How to Care for an Elderly Person at Home

The average cost of a care home in the UK is £1,036 per week, amounting to £53,382 annually. These substantial expenses are a key driving force in many people thinking about how to care for an elderly person at home, in an effort to provide hands-on personal care at a fraction of the cost of doing it privately.

If you have a relative or loved one experiencing limited mobility, disability or age-related illness, you may have considered supporting them by caring for them at their home or your own home. Caring for a loved one can feel like a challenging prospect, juggling your professional and personal life alongside finding the time to support someone with specialist needs. Seeking help or information can be a daunting task. To help you, we’ve compiled a short guide that outlines how to care for an elderly person at home.

The benefits of care at home for an elderly person

Like everyone, older people value their independence and feel comfortable in their own homes. According to Live-In-Care-Hub, 97% of people would prefer to continue living at home, rather than move into a care facility. This highlights why caring for the elderly at home is such a popular option for so many families today.

Moving into a care or residential home can be a worrying concept for the elderly, especially when they have strong attachments to loved ones, their familiar environment, and established routines. In some cases, the benefits of care at home for an elderly person may outweigh those of a care facility. By acting as their caregiver, you can provide a greater sense of comfort as your loved one is cared for by someone they trust and understands their needs and emotions even more intimately.

Caring for an elderly person at home also helps reduce feelings of isolation and allows them to maintain a degree of autonomy and independence. Moreover, Care at home for the elderly allows them to remain surrounded by their treasured belongings, including cherished heirlooms and childhood mementos, without the need to part with them to cover the costs of private care.

Creating a care schedule

One of the most important considerations when thinking about how to care for an elderly person at home is creating a care schedule. A well-organised and strategic approach can lessen any overbearing responsibilities on a single person and guarantee that your loved one receives the necessary care and support at the right time by the right people. Let’s take a look at what should be included in creating a care schedule.

Personal care & domestic tasks

Caring for the elderly at home will include supporting them with their hygiene needs and day to day tasks. This may include personal hygiene, such as washing, dressing and using the toilet. It’s important these activities are regulated each day, this is because routine can help elderly people feel more prepared and in control. In contrast, other intimate areas of personal care, like toileting will require you to be flexible and respond accordingly in order to remove feelings of embarrassment or shame.

Care at home for the elderly goes further than personal care and considerations for domestic tasks are also an important part of creating a care schedule. Set aside enough time to manage household responsibilities, such as preparing meals, cleaning and vacuuming and shopping for food and personal items. These actions will go a long way in helping an elderly person feel safe and secure in their home environment and as their caregiver can indeed make other tasks easier to manage and maintain. 

Medication

As the caregiver for an elderly person, you may need to manage a complicated medication schedule and handle prescription pickups on their behalf. When creating a care schedule, it's crucial to record and monitor the time medication is taken and how much is administered. You may need to regulate medication to your elderly loved one directly or provide reminders and coordinate timings with other family members to ensure everything stays on track.

Meal planning

When looking into how to care for an elderly person at home, another important element for consideration is meal planning and preparation. An elderly person is far more likely to have a reduced intake of foods including a deficiency in healthy vitamins which serves as an opportunity to create food that is beneficially nutritious or complies with an elderly person's dietary requirements or personal preferences. 

Additionally, preparing and eating meals with a loved one presents an opportunity for companionship. By encouraging them to get involved it’ll boost their cognitive function and stimulate and enhance their mental well-being. It’s important to remember to make the kitchen a safe and accessible place at all times too.

How to adapt a home for an elderly person

Another essential consideration when supporting someone with declining mobility or reducing cognitive function is thinking about how to adapt a home for an elderly person. This involves making specific changes to your home environment in order to reduce health and safety risks and improve daily living.

One of the most essential adaptations to a home could involve incorporating specialist chairs in living rooms or bedrooms. Rise and recline chairs, for example, are designed to assist an elderly or frail person in standing up or sitting down with ease. This functionality significantly reduces the risks of falls associated with getting up and provides much needed physical support, assuring safety and encouraging independence. Not only do rise and recline chairs promote safety, they also offer customisable options, with heat and massage functions, arm caps and neck rolls, helping to alleviate pressure on joints, improving comfortability and promoting better relaxation and blood circulation around the body.

Beds are another component in creating a safer home environment for an elderly person. Adjustable beds allow for various positions, catered to the preference of an individual, making it easier for them to get in and out of bed without the support of a loved one. Adjustable beds also improve circulation and increased support for specific health conditions including arthritis, chronic pain and sleep apnea. 

The bathroom is often one of the most hazardous areas in a home. When looking at how to adapt a home for an elderly person, the installation of a bath lift can help make a significant difference, by assisting them with safe entry and exit from the bathtub, preventing slips and falls. Traditionally designed bath tubs are an accessibility nightmare for an elderly person who might be struggling with mobility issues, however, bath lifts can be easily used by the individual, promoting independence in a dignified way.

Maintaining your relationship

When considering how to care for an elderly person at home, maintaining your relationship with an elderly person, especially as their child, should not be understated. As the role of caregiver, it might be easy to neglect this crucial care element, but regardless of their age and ability, having fun and enjoying precious moments together is an important part of nurturing better health and well-being. Shared activities can strengthen your bond and keep your connection strong too.

Maintaining your relationship can take many forms. For those who enjoy physical activity but face mobility challenges, incorporating chair exercises using a rise and recline chair is an excellent way to stay active and improve blood circulation. For individuals who enjoy a challenge, setting aside time to play board games, complete crosswords or piecing puzzles together are excellent ways to enjoy each other's company whilst enhancing mental acuity too. Creative activities can include preparing meals, baking and engaging in arts and crafts which stimulate fulfillment and joy. Whilst reading books, listening to audiobooks and watching movies and TV shows can offer shared entertainment and spark meaningful conversations.

By incorporating these activities into your routine, you balance caregiving with enjoyable experiences, creating powerful new memories and ensuring that your relationship remains strong and fulfilling.

Taking care of yourself when providing care

Caring for an elderly person at home can be emotionally and physically demanding so it’s important you think about taking care of yourself when providing care too. Establishing clear boundaries is an effective way to manage stress; consider setting specific times for caregiving and personal time for yourself in order to prevent burnout, giving you moments of peace to focus on yourself. 

Engage in self-care practices that encourage well-being, such as maintaining a nutritious, healthy diet, exercising regularly and getting adequate sleep. Remember to stay engaged with friends and family through social interactions too. They’ll be able to offer emotional support and prevent feelings of isolation and in some instances be able to step in and provide additional care support for your loved one where necessary.

If you find that you’re not taking care of yourself when providing care, it might be time to consider arranging respite care. This is a flexible arrangement where a professional carer looks after your loved one in their familiar surroundings, allowing you to take a necessary break. Respite care can be hugely beneficial, removing some of the burden of responsibility whilst allowing you to see how live-in care works and how your loved one will respond to a new carer. It also allows families to plan ahead with the ability to schedule a series of bookings with the same care personnel, ensuring consistent care for your loved one whilst giving you the flexibility to take reasonable breaks away from your caregiving role.

Summary

Caring for an elderly person at home can be a challenging prospect, but one that offers many opportunities to feel rewarded. What remains key when thinking about how to care for an elderly person at home is ensuring you balance your caregiving responsibilities with your own personal well-being, in order to provide a fulfilling caregiving experience. By developing a care schedule that is well-organised, utilising respite care and making necessary home adaptations, you can maintain a strong relationship with your loved one whilst taking time out for yourself too. This approach to care at home ensures that the quality of care remains high, consistent and sustainable for all.