Difficult to accept the loss of autonomy when you become a senior. Pride and arrogance can push the elderly to hide certain small gestures that have become complicated. Sometimes the loss of autonomy sets in insidiously and sometimes it results from a sudden accident. If you have elderly people in your entourage, you must be attentive to certain signs in order to put in place some essential arrangements.
Identify the signs of loss of autonomy
The loss of autonomy is the expression of an inability to carry out certain actions of daily life. There are different types of signs to observe.
loss of balance
With age or following an accident, seniors may have difficulty getting up from their bed or chair on their own. But the loss of balance is also observable in the way of walking. The step is more hesitant and the person tends to waver. Balance disorder is very problematic and can cause serious accidents. The danger is always present, because the senior can fall in the shower and break a bone. It is therefore wise to install a shower for seniors. This type of shower enclosure suitable for the elderly is ideally designed so that the senior can lean on when he feels the need. She is too with a foldable seat in order to shower in the best conditions. By installing judicious arrangements in the home, the elderly person will be able to gain support in order to maintain their balance and preserve their autonomy for longer.
Loss of appetite or desire to cook
With advancing age, the appetite may become less intense. The body adopts a different functioning and also has less important needs. The senior also gradually loses his taste. There’s not much point in eating anymore except to survive. It’s important to continue to stimulate the elderly so that they maintain the habit of eating well. It is also more tiring to prepare your own meal or to do errands that are difficult to transport. So take the necessary measures so that the senior can continue to gain strength and enjoy the benefits of a balanced diet. Set up a system of home meal delivery or to bring in a home helper who will carry out the tasks in place of the elderly person.
A certain lack of hygiene
Osteoarthritis, great fatigue, difficulty in moving, the elderly person will tend to abandon certain tasks that make them suffer. Acts that seem easy to us when one is in full possession of one’s physical abilities become a real ordeal for the elderly. It is then that we begin to see that the senior washes less, that he no longer cleans his home or that he no longer changes the sheets of his bed. This process shouldn’t be judged too harshly, as the trivial tasks really do become more complex with an aging body. Then also establish the regular passage of a home help. She will take care of the maintenance of the house and will help the elderly person to wash. It is also important for the senior to keep a good image of him so as not to fall into a depressive state. If he lets himself go, he will also be ashamed to move around town or leave his house.
Memory problems
It is one of the disorders that most worry relatives of the elderly. This refers to one’s own story and to the difficult ordeal of seeing that the person one loves begins to no longer remember. But beyond this sentimental aspect, memory problems are also a real handicap in everyday life. The senior forgets to pay his bills, turn off the gas to the stove or take his medication. These omissions may have serious consequences for the elderly person. It is therefore necessary to develop verification or security systems. We install a safety device on the gas stove or we offer verification tools such as a daily pill box. And if memory problems are really frequent and worrying, the senior’s doctor must be informed to detect a more serious pathology.
Maintaining the senior’s social life
Beyond physical disorders, it is also essential to stimulate the elderly person by offering them activities adapted to their age.
Break the isolation
This is a rather sad observation and which should quickly concern us. The elderly person tends to want to be left alone, because they tire more quickly, they no longer hear well or it is difficult for them to move around. But the fact of isolating oneself can also be linked to a depressive state that cuts the desire to move or meet other people. Sometimes, the senior is also bothered by urinary disorders and incontinence that are difficult to accept. Strategies can be put in place to address these issues.
The stimulation of a group of friends, taking part in gentle activities and sharing emotions are very important so that the elderly person does not fall into a state of withdrawal. Certain solutions can help him to live better these inconveniences. In addition, the practice of sports activities such as Pilates, yoga or even board games promotes the maintenance of physical abilities. Perhaps it is possible to set up a rotation so that the seniors all move together or meet in a gentle gymnastics or swimming class. Social interactions are really important to avoid greater Autonomy loss. The less the body does, the more ankylosis it becomes. Joint pain settles permanently and further reduces the possibilities of acting independently.
The elderly person will surely have difficulty accepting this loss of autonomy. She can be stubborn or angry, because it is a painful reality. It is therefore necessary to act with great gentleness, compassion and diplomacy to discuss the loss of autonomy with your loved ones!
