Lisa Conway, One Senior Place – Special to FLORIDA TODAY
Q: My mother lives alone and I think she could use a little help around the house and someone to talk to. Are there people who can help with those kind of things?
A: This is a question that I have been asked with increasing frequency over the last year. Many calls are from the adult children of seniors that live a distance away and are concerned about the isolation their parents are experiencing during the pandemic. Several have wondered about having someone who could just spend some time with their loved one and help a bit around the house. Homemaker/Companions are big-hearted individuals who can be hired to provide these services for a fee.
Homemaker/Companions can be a helpful bridge for seniors who are still independent enough to live at home and don’t require hands-on care — but may need help to maintain an enjoyable and healthy lifestyle. Some of the common tasks that homemakers/companions can perform include transportation, meal preparation, laundry, light housekeeping, linen changes and socialization.
As we age, we may not be able to keep up with the demands of maintaining our homes and our lives as easily as we used to. This can lead to frustration and cause us to feel overwhelmed and overburdened. If we were honest with ourselves, this would be the time to acknowledge that some help may be needed. Bringing in a Homemaker/Companion to assist with running errands, light housekeeping, meal preparation and laundry may provide just the relief needed to allow for a continuation of an enjoyable retirement.
I had a conversation with a client a couple of weeks ago. He said, “Lisa, I used to be able to make my make my bed, cook my meals, do my laundry, go to the pool for exercise AND attend happy hour every day! If I try to do all that now, I don’t have enough energy to make it through the day.” We talked about this and decided that what he truly enjoyed was his exercise class at the pool and socializing with friends during happy hour. He agreed to allow a Homemaker/Companion to assist him with some of the other tasks. He called me back recently to thank me for giving him his life back.
Retirement is the time when we all plan to enjoy ourselves and pursue our interests. But age can sneak up on us and take the fun out of things. A Homemaker/Companion can help ensure that you use your valuable energy doing the things you love. For more information, call One Senior Place at 321-751-6771.
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One Senior Place is a marketplace for resources and a provider of information, advice, care and on-site services for seniors and their families. Questions for this column are answered by professionals in nursing, social work, care management and in-home care. To submit a question, send an email to askOSP@OneSeniorPlace.com or visit One Senior Place, The Experts in Aging at OneSeniorPlace.com.
Lisa Conway is a Registered Nurse and a Certified Care Manager for Senior Partner Care Services in Viera.
