10 tips for spending quality time with an older adult

Spending time with an older adult shouldn't be a challenge or a source of fear. The good company of a loved one can be very comforting and revitalizing, especially if they spend a lot of time alone or are dealing with an illness.

While it's true that older adults often have limited mobility and/or sensory impairments, which makes the experience a bit more difficult , you should know that we can always find activities to spend a good time with them.

And for those who are caring for a family member, it's not just about meeting their basic needs , but also about making time each day to share and listen to the adult, even if it's just for a few minutes.

Time is more valuable than any gift

First of all, you should know that for an older person, the time their loved ones can offer them will be more valuable than any gift. Nothing compares to a small talk, no matter how trivial, a caress, a smile, or a kind gesture.

It can be difficult and uncomfortable for many family members to visit an elderly person with impaired senses or a progressive illness, but it is very important for an older adult's well-being to demonstrate their importance to the family and that they are not being forgotten.

Benefits of providing quality time to an older adult

• You will not feel alone, but safe and protected.
• You will feel loved and appreciated by those around you.
• You will have no fears or insecurities
• It will increase your self-esteem
• Will be able to assist in decision making
• You will enjoy better emotional health

In another Theramart article, we suggested activities and games for more active older adults . But in this case, we'll focus on how to spend time with an adult who is bedridden, has a disability, or has limited mobility.

1. Listen to the adult, ask how he or she is and how he or she feels

Talking about ourselves and our feelings is liberating. In these cases, the older adult may have complaints or resentments, so we must be patient and address their concerns, trying to provide reassuring responses and seek solutions or different perspectives.

2. Ask for their advice when making decisions

Narrating situations from our daily lives, no matter how small or inconsequential they may seem, and seeking advice from an adult in conversation will make them feel useful and will get their mind working to help you.

Asking for advice or opinions to solve simple problems will help you appreciate the wisdom and experience of your elder. This will strengthen their self-esteem and make them feel valued and included in the family bond.

3. Keep him informed about current issues

A person with reduced mobility or impaired senses may begin to feel somewhat isolated. Therefore, you should try to inform them, read the newspaper, turn on the radio, and, above all, talk with your family member about important current events.

Staying grounded and connected to time and space is essential for an older adult's emotional and mental health. It's essential for them to maintain a sense of reality and the world around them.

4. Appeal to your memory and practice cross-examination

Recalling events from the past, both distant and recent, and pinpointing specific details from those memories can help you not only relive important moments, but also exercise your memory.

It's very common for older adults to tell the same story over and over again, so the strategy is to shift the focus of these anecdotes by asking them about specific questions, for example, what season it was, what they were wearing at the time, or if they remember who else they were with that day.

5. Organize photos and items from the past

It's a good way to learn about the family's life and history. If the adult collects photographs, videos, or mementos, you can help them, a little each day, organize, classify, and identify who is in the photos or where they belong.

It will be a wonderful joint activity, where they will not only have fun looking at photographs and identifying family members, but will also create a wonderful memory for posterity.

6. Organize the closet together

Taking out everything in the closet and organizing each segment will help identify which items the adult uses often, which items should be removed, and which items they would need to be more comfortable.

It's a good opportunity for them to decide if there are any things they'd like to give away or if they need to buy new clothes. You can also ask them what they like best or what they'd like to wear next season.

7. Encourage creativity and productivity in the use of free time, so that, as far as possible, they can do what they like or pursue new interests.

Despite having limited mobility or impaired sensory function, there will always be some activity that older adults can do without moving too much or from the comfort of their own home.

Having a hobby like putting together puzzles, drawing, painting, listening to music, watching movies, learning how to use social media, among others, will be very important. Whatever it is, the important thing is to offer a range of possibilities to stimulate their creativity.

8. A pet can be very good company, at least for the duration of a visit.

Petting a pet can be an excellent grounding ground for older adults or anyone undergoing treatment. There are even animal-assisted therapies that significantly improve people's physical, cognitive, emotional, and relational functions.

9. Young children also spark joy in some older adults, especially when talking and playing with them.

Generational barriers are broken down when children and adults spend time together and have fun. It will be an interesting exercise in empathy when we teach the little ones how to treat and help their elders.

10. Be aware of the adult's limitations

 You should try to encourage them and offer them options, along with affection and companionship. But under no circumstances should you force or pressure them into doing an activity they don't want to do or that seems too much effort.

You should also avoid emotionally charged activities that could sadden or depress your family member.

If you'd like to read more about this, we'll tell you about this big taboo in the lives of older adults.

Why spend quality time with your family?

Keep in mind that the central idea of ​​these proposals is for older adults to have a moment of enjoyment, where they feel safe, supported, and cared for.

As well as turning a visit or time together into something more than just sitting next to each other and making small talk. It's about daring to ask questions, conversing, and sharing common interests, helping them avoid isolation and disconnection from their surroundings.

What did you think of these tips for spending quality time with your family? We at Theramart hope you can try them soon and share your experiences with us.