© Danielle Robertson Consulting Pty Ltd t/as DR Care Solutions
Everyone ages. As children, we can't wait to be teenagers to experience the freedom we see in the lives of the adults around us. As teenagers we long to be adults to experience independence and choice, then as adults we long to retire to be free from the responsibility of adulthood. For most people there is not a lot of thought that goes into the experience of ageing. People plan for retirement but they don’t always think about that next step of “ageing”.
The reality is, ageing happens to everyone and everyone will experience it differently. As we age, we lose functions, whether it is physical or cognitive; there is a sliding scale of a loss of functionality further resulting in a loss of independence. Frustration becomes evident when you are unable to choose where you go or when you go because you lose your drivers’ license; or have the inability to choose what you want to eat because your digestion or teeth can longer accommodate your favourite foods. It may even been the loss of choice to have sex because the residential care facility does not offer sufficient privacy to do so. What ever the loss is, family and friends are often more worried about their loved ones overall wellbeing and safety, thus giving little consideration to their emotional journey of loss while ageing.
The journey of developing ones independence from youth is full of emotion. Ones journey in the loss of independence is also full of emotions. Here are a few tips to support your loved ones going through the journey of the loss of their independence as they age:
Discuss openly as a family how the ageing person can be more supported and enabled rather than disabled and losing their independence.
At DR Care solutions, our main aim is to listen to our clients’ wants and wishes. If they want to remain living at home with support services, how can we make that happen? At times it’s not always possible to obtain the perfect outcome for the client but we will certainly do our best to ensure we are close as possible to the ageing persons desires. Feel free to contact Danielle Robertson, DR Care Solutions, for a chat.