Posted on May 17, 2019
As we grow older, it becomes inevitable that we accumulate a large number of things from our past. You may have an elderly loved one who has loads of memories piled in boxes in the attic. Treasured items such as old photographs and little trinkets can be easily forgotten in a dusty trunk hidden away behind piles of clothing or holiday decorations. If you’ve ever taken the time to look through the personal items from your past, you probably relived some cherished moments with each item you held in your hands. The same holds true for your aging loved one as they sift through their boxes of memories except that they have probably collected a larger mass of items to view.
With just a little bit of time, you can scan your photographs on home printer with scanning capabilities or bring the photos to a shipping or office supply store. With these scanned photographs, you can create a gift of your aging loved one’s memories compiled together in a scrapbook, photo blanket, or shadow box collage. You may find this to be a wonderful way to help your elderly loved one to revisit cherished times. It will be less overwhelming to view a few favorite items than an entire collection of a lifetime of memories.
As we age, it is common to gradually become more forgetful. Usually forgetfulness is not due to dementia and is simply a symptom of getting older and the things that slip our minds tend to be least important to our day to day life. Special dates like birthdays and anniversaries are usually cemented in our memory but an appointment or lunch date might slip our mind. It is believed that the more you use your brain when you are older, the more it may counter the development of memory decline. Keep your loved one’s library card busy and suggest they keep diving into books that they love. Reading regularly, doing quizzes and crosswords are excellent exercises for the brain. Whenever possible, memorize something new like a poem, prayer or scripture by reciting it every morning until you know it by heart. Then start learning a new one.
If your senior loved one is showing more signs of forgetfulness and you also notice a change in personality, language problems and confusion, they might be experiencing early stages of dementia and would benefit from in home help and consistent, high quality support. When an aging loved one is diagnosed with a dementia related disease such as Alzheimer’s there is a lot of life adjustment required. Some days may be a struggle with coping with the disease and others may be filled with fond memories and light hearted stories from the past. It is important to keep these memories alive. Whenever possible, jot down the little anecdotes and preserve their history to the best of your ability. Not only will your aging loved one appreciate these stories retold, so will their family and friends.
If you would like to learn more about caring and consistent in-home elderly care and the many benefits of professional senior care or dementia and Alzheimer’s care, call Senior Helpers of Santa Barbara to speak to a senior care specialist today at 805-687-7777! The compassionate senior care specialists at Senior Helpers can also guide you through the process of receiving the Veterans Administration Aid and Attendance Benefit if your elderly loved one is a veteran. In home senior care allows your loved one to stay in the comforts of their own home for as long as possible while receiving the level of care they need. Senior Helpers of Santa Barbara provides a wide range of services including Alzheimer’s and dementia care, personal assistance, companionship, peace of mind visits and so much more to all areas of Santa Barbara, Goleta, Lompoc, Santa Ynez, and Carpinteria, California.