Paoli, PA – 11/10/04 - November is National Family Caregivers Month. There are an estimated 7 million people providing elder care for a person age 65, or older, who needs help with every day activities such as dressing, making meals, errands and household chores.

Caregivers find creative, efficient ways to help their loved ones with daily tasks, making life easier for both the senior citizen and themselves. Overcoming a person’s natural tendency to resist help can be challenging.

Here are some tips from Wellhaven Gifts for Seniors on helping older loved ones be receptive to using aids to daily living.

1. Show the benefits of the item and how to best use it to make life easier. Demonstrate it as a gadget that everyone has or wants, and how you would appreciate having the item yourself, simply for the convenience. What’s the alternative to not using the item?
2. Demonstrate the item repeatedly, but casually. Sometimes, new technology or gadgets can be overwhelming to someone unfamiliar with them. Often the instruction books are printed too small for senior citizens to read. Each time you visit your loved one use the item yourself. Remind the recipient how to do so - either verbally by stating easy-to-remember instructions, or non-verbally by using it while they watch.
3. Set an example in your own home. Keep the item at your place and have your loved ones use it when they visit. If seniors see it blend into your daily routine, they may be less resistant to using it in their own home.
   
4. Involve senior citizens in the decision to acquire the item. Ask their opinion and their help in finding a solution to someone else’s problem (not theirs). If the item makes life easier for people other than the intended user, it may seem as if the senior is helping others.
5. Make it comfortable for seniors to receive and accept the item in their own way. How would you react to receiving an aid to daily living? Give them time to use it on their own and in private, figuring out how it will best help them. Follow up casually in a few days to see if they would recommend it for a friend, or need help using it.

Sometimes, adoption of new items creates a funny story. Patricia Curry, founder of Wellhaven Gifts for Seniors, recounts a recent situation with her own mother. During a bad storm, she was unable to reach her mother by phone - home or cell phone. Patricia drove to her mother’s house and found the home phone out of order, but the cell phone working properly.

When she asked her mother why she did not answer her cell phone, she had a surprising explanation. "This phone does not work very well. I only have about 10 seconds to use it before it turns off automatically." After her mother demonstrated what she meant, Patricia realized that her mother thought the phone turned off automatically when the backlight for the screen went out. Her mother would then turn the power off trying to conserve the battery. "Although it was not funny at the time, I learned a valuable lesson from this experience."

Examples of aids to daily living and assistive technology include:

• Dressing Aids – Button pullers, sock aids, shoe horns, etc.
  
• Hearing and Vision Aids – Amplified phones, magnifiers, lights, etc.
  
• Mobility Products – Swivel seat cushions, canes, walkers, etc.

These items are offered by a variety of companies. To see Wellhaven’s selection of Helpful Gifts for senior citizens, visit their web site at www.wellhaven.com/helpful.

Contact:
Patricia Curry
Wellhaven, LLC
Gifts for Seniors