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Looking for ways to be of more service to older members of your community? Knowing what sorts of things these seniors need help with can be a challenge, but Harmonia Collaborative Care has made it less confusing by laying out some key questions and resources that can help your community take better care of its older members.

Are Seniors Safe and Comfortable at Home?

It’s crucial to make sure that seniors are safe from injury and feel comfortable at home. Here are some items to consider.

• Modify rooms for safety. Going room by room, identify what may need updated or modified to ensure optimal safety, especially to decrease the risk of falling.

• Do a deep clean. Hire a cleaning service to get a deep clean in all the living areas. You can easily find a reputable agency by visiting online service directories that provide ratings and reviews from past customers.

• Check into practical and affordable ramp solutions. Access and Mobility Professional points out that “countless ramps have been developed for almost every conceivable location and situation.” When pricing ramps, remember that the less the length, the less the cost.

• Consider downsizing. Discover notes that downsizing into a more accessible home may be an affordable option, but there are some trade-offs to be aware of, such as the cost to move and furnish the new digs.

• Make the bathroom safer. Slippery floors and low toilet seats make the bathroom one of the trickiest rooms to make more accommodating. Other than installing a walk-out bathtub, more affordable strategies include installing grab bars, putting down a non-slip mat in the tub, and investing in a good-quality shower chair or transfer bench.

Can Seniors Find Reliable Transportation?

With so many seniors unable to drive themselves, using these safe and convenient transportation options can be helpful.

• Taking the keys. AARP notes that deciding to call it quits to driving is among the most difficult decisions to make for both seniors and caregivers. But in the end, when it’s no longer feasible for a senior to sit behind the wheel, it’s all about safety for everyone.

• Finding transportation services. The inability to safely drive can be a real blow, but it doesn’t have to render them housebound and deprived of a social life. This is where a bonafide transportation service is worth its weight in gold.

• Get schooled up on ride sharing. Whether it’s Uber, Lyft, or another company, seniors can benefit by having a comfortable grasp on ride sharing, which gives back a bit of the freedom lost by not driving themselves.

Are Seniors Getting the Care and Essentials Needed?

If seniors are living alone and have no family living nearby, they may be more at risk for lacking the basics needed to survive and thrive in old age. From accessing healthy meals to getting home health assistance, here are some tips that may help.

• Find food delivery services. Seniors can be subject to nutritional frailty (signs of which are loss of muscle mass and strength) due to not being able to prepare nutritional meals themselves. This is totally preventable thanks to food delivery services catering to the aging population. When checking into these services, factor in their delivery schedules, costs and reviews.

• Help is on the way. A home health aid is a key player in the life of seniors requiring long-term healthcare. Finding and hiring one can feel challenging, but when you work with Harmonia Collaborative Care, their case managers can help you connect with the services you need.

• Take advantage of Medicare. For those seniors suffering from depression, dementia, or other mental health disorders, many expenses like therapy, doctor’s office visits, and even family counseling are covered through Medicare. Do some research and discover what’s included in your Medicare coverage to get the help that’s needed.

Helping seniors in your community live healthy and happy lives is such an important task. So, make sure you have the right resources to provide the right sort of assistance to your older community members, and remember to always lead with compassion and patience.

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