elderly people can be a lot of work and it’s important to call in for help when you need it. If you can’t get the person out of bed, be sure to call someone who can help. One organization that helps people when they need it is CDPAP. Ask a friend, neighbor or all an elderly care service to lift them from the bed carefully and correctly. Don’t get down on yourself for not being able to do it all.