Taking Care of Your Elderly or Disabled Loved Ones During COVID-19
Lots of us who have elderly or disabled loved ones - may be somewhat worried about their overall wellbeing during this current climate and the coronavirus pandemic. Those of us with loved ones living independently in their own homes have been concerned about their wellbeing while being unable to visit them during this time, leaving lots of us feeling slightly useless. If this is the case for you, you may be thinking about the various ways you can make sure that your loved ones are safe at home during the continuing coronavirus pandemic.
This is a guide designed to help family members and carers who live with elderly or disabled relatives through the COVID-19 crisis. You must offer assistance or guidance so your loved ones can carry on giving good, safe support to their family members during the pandemic. Here we have collated a few things you can do to make sure your elderly relatives or loved ones are safe during this difficult time.
Offer to collect their shopping
Even simple day-to-day tasks such as shopping for your loved ones who are in need. Sounds simple but it can be difficult for some vulnerable people to get out and do the shopping regularly, and with the added concern of Coronavirus, it becomes quite a difficult thing if supplies are getting lower and lower. Keeping your loved one stocked up on their favourite cupboard items, toiletries and tea bags is a wonderful idea and will keep both you and them - peace of mind.
Encourage installing a wheelchair lift
If your elderly relative or loved one experiences difficulties manoeuvring around the house - seeking for a wheelchair stair lift in Scotland may be a good option for them. Here at ADL Lift Services, we ensure that our customers get the perfect lift for their requirements and address whatever specific safety requirements they may have professionally or efficiently. Our wheelchair lifts in Scotland are some of the best in the area and our team of experts work hard to provide quality products at a competitive price. Not only will this give you the clarity that your loved one is safe at home but also gives them the independence and confidence to live their lives and safely and enjoy living on their terms.
If their circumstances are extremely unsafe and you or someone else is in danger right due to your friend or relative’s mental health or behaviour – If you need help for a mental health crisis, emergency or breakdown, you should get immediate expert advice and assessment. There are many resources including charities and free listening services available to use as well.
Listen to and notice your relative or friend’s needs and concerns, help them to cope by implementing healthy routines and care plans.
Make space and establish independence
If you do live with your loved one it's important that you spend time in separate spaces and respect their privacy - use headphones, earplugs, exercise and outside space for a quieter time.
Keep an eye on your friend or relative’s mental health
Notice dips in mood and stay connected to your relatives and loved ones. Speak to friends on the phone or via video calls to check in - even if its just a quick catch up. Encourage them to do things they enjoy, focus on things you can control and you can achieve and find positive ways to cope and relax.
Encourage them to cut down on alcohol consumption
Alcohol is a depressant. It lowers your mood over time and increases risks of accident, injury, argument and aggression. If you have noticed your relative or friend are drinking more than usual – try to encourage them to find other ways to relax and cope, as well as keep active.
Make a suitable space for your loved one to work or study
Keep work or study separate from relaxation, rest and social spaces if possible - or tidy work away at the end of the day - and if your loved one works from home, encourage them to take regular breaks.
Encourage and support your family member or friend to keep in touch with you
If your friend or loved one doesn't have too much experience using technology, they may need some additional reassurance that technology is safe and secure, they may need support to set up and use technology to speak to their care team or friends.
Encourage your loved one to engage in some kind of physical activities throughout this challenging time. Keeping active, even in the house is very important to keep white blood cells moving. Exercise mobilises them by increasing your blood flow, so they can do their surveillance jobs and seek and destroy in other parts of the body.
This may even be a case of doing a chair exercise routine or a few laps around the house when tidying or perhaps some more routine based exercise such as light stretching or light pilates. You could pass on an old workout DVD or print off some basic activities for them to try and follow.
Additional support and guidance
If you are concerned about a loved one and find that you are not able to care for them at this time, there are plenty of resources available to you in terms of social care and
you can even arrange care and support privately yourself.
They're services to help you if you:
●Require practical support because of illness or disability
●Care for someone receiving social care and support
Social care and support are usually paid for by:
●people who need services and their families
●by the local council's social services department
You can find additional information regarding this topic on the NHS site in their social care and support page.
ADL Lift Services - Disabled Access Lifts Based in Scotland
If you’re looking for a wheelchair stair lift in Scotland, here at ADL Lift Services, we always ensure that our customers get the perfect lift for their needs and address whatever specific safety requirements they may have professionally and efficiently. Our wheelchair lifts in Scotland are some of the best in the area and our team of experts work hard to provide quality products at a competitive price. We work hard to make sure that we can provide our customers with the stairlift in Scotland that they need. This means that your solution may be different from someone else’s, but that’s okay. We work hard to make sure that your new lift will work for you and will meet your requirements.
By customising your service, we can ensure that you get the right stairlift for your requirements. You’ll love choosing from a variety of features, such as adjustable seat heights, battery isolation switches, soft start and stop, folding steps, flip-up rails, and controlled switches. To learn more about the stair lift cost in Scotland and how our team of professionals can meet your needs, you need to call us. We work closely with private clients as well as larger groups, such as local government organisations. We are thrilled to talk to you about your needs, so contact us today to discover more.
