How to Support Elderly Individuals to Live at Home Alone

Everyone had that time as a child when they could not wait to grow up and become independent of their parents. Many people move away from home as soon as it becomes possible for them to make their own living. However, as life progresses, independence becomes harder and harder to maintain, often leaving children and friends of elderly people feeling lost about what to do for their loved ones. Just because a person has grown older does not mean he is ready to give up his hard-won independence. You can have peace of mind while allowing him to keep as much of his independence as possible.1 Discuss your feelings with the person in question. Keep it as nonconfrontational as you can. Focus on how you feel things are going as opposed to what you think she is doing. Bring up your worries and fears about her future.2 Do an assessment, and include the elderly person in it. You do not want him to feel as if you are taking over his life, but you want to make sure he is actually going to be able to live alone. Total independence is certainly laudable, but at some point it may no longer be feasible.Create an information file. List information on the elderly person's doctor, medications, recent hospitalizations, and friends or relatives near him whom you can contact in case of an emergency. Important financial and legal information, especially a living will, power of attorney and Social Security number should be on hand in case decisions need to be made in a hurry.4 Become familiar with the resources in the elderly person's area. This is especially important if you no longer live in the area with her. AARP magazine recommends keeping a copy of her local phone book if you can get one. Organizations such as Meals on Wheels are national as well as local.5 Visit the elderly person regularly, or arrange for regular visitation.6 Be realistic in your assessment of your abilities. If you live a distance away, you are not going to be able to check on him as often as may be necessary. Know what you can do and what you cannot, then find assistance with filling the gaps.Tips & WarningsWhile it is good to be sensitive toward others' feelings, now is not the time to overlook something so the elderly person can save face. Be gentle but firm if the assessment shows a need for assistance.Do not fall into the trap of thinking you have to handle everything on your own. This is a cause of caregiver burnout. Share the burden as much as you can to avoid that happening.There may be some hard feelings for a while. It is possible you will be seen as meddling where you have no business. Include the elderly person as much as possible, so he can feel invested in the process and acknowledge it is for his own safety.http://www.ehow.com/how_5705211_support-individuals-live-home-alone.html