What To Do About Unhealthy Habits
When your senior mom or dad has healthy habits it can seem like the end of the world because of their elderly age. They may not try to break their habits right away because they see no point in getting rid of bad habits or trying to develop new habits. However, this is an unhealthy mindset to be in. No matter what age a person is, creating healthy lifestyle habits is essential to remain alive longer. Keeping a person healthy is challenging especially as they get older.
If you notice your parent is developing bad habits like not eating properly, bathing, or dressing correctly for the weather, it is time to hire personal care at home. Not all seniors want to leave for a nursing home when they get older, some will want to age in place and continue living on their own. As great as this sounds when your senior is self-neglecting it can be dire but also something preventable with the help of personal care at home.
You may be wondering what exactly personal care at home does, and that’s okay. Here is a small list of everything they can focus on with your senior mom or dad.
Personal Care at Home Altadena, CA: Unhealthy Habits
- They can help feed your parent.
- They can help with bathing.
- They can help with other daily activities necessary to live.
Some elderly adults don’t want to rely on their adult children because it’s embarrassing or they want to feel more independent. But you may be wondering if there is a way to change habits and a person’s mindset when things start becoming more of an issue. Here are a few tips to take with you.
How to Break Bad Habits
Is it possible for you to help your loved one change bad habits? It is possible! Unfortunately, it does take a decent amount of time and dedication to doing so. If your senior parent is dedicated, it can happen. If they are not willing to try you may need to find the support of a doctor or therapist to help.
Identify Triggers
Something will trigger your senior to go back to bad habits and it is crucial to understand what it is. Maybe they smoke when they’re stressed or pour a glass of wine to get over a hard day. Is this healthy? Not really. It is important to figure out why a senior has these habits, what causes them, and then figure out how to replace those habits with better ones.
Be Supportive
This is not a linear process. Your senior mom or dad will have good and bad days. They may go weeks without using their bad habit but then one day they may slip up. You have to be supportive of both the good and bad days without judging them. By supporting them you can also encourage them to do the right thing.
Leave Reminders
Not all seniors have the best memory so it can be helpful to leave friendly reminders for them or encouraging notes for them to find. This can also be something a senior does for themselves.
Always Start Small
Encouraging small changes can be better than trying to do one massive change. It is much harder to start big and continue a new habit than to ditch small bad habits. Sometimes focusing on habits that personal care at home can help with like showering a few times every week can make a massive difference for seniors.
If you or an aging loved-one is considering Personal Care at Home Altadena, CA please contact the caring staff at Nu Care Inc. today at. 800-505-6890