Are Your Parent’s Favorite Locations “Senior Friendly”?

Elderly Care in Amityville NY: “Senior Friendly” Places

Heading out on outings and enjoying activities with your elderly parent is a great way to keep them active and encourage them to live their highest quality of life. Now that you are their family caregiver, however, you are likely aware of challenges that they face and may be wondering if the places that they enjoy visiting the most are still safe and accessible for them. Determining whether a place your parent enjoys is senior friendly is an important part of making sure that they stay active and engaged, while also avoiding potential dangers.

Some things to keep in mind when considering whether your parent’s favorite locations are senior friendly include:

• Easy access to the location, including lack of stairs or wheelchair ramps as necessary.
• Easy access to restrooms from all areas of the location.
• Presence of handicap-accessible restrooms if necessary for your parent, whether that is due to use of a mobility aid or the necessity for you or a care provider to assist them.
• Open, easy-to-navigate walkways throughout the location.
• Plentiful lighting for easy visibility.
• Accessibility of adaptive devices, such as headsets to listen to presentations.

If you are considering visiting a location with your senior that you have not visited since they developed specific challenges, or that you have not visited before, consider doing some research ahead of time to prepare for any issues that might arise. Visit their website and look at pictures of the location. Read reviews to see if they mention any difficulties. You can also contact the location directly if they have a customer service line and describe your parent’s challenges. They might be able to help you to prepare for any difficulties that you might face during your visit so that you and your parent can enjoy your time together safely.

An elderly care provider can be an exceptional supplement to the care efforts that you give your aging parent. This care provider can step in to fill care gaps that might exist due to you not being able to be in the home with your parent on a regular basis, or limitations that you might have. They can also act as an additional source of companionship and support even if you are able to be with your parent every day, not only boosting your parent’s mental and emotional health and increasing their sense of social engagement and independence, but also reducing your stress and giving you the time to take much-needed breaks in the course of your care experience. The services that an elderly home care services provider can give to your parent will be personalized to specifically address their needs, as well as their personality and individual goals and preferences so that they are able to pursue the lifestyle that is right for them while staying safer and healthier as they age in place.

If  you or an aging family member are considering professional elderly care in Amityville, NY, please call the caring staff at A Gentle Touch Senior Home and Health Care at 631-647-7622 today.