By Lesa 
Independence can thin out as you get older. It can feel like you need more help than you ever remember needing, and things like getting out of bed, washing, and making breakfast become monumental tasks.
And we take these things for granted when we’re younger, but there may come a day when you need a hand to get up, dressed, and fed in the mornings. That’s where an independent life can start to feel out of reach.
But as someone who sees your senior family members going through struggles like these, you want to help as much as you can. So let’s go through a few of the best ways to help an older person live their life as freely and independently as possible.
Make Their Home Accessible
An accessible home is the best place for someone in their older years. When your home changes to suit you, rather than the other way around, you tend to feel a lot more settled and comfortable.
If you’re able to, help them create this kind of accessible living space. For example, set up hand rails in the bathroom, and put in a stair lift if they have limited mobility and need to go upstairs.
Give Them More Ways to Reach Out
It’s normal to be worried about your senior relatives when you’re not around. However, neither you nor your loved ones can go 24/7 wondering what the other person is up to – and if you’re both OK and/or available.
So instead, provide as many ways as possible for your parents, grandparents, or aunts and uncles to reach out for help when it’s needed.
You can buy a gps tracker for elderly that they can take with them when they head out, to be sure they can always be easily reached if they’re in trouble. You can also set up a tech assistant like Alexa, so if they cannot get to the phone at home, they just need to ask her to call someone for them.
Let Them Make Their Own Choices
Everyone should have control over their life, and that doesn’t suddenly change when you get older. And even when you have well meaning relatives wanting the best for you, it’s easy to feel like you’re being spoken over and not listened to.
As that kind of well meaning relative, one of the best things to do is keep on letting your elderly family members make their own choices. Make sure they get to decide when and where they are, what they do, how they do it, etc., even if you disagree.
Let them ask you for help, instead of moving in to do something for them no matter what. All in all, you can still be there for them, but they’ll feel much more supported, rather than like they’re being treated like a child.
When you see your elderly loved ones struggle, you want to help them. But make sure you put their independence first.