The 10 Best Ways to Support an Older Adult in Your Life

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The Best Ways to Support an Older Adult in Your Life

These are some of the best ways you can support the older adults in your life, starting from a relatively early age.

1. Become a home caregiver. One option you may not know is that you may be able to become a home caregiver for your loved one. Even if you don't have education or experience as a healthcare provider, you may still qualify for payment, and even if you don't qualify for payment, the care you give can be valuable. Just be careful that you don't burn out, as home caregiving can be difficult and stressful.

2. Assist with basic tasks. As adults get older, they begin to struggle with even the most basic tasks, such as cutting vegetables, folding laundry, or opening the mail. Chances are, these tasks are very easy for you, so it's not much of a sacrifice to offer assistance. Even a few hours a week of extra help can make a huge difference in an older adult's life.

3. Help them maintain a healthy diet. Healthy eating is important for improving quality of life, preventing illnesses, and maximizing your lifespan. But for people in the later stages of aging, it's hard to procure and prepare a healthy diet. You can provide assistance by recommending different foods, doing grocery shopping, selecting recipes, practicing food prep, and even cooking full meals. Even issuing reminders to stay hydrated can be valuable.

4. Preserve their sense of independence. Older adults tend to see better outcomes when they maintain a sense of independence. In other words, they need to feel autonomous and in control of their own lives. Help them here by making it easier for them to do daily activities on their own, such as providing them with new home installations or tools that can help them accomplish tasks that used to be easy.

5. Listen. Everyone loves to socialize, and it's good for us, but older adults don't have as much time or energy to socialize in public as they used to. Ask these people to tell you stories – and patiently listen to them with a warm smile.

6. Get physically active. Everyone can benefit from physical exercise, but it’s even more important for aging adults. If the older adult in your life is living a sedentary lifestyle, encourage them to get up and move. For example, you can plan on going on walks together around the neighborhood.

7. Focus on mentally stimulating activities. It's also valuable to introduce mentally stimulating activities to the older adults in your life. Puzzles, word games, and brain teasers are great options here.

8. Introduce new hobbies. While you're at it, try to introduce them to some new hobbies. Hobbies are a great way to stay mentally active while forming new connections with other people. They’re also a fantastic way to kill time. Best of all, there are countless options for hobbies for older adults, including knitting, crossword puzzles, video games, and music appreciation.

9. Encourage socialization elsewhere. Socializing is one of the best ways to prevent or mitigate the effects of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and cognitive decline. As a friend and potential caregiver, you'll be providing the older adult in your life with plenty of opportunities for one-on-one conversation. However, they'll be happier and more engaged if they can also spend time socializing with others. Try to make this happen by inviting people over, throwing parties, and bringing your older adult to your favorite social events.

10. Bring visitors. Finally, try to bring visitors. Showing up with other family members or old friends could make their day – and give them a happy memory they’ll hold onto for years.

Note that you don't have to reach a certain age to start enjoying the benefits of these forms of support. Assistance with help around the house, support with exercise and healthy eating, and ongoing socialization are valuable for people of all ages – and the value only increases with time.

Personalizing Support

One last thing to keep in mind here is that different people have different needs. It's important to personalize your approach for the person receiving your support, so you can maximize the value of your time and provide the best possible benefits. For example, if the older adult in your life already has a thriving social life and a regular exercise routine, focus on keeping them mentally active and independent.

Any effort you make to improve the health and quality of life of the people you love is going to be appreciated. Do whatever you can to provide value – while staying sane in the process.