Often the clients that live-in carers look after may be house bound. If not completely house bound, they may have mobility issues which makes getting out and about difficult for both carer and client.
This does not mean that they enjoy spending every minute indoors. Sometimes even our frail and older clients just want to have a fun day!
While as a live-in carer you find that your day is taken up with routine things such as medication administrations, cooking, shopping, and cleaning, you may forget that your client still wants to enjoy themselves.
It is important that our clients have fun, no matter what their health condition. Laughter and enjoyment will help them to forget their discomfort and pain for a while and be happy once again.
So, how can we make life fun for them?
Surprisingly, there are things that we can do to make their days more pleasant. Often in the daily routine we may overlook things such as letters, phone calls and visits.
While during the pandemic the family may not have been able to visit, writing a letter is one way to brighten a day. Ask the family to send a postcard which can be read over and over.
Short trips outside in the wheelchair will keep your client in touch with the world. A short walk around the garden can do wonders for your client’s state of mind.
Mini field trips
Now that many of us are permitted to go outdoors with our clients, you may consider short trips out and about if you have use of a car.
These mini field trips do not have to take all day. Sometimes a short trip to the local high street where they would shop when younger will be enough to brighten their day.
If you can push your client then simple trips to the local market stalls may bring back pleasant memories for them.
Most churches can accommodate wheelchairs and you may venture into the church where your client was married or had children christened.
A short trip to a garden centre with a cup of coffee and a cream cake will delight your client. Choosing a plant to add to the garden when you get home will be talked about for days to come.
Sometimes it may not even be necessary to get out of the car. A ride up and down the street where your client grew up may be enough to cheer them up.
Christmas is a great time to wrap your client up warmly and take them out to see the festive lights.
Final thoughts
Your client may desperately want to go out and do things they used to do, and to be unable to do so may make life very gloomy for them. Even though you are there daily to talk to, sometimes a change of scenery is needed to brighten things up.
As long as your client is in relatively good health and you take the necessary precautions of keeping them warm and comfortable, there is no reason why you should not have a weekly outing somewhere.
The benefits from making life more fun for a senior client are massive. Not only will you have a day which is talked about for some time, but you will find your client is far happier than simply staying in all the time.
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