In 1990, the United Nations designated October 1st as the “International Day of Older Persons”. The day was introduced with the aim to honor the contributions of older persons and bringing awareness to the problems that they face. Challenges of aging include health issues, financial constraints, and elder abuse. This day holds immense importance for the United Nations particularly due to the rising number of older persons each year. Our species is living longer, and our elders have problems now that they did not have 30 years ago.
Between 1950 and 2010, life expectancy worldwide has risen from 46 to 68 years of age. Currently, there are 703 million persons aged over 65 across the globe. It is projected that over the next three decades that the number of older persons will more than double, reaching 1.5 billion in 2050. It is more important than ever that we are aware of the importance to care for our seniors and preparing for the upcoming care of seniors. Also, our older persons need to be honored for the contributions they have made.
At Inhome Advantage we honor our seniors every day, and we understand the importance of awareness. Educating families and helping them stay together longer is one of our missions and why we work so hard with families and seniors to tailor care for them. Engaging with seniors and their families helps strengthen relationships as well as mental health.
One of the hardest parts of aging is the feeling that one is no longer in use. Aging can cause people to feel helpless and useless, and that can lead to depression, which can then lead to other health problems. Here are some ways you can help your senior not feel useless.
- Commend your seniors for their past accomplishments.
- Listen to their stories and learn from their experiences.
- Thank them for paving the road for us and making our life easier because theirs was harder.
- Play a game with them.
- Ask them their opinion as often as possible.
To watch an interesting video with advice from centenarians about aging, CLICK HERE
For more ideas on how to help your senior or to schedule an appointment with one of our caring caregivers please reach out to us at 410-415-9155.