Becoming a caregiver for an elderly relative or loved one brings with it a lot of challenges. It isn’t easy to juggle all of the other responsibilities that you have in life like a family of your own, a job, and others. Adding the care of a senior citizen with mobility problems and other issues is very stressful. It is a duty that must be done regardless of the challenges, however.

Luckily, there are many ways that you can get a little bit of extra help by embracing many ideas and even products. There are a lot of things available that will help senior citizens live more independently as well as give their caregivers some help to make things a bit more manageable. In this article, we will go over several of the ways that you can help take care of your elderly relative.

1 – Get an adjustable bed

Having an adjustable bed is going to provide an enormous benefit both for you and for your loved one. These beds have a lot of benefits and can be used by a large number of people. They aren’t just for hospital use but do serve a medical function as well as being designed for comfort.

The best adjustable bed frames will make it far easier for your loved one to get out of bed on their own or even if they need help from you. Since the head of the bed can be raised, they are able to come to a seated position. Then they simply need to slide their legs off of the bed and be able to stand with far less effort. If you need to help them to their feet then you won’t need to lift them when they have an adjustable bed.

They also help alleviate swelling of the feet by keeping them elevated at night. This will allow them to have fewer mobility issues since walking is easier with reduced swelling. The same goes for back pain which is debilitating since the bed can be customized to alleviate back pain.

2 – Make modifications

There will likely need to be some modifications to the house to be able to help you to help them. How these modifications need to happen will be determined by the state of your loved one. For instance, if your loved one is in a wheelchair then the carpets will need to be removed since the wheels won’t be able to roll over them. This makes pushing them harder and almost impossible for them to get around on their own.

The furniture will likely also need to undergo some upgrades. A recliner that lifts up will allow them to get out of the chair unassisted since it lifts them up to an almost standing position.

A stairlift is essential if there are multiple floors. You would not be able to lift them without the risk of injuring yourself or them. This will give them access on their own or with your help so they can use the full house. These lifts will often be the biggest reason that a person is able to continue living in their own home and not need to go to a facility.

3 – Update the bathroom

Helping your loved one maintain their hygiene is going to prove to be a big challenge. Washing up can be very risky when they try it on their own since there is water everywhere and they are less steady on their feet. Get a tub that will allow them to walk right in without the need to step over the sides. There should also be a seat located there so they can sit and wash.

A shower head with a hose will allow you to give them a proper wash and do it quickly and effectively.

A toilet with a riser will also help them to go to the bathroom and get up without as much strength needed. If they are able to go themselves without your help then getting a bidet or smart toilet is a good idea so they can use water to wash off without needing to use toilet paper to reach around. They can even feature lights so they can see what they are doing and warm air dryers to be able to be totally hands-free.

4 – Create a system

Getting organized is essential to be able to take care of all of your responsibilities in addition to the care that your loved one needs. This means that you’ll need to create a system, especially if you need to coordinate with others to be able to manage.

The first thing to do is make a schedule that revolves around the timing of their meals, doctor visits, and when they need to take medication. There are many apps that will help you do this easily as well as provide alerts and reminders so you don’t have to keep everything in mind.

Then try to make a list of all the ways that you need to help them like doing their shopping, cleaning the house, and helping them with their hygiene. You can try to delegate some of the tasks when you know exactly what needs to be done. There should even be ways to delegate the things you need to be done in your personal life so that you have the time required to be able to provide the necessary care.

There are many things that can be automated that will help you take better care of your loved one. For instance, you can have all of their bills automatically withdrawn from their accounts as well as direct deposits of their income.

Conclusion

The key thing to remember when you are the primary caregiver of an elderly person is to also make sure that you also provide care for yourself. Don’t forget to take some time to yourself so you don’t end up burning out.

‘This has to be the summerest summer of all summers.’ I read somewhere on social media and I couldn’t agree more. The curse of walking in 43 degrees Celsius at 6 in the evening can’t be put into words for sure. And to no one’s surprise, the reason is very obvious, climate change. The world economic forum has defined climate change as one of the major problems on the planet. There is a lot of data that can show how devastating are the effects of climate change and what more trouble it can cause if things move forward similarly but let’s not get there. I don’t want to scare you with too much data and no solution.

Let’s talk about the most important things that can be done in a time like this i.e. to ‘Act’. Yes, as simple as it may sound that’s where we are lacking. There is an urgent need to take a step forwards in the right direction. Now the question comes, what to do or where can we start? So, today we are going to talk about one such programme that is bringing the much-needed change in society.

Green Delhi Fellowship Programme gives the youth a great opportunity to engage in different projects and activities, giving them a leadership role, to achieve sustainable development and environmental harmony. This programme is offered by Delhi Greens which is a non-profit organisation set up in the year 2007.

About the Green Delhi Fellowship

The GYP (Green Youth Fellowship) programme offers a great opportunity for youth to get associated with different activities that can help to achieve the environmental goals as a society along with their regular course or job. (Apply here)

Green+ Goals

1. 33% green cover – The organisation is aiming to cover 33% of the capital with green cover by conserving biodiversity, planting & protecting trees and raising awareness. This will also help to reduce air pollution which has been one of the most alarming concerns for the city over the last few years.

2. WASH for all – The organisation aims to provide Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for every citizen of Delhi.

3. Zero Waste lifestyle – To ensure that every citizen is living a zero-waste lifestyle by eliminating single-use plastic, segregating his/her waste and buying eco-conscious products.

4. Carbon Neutral Economy – To ensure that not just the country but the whole world reduces dependence on fossil fuels and safeguard the present and future generations from catastrophes of global warming and climate change.

Eligibility for Green Delhi Fellowship

1. The applicant must have completed a minimum of 3 years of graduation/under-graduation from a recognized university in India.

2. The applicant must have completed his/her school education from a school located in NCT(National Capital Territory) of Delhi and district geographically contiguous with NCT or his/her graduate/under-graduate degree from a university located in NCT of Delhi and districts geographically contiguous with the NCT of Delhi.

3. The applicant must ensure that there is no conflict of interest between his educational institution, personal goals and workplace policies with the honorary fellowship if he is pursuing a degree, taking a year off or is employed somewhere.

Also Read Top 15 Fellowships in India

Programmes of Green Delhi Fellowship

1. Generating Mass Environmental Awareness – This is one of the key objectives of Delhi Greens. They have been working to generate environmental awareness since its inception in 2007 through the key initiative Delhi Greens Blog.

2. Conserving River Yamuna and Wetlands of Delhi – They have also been focusing on protecting the life-supporting Ganga river along with the depleting wetlands of Delhi through UERA(Urban Ecology – Research and Action) Laboratory

3. Protecting Delhi Ridge and Urban Biodiversity – The institute also voices for guarding Delhi Ridge forests, Delhi trees and green cover.

4. Training Youth for Environment Leadership and Green Skill Development – Through programmes and groups like Green the Change Academy, Summer online internship programme and Delhi Youth Summit on climate, Delhi Greens is trying to train the youth in the right direction and develop environmental leadership skills to cater the needs of the community at large.

5. Implementing Environmental Education and Reviving Traditional Knowledge – Delhi greens is also trying to ensure that Environmental education is a part of academics as well as extra-curricular which also includes the traditional ecological knowledge.

Activities of Green Delhi Fellowship

1. 100 ways to Beat Plastic – Plastic pollution has been one of the major concerns as it doesn’t degrade easily and even when it does, it can be found in the form of micro-plastic which is still harmful. Delhi Greens has listed 100 ways how you can beat pollution in your day to day life. So if you want to live an environment-conscious lifestyle, these ways are surely your go-to thing.

2. Delhi Birdwatcher Web app – This is an interactive and pictorial inventory of the birds in Delhi. It has been created to interest citizens in birds and bird watching. Any drastic change in bird diversity is a forewarning of imminent ecological problems.

3. Distribution of PPE Kits to Waste Collectors in Delhi – The institute donated PPE(Personal Protective Equipment) kits to waste collectors and waste workers from the most vulnerable sections in North Delhi. These donations were possible with the help of Hitachi Lift India Pvt. Ltd. And citizens.

4. Rural Immersion Research Expedition – this expedition was made at Chamba town and adjacent villages in November 2019. There was also a visit arranged to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India’s Paryavaran Awardee and renowned founder of Beej Bachao Andolan Shri Vijay Jardhariji at Jardhar village, Uttrakhand.

5. Workshop for Stall Owners – In Delhi Haat, INA a workshop was conducted for stall owners, especially the food stall owners to make them aware of the problems caused by single-use plastic. All the participants pledged to do whatever they can to bring the necessary change.

6. Hands-on training workshop on creating vertical gardens – This workshop was conducted in coordination with the Environmental society of College of Vocational Studies, University of Delhi. It was joined by students as well as the faculties of CVS college. The key resource people from Delhi Greens were Ms. Konsam Nirmala Devi and Ms. Madhavi Jain.

Important Links

Green Youth Fellowship Application Form

Green Youth Fellowship Details