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Caring for Seniors: How Companion Caregivers Engage Seniors and Reduce Isolation
Seniors are prone to isolation. But the ongoing pandemic has increased the possibility of seniors becoming isolated even more. One way to reduce isolation is to connect seniors with a companion. Here is an overview of how seniors can benefit from companionship and increased engagement from companion caregivers.
What Companion Caregivers Do
The main thing that companion caregivers do for seniors is to socialize with them. They provide in home senior care on set days of the week, giving their clients something to look forward to during the week. Companion caregivers can assist seniors with household tasks like paying bills, caring for pets, and preparing meals, assist with transportation, and provide medication reminders. But it is the social aspect of their job that cannot be understated.
Companion caregivers provide a connection to the outside world, and for seniors who have difficulty leaving their house due to physical limitations or conditions like Alzheimer’s and dementia, this is important.
Making Connections and Engaging
Companion caregivers help connect with seniors by engaging them in activities like taking walks together, reading together, playing games, and simply having conversations about life and family. Studies conducted in recent years have shown that taking the time to do these things matters. Care workers at nursing homes in the United Kingdom were given care champion training to help them engage residents with dementia in conversation for at least one hour a week. The care workers were given prompts and cues to help elicit conversation.
Over time, researchers found that the seniors who participated in the study had a better quality of life and were less agitated compared to using medication to reduce it. Other studies have found that creating individualized care plans and teaching seniors with Alzheimer’s and dementia how to do certain tasks saw their activities of daily living go up.
Benefits of Staying Active
Engaging with seniors by using conversations and activities has shown that seniors live longer and improve memory and executive function. Companion caregivers can also provide long term care and emotional support that connecting with family and friends would normally bring and make them feel joy.
If you’re searching for a companion caregiver for your elderly loved one, reach out to Polish Care Services. We’ll match a companion caregiver to a senior that meets their needs. Reach out to us today.