If your older parent (or loved one) is still happily living in their own home and is, for all intents and purposes, independent, your natural instinct will be to ensure that they can continue doing so for as long as possible. 

With this in mind, continue reading to learn of four key ways in which to help your elderly relative navigate around their home. 

• Managing Their Bills

It may well be the case that your elderly parent/ loved one is entirely capable of managing their finances and other responsibilities and obligations, but it is imperative that they are savvy and informed when it comes to the presence and sheer volume of scams and fraud posing a danger to their livelihood. It is beneficial to be knowledgeable about the potential hazards, not only for your own safety but to be able to provide support to your elderly loved one.

Ensure that your loved one is entirely comfortable with their monthly and annual financial commitments and tactfully offer your help in this area should they need it, either now or in the future. 

• Bathroom Accessibility

One of the warning signs that an older person is no longer capable of easily navigating around their home, both in a physical and mental capacity, is that their levels of personal hygiene start to decline. Perhaps the earliest sign of this is if you see that your loved one is no longer making the same effort to uphold their personal appearance. 

Renowned and reputable mobility bathroom supplies companies offer surprisingly affordable pieces of equipment and adaptations to bathrooms for older people and those with mobility issues. Looking into and investing in such changes could make the world of difference for your loved one. 

• Mobility Aids

A more obvious and entirely more practical thing to think about when looking into improving the ease at which your elderly relative can navigate around their own home, and thus live independently, is to ask them if they would consider a mobility aid. 

The main mobility aids, all of which will make a significant difference to the ease at which your elderly relative can move around and increase their levels of independence, include the following:

• Canes & Crutches
• Walkers & Walking Frames
• Wheelchairs
• Guide Dogs
• Mobility Scooters

• Social Life & Daily Motivation

Another warning sign when it comes to an older person who lives on their own is that they start to withdraw from social occasions and family gatherings. After all – and this can apply to someone of any age – if there is no motivation to get out of bed and dressed to leave the house, it can be difficult to see the point. It is for this reason that the final piece of advice this article offers is to recognise that it is absolutely essential to ensure that your loved one has daily and regular interaction with other people, be that other members of your family, yourself or close friends and neighbours who live nearby. 

Additionally, you could even suggest that they join a local senior citizen centre, or that they consider signing up to a volunteer service whereby people can come to their home and play games, watch television and generally interact with them on a regular basis.