Taking Care of Mom This Mother’s Day

I love my mom. She’s always been that person I turn to when I have a problem or something to celebrate. But lately I notice she’s really starting to age and I know I have to start paying closer attention to how she’s living day-to-day. If you are one of the sandwich generation like me, let me share a topic I have found I need to watch:

Is your aging mother starting to look unkept?  Maybe she’s wearing lots of clothing that is stained? Maybe her hair doesn’t appear clean?  This is a very sensitive issue. And of course, none of us want to embarrass those we love.  Lots of variables can be involved, such as your mom simply forgetting when she last bathed or perhaps her shoulders and hands are stiff from arthritis, making it difficult to reach high to wash her own hair.  Your mother might also fear falling in the tub or shower.  Her medications might be making her feel exhausted or nauseous. Luckily, there are ways to address these issues while you avoid making anyone feel uncomfortable, including yourself.

For Mother’s Day, here are some wonderful ways to provide a needed gift for your mom while giving yourself some peace of mind:

• Get an updated list of the physicians your mom visits along with a list of all of her medications.  Visit the pharmacist who fills her prescriptions and get dosage information.  Some medications MUST be dispensed first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach while others should be taken with food.  Use blank paper and large print to make reminders about each medication.  Cover the pages with protective sleeves to keep them unsoiled and legible. Keeping in Touch Solutions also provides medication reminders during daily check-in calls.
• Tell your mother you are surprising her with some new clothing.  Ask her to sit comfortably on the bed while you go through her closet.  You will achieve a few important goals with this action; one, you can find out if she is simply returning dirty clothes to hangers, two, you will make clothing easier for her to reach by removing items she no longer wears and three, you can see for yourself what she needs, such as more button-up sweaters or robes. Don’t forget to check on undergarments, too. Our parents aren’t likely to call and tell you they need new underwear.
• Offer to contact her family doctor so a home health aide can visit the home each week to help her bathe.  Always ask first and offer this as a gift, not a requirement.

Daily hygiene including laundry can be more than a chore for seniors. It can be so exhausting that on many days it’s skipped. You know how you feel when you don’t look or feel your best, so imagine feeling that way most days. Providing a little extra help to make it easier will be welcome as well as make you feel better that mom feels clean and fresh.

A daily check-in call could be the lifeline, the joy you give someone that makes the biggest difference in their perception of what old age is like.

Contact me at 317-480-1038 today. Let’s make a difference together.

I’m Diana Beam, Founder of Keeping in Touch Solutions. It is my heartfelt desire for every person to live a happy and healthy life in the place they call home, no matter what their age. You can’t put a price on peace of mind for your parents and yourself. It’s priceless . . . and significant.

For that reason, the goal of every Keeping In Touch Solutions program is to provide a caring connection and service that both the elderly and their caregivers can rely on to make living that good life easier.