Being able to age in place is a big relief both to aging seniors as well as those who care for them. The idea of gracefully growing older in one’s own home without the interference or hassle that may come with living in an assisted-living facility is appealing.
Fortunately, with the proper precautions, it’s possible to live a long and healthy life at home. Part of doing this is being able to rest adequately and fully at home. While many elderly people begin to struggle with sleep-related issues, there are some products available which may be quite helpful, including the following seven items.
- Moveable, Adjustable Beds
An elderly person will probably spend a significant portion of his or her day in bed, even when he or she is not sleeping. A bed is an easy place for them to rest and read or watch TV. As someone ages he or she may begin to lose mobility; fortunately, you can obtain adjustable beds that will allow the occupant to use a switch to move the bed up and down.
If your loved one is bedridden and yet still wishes to move (or be moved) about the house, you can get hospital beds or other beds with wheels on them. A bed such as this will allow you to move the person from place to place easily.
- Trays
As a person ages and begins to spend more time in bed, he or she will probably need some way to continue participating in enjoyable activities such as reading, eating, or doing puzzles. To assist with this you can purchase special trays that fit across the bed and act as a desk. Some of them can be angled so that an elderly person wishing to rest a book on it may do so comfortably.
- Specialized Sheets
Elderly people sometimes begin to lose the strength to move around easily. Traditional cotton sheets may pose a challenge and may lead to frustration. Consider purchasing easy-move sheets. These are made of slippery material such as satin and offer very little resistance when someone tries to move across them. It will take your loved one less energy to move around, and he or she will not run the risk of feeling trapped in the bed.
- Heated Blankets and Sheets
As a person ages and the circulation begins to decline, it becomes easier to feel cold. To prevent this you can use bedding that has heaters built into it, such as electric blankets. This keeps your loved one warm and comfortable.
- Bed Boosters
Elderly people sometimes begin to lose the ability to get up from low positions. To counter this you can obtain raisers that go under the feet of the bed. By elevating the bed several inches, you prolong your loved one’s ability to get in and out of bed without assistance and encourage a sense of independence.
- Alarms
Few things worry a caregiver more than wondering what may happen if their loved one gets out of bed and falls in the middle of the night. The thought of a loved one splayed out on the floor, unable to get up or call for help is a thought that haunts many caregivers.
Fortunately, there exist a number of different alarms which can be installed in the bed itself or on the floor, which will alert the caregiver when the elderly person leaves the bed. Installing one–or several–of these can be well worth the cost simply because of the peace of mind they bring.
- Sleepwear
As one ages, it becomes more difficult to get dressed and undressed without assistance. For this reason you can purchase bedclothes that are open in the back or side, making them easier to slip into. Likewise, for those whose loved ones suffer from poor circulation to the feet and the accompanying cold feet, you can get socks that are designed to be put on and come off easily. These socks will keep the feet warm and yet be easy enough to remove that the senior won’t struggle pulling them off.
Conclusion
Aging is something that happens to all of us. Fortunately, there are many products available that make aging in place easier for the elderly as well as his or her caregivers. Try the seven listed above to make your senior more comfortable in his or her own home.
Source
Unforgettable.org (website). Sweet Dreams: Products to Help With Sleep and Rest. Available at https://www.unforgettable.org/blog/sweet-dreams-products-to-help-with-sleep-and-rest/.