A Plan for Elderly Parents: Online Caregiver Course Module 5
A plan for elderly parents includes strategies for daily routines to stabilize health, support well-being, and maintain a sharp mind. Is it time to get serious about how to help aging parents stay at home?
Module 5 in this eight-module program for family caregivers focuses on stay healthy routines for aging loved ones that caregivers can implement for themselves.
In this online caregiver program, caregiving expert Pamela D Wilson shares a step-by-step plan to identify and respond to the health and safety concerns of elderly parents.
Caregivers will learn how to create daily routines, develop a care plan to manage chronic health conditions, and skills for becoming an advocate.
Research articles supporting this module are linked below in the text to make it easy for you to gain the knowledge you need to discuss safety risks and advocate for the care of elderly parents.
Why Routines Are Beneficial
Module 5 focuses on lifestyle transitions from being employed or managing a household to the stage of life where older adults have a lot of time on their hands. Those who were active before retirement may maintain this pace by substituting volunteer work, a part-time job, or other interests for employment.
Other older adults who retire and who have health problems can become less active which can increase the effects of poor health. Creating routines for yourself or an elderly parent can establish positive patterns to support self-esteem and social and physical activities.
Routines are especially important for loved ones experiencing memory loss. Information about caring for aging parents with dementia, Alzheimer’s, and other conditions that contribute to forgetfulness is in Module 6 of this educational program for caregivers.
Learn More About the Other Seven Modules of Pamela’s Online Caregiver Education Program
Module Five: Stay Healthy Daily Routines
Each section below links to the caregiver webinar videos for a plan for elderly at home on Pamela’s YouTube Channel.
By working through this online caregiver education program to create a plan for elderly parents, family caregivers will:
- Learn how establishing weekly schedules support activity and purpose in life
- Stabilize the health of parents to reduce stress and the likelihood of unexpected events
- Create a care plan to use as a historical reference and a decision-making guide
- Identify actions to help parents remain active and mentally sharp
Click on the links below in PINK to watch the webinar videos and to view the slides that correspond to each part of the program.
Section 1: Doing Whatever It Takes to Stay Healthy
While many of us know what it takes to stay healthy, sometimes simple reminders for systems and processes can be helpful. If you are new to caring for loved ones or if you’ve been doing this for a while, Module 5 can help you:
- Identify the components of daily routines that can stabilize the health of aging parents
- Learn information to gather that can make managing health care appointments easier
- Talk to parents about simple activities to help them maintain physical and emotional vitality
Learn how daily routines for elderly parents can result in more positive interactions when family caregivers have the opportunity to coordinate their schedules with the needs of parents. Learn why creating standard routines for a variety of personal care and parent-care tasks can make it easier to estimate the time needed and accomplish projects more efficiently.
Learning how to manage caregiver stress involves being able to refocus attention and energy from activities that may be draining to pleasurable and relaxing interactions. In this webinar, family caregivers can learn how to manage mental exhaustion, avoid overstimulation and refocus attention by creating daily patterns to release worries, negative thoughts, and emotions.
Section 2: How to Create a Care Plan for Aging Parents
If you have heard the word care plan and don’t know what this means, this section is for you. As daily activities become more difficult to perform and the health of elderly parents declines, doing nothing will result in more emotional stress for the caregiver in the long run.
Instead of waiting for things to get worse, learn the details necessary to help parents remain as independent as possible. Get facts to share with loved ones that can be motivational for creating stay-at-home routines.
This elderly parent health checklist includes basic measures caregivers can use to avoid hospitalizations and health emergencies. For older adults, the effects of not being physically active are the greatest predictor of a parent’s ability to remain independent and live at home. Learn the measures that are important to track the risks of health declines for loved ones so that you can take proactive steps.
Additional Resources
All older adults should consult a physician before engaging in physical activity to make sure there are no health concerns or safety risks. The information here can help in creating daily routines and a detailed care plan.
Exercises for Older Adults. Source www.nhs.uk/exercises-for-older-people
Resistance Exercises Using Bands. Source www.allactive.co.uk
Pamela D Wilson Care Plan. Rights granted for use.
Imagine having a care plan for elderly at home that helps you manage all aspects of daily care and activities. The document can be used to coordinate and adjust the care needed as time goes on.
By having the health history of a loved one at your fingertips that including current providers, medications, and more you can minimize caregiver stress, and family disagreements to get better care for parents. Learn why having copies of medical records and other information puts you in control of managing the health of loved ones.
Section 3: Becoming an Advocate for Elderly Loved Ones
In this section, family caregivers will be able to:
- Identify steps to become a confident advocate for the care of elderly parents
- Learn how to converse with medical providers to get the information you need
- Relate the care needs of parents to situations that require advocacy
- Recognize how physical, social, and cognitive activities support healthy aging
How to make sure elderly parents get medical care. Family caregivers can learn to use systems and processes to advocate for the care of elderly parents. This webinar will help you create plans for coordinating care with a variety of health organizations and build additional skills to manage the care of your parents.
.Learning how to keep elderly parents actively engaged in life are skills all caregivers can use. This webinar shares the risks of being socially isolated on health and well-being. Receive ideas for leisure time activities that are proven by research to have a positive effect on the health of aging adults to make it easier for caregivers to manage their never-ending to-do lists.
Additional Resources:
(1) Scarmeas, N. et. al. (2001) Influence of Leisure Activity On the Incidence of Alzheimer’s Disease. Neurology, December 26; 57(12): 2236-2242.
(2) House, J.S. et. al., (1988) Social Relationships and Health Science. 241:540-545.
(3) Holt-Lunstad, J. et. al. (2010) Social Relationships and Mortality Risk A Meta-Analytic Review. PLoS Med 7(7): e1000316. Doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1000316
(4) University of Minnesota. An Assessment for Managing a Healthy Mind and Body. Taking Charge of your Health and Wellbeing
Interested in more tips to care for elderly loved ones? Keep moving forward and check out all of the other modules in this caregiving program.
If You Found This Module Helpful, Learn More About the Other 7 Modules
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