Senior Care in The Heights, TX  – Being Elderly Doesn’t Mean You Can’t be Young at Heart

Growing up, we are constantly told that we need to act or age. Children are most susceptible to receiving this little bit of advice. But what does it mean exactly to act your age? When you are in your 40s, what does it mean to act your age? What about when you’re in your 70s or 80s?

Does acting your age change as we get older? What about for the senior patient who relies on care at home?

Far too often, younger people get a wrong sense about their elderly loved ones. They may believe that their grandparents or great-grandparents are a bit more formal, that they are bit more serious and don’t have a sense of humor. However, the more time that you spend with your elderly loved one, the more you begin to realize that he or she usually does have some type of humor and can be a lot of fun once they become more comfortable in their environment.

When senior care services is working with an elderly patient, they may have expectations for the patient himself or herself. Some of these expectations may be related to acting appropriately or not being “immature.”

Where do we draw the line when it comes to people acting their age or being mature?

While a sense of humor is a wonderful thing for people of any age, you want to make sure that the senior doesn’t push things too far. When relying on senior care services, they may enjoy playing practical jokes on the caregiver or their family members. But always keep in mind the Aesop’s Fable, The Boy Who Cried Wolf. In this tale, a young boy continually cry out that there was a wolf in the area. That brought out the townsfolk to try and protect the boy and their animals which were their livelihood. Within a few days, it became clear that the boy was playing a practical joke on everybody. One night a wolf did come and he called out but nobody came to his rescue. The boy did not survive because he had taken a joke too far.

While having a great sense of humor can be a benefit for emotional well-being, the elderly individual as well as the senior care provider need to accept and understand limitations. October is Emotional Intelligence Month and this seemed like an ideal time to remind everyone that just because you are certain age, that doesn’t mean you should have to act it all of the time.

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Donna Wrabel, LMSW

Co-Owner at At Your Side Home Care

For most of us, the word "home" evokes warm feelings of comfort, security and well-being. For older adults, home also means holding tight to cherished memories and maintaining self-esteem and independence. When illness, injury or age make life a little more challenging, remaining at home in a comfortable, familiar environment encourages recovery and enhances the quality of life. Home can be defined as a private residence, an independent or assisted living facility or even a short term stay in the hospital, we recognize the additional benefits provided by a personal, professional assistant.

Our Certified Nurse Aides, 24-Hour Live-in Assistants and Home Health Aides are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We also provide the security and confidence of 24-hour Telephone Assistance, so fast, reliable help is always available when it's needed. To learn more about our homecare services see our homecare services page.

Different people need different levels of homecare. To meet the requirements of our clients, At Your Side Homecare maintains consistent staffing levels of caring professionals. Homecare service is available for as little as a few hours a week, or as many as 24 hours a day, seven days a week

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