Dignity holds a special place in human nature – people would rather part with anything but dignity. If you have elderly parents, you know that engaging with them and trying to improve their lifestyle is like walking a tightrope with their self-esteem in your hands.

There’s only so much you can do, and you have to meet them half-way. If you have a hard time finding ways to improve your elderly parents’ lifestyle, here are three major tips on how to keep it graceful.

Clean out the household together

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A majority of retired individuals prefer to age in a familiar environment – namely, their home. One of the hallmarks of a functional home, especially if elderly people live there, is orderliness.

While the luxury of chaos could have been allowed up until a point, this is a time when it would be wise to help your parents clear out their stuff. This might be one of the foundational factors in improving their lifestyle, but it will probably take a lot of time.

The key aspect of the endeavor is to involve your parents as much as you can and negotiate with them about what to keep and what to donate or recycle. We know how the baby boomer generation was enamored with collectibles, but they represent nothing but hazardous clutter.

By cleaning out all of this stuff, you will create a pleasing home full of breathing room. Since you’ve involved your parents in the cleaning, they’ll pretty much remember where everything is now and, let’s be honest, the entire household, including the yard, simply looks better.

Just remember – to keep it graceful, discuss every group of items with your parents so they’ll know that their decision counts. This is important even if you’ve pretty much decided about certain things.

Encourage their walks with friends

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Physical activity and socialization are the cornerstones of health and longevity. They are also major contributors to the cognitive performance of elderly people. This is why you should encourage your parents to venture out into the neighborhood and visit their friends.

You can suggest that they go on walks with their friends and enjoy a breezy afternoon in a local park that offers ample seating opportunities. By doing this, you will kill two birds with one stone: your parents will spend more time with their peers as well as get some quality exercise.

The walks are particularly important. If they have not ventured out of the house or the backyard for the day, and they generally dislike physical exercise, it might be a good strategy to invite them for a walk with you, and use this opportunity for a heart-to-heart.

The more they are engaged in a conversation, the more likely they are to forget that they are walking before the tiredness settles in. Naturally, you have to familiarize yourself with their limits first and avoid pushing them beyond that.

Even if the constant, everyday nagging that they should walk more and socialize might become tiring for you, just remember that you are investing in the future. It is a long-term strategy to keep your parents as healthy and happy as possible for as long as possible.

Keep the family together

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At the end of the day, carefully cultivated family relationships are our most valuable testament. The most cherished contribution to your parents’ dignified lifestyle is an effort to surround them with as many family members as possible.

However, you’ll notice that this turns out to be a balancing act as well since your parents might require some relaxing alone time now and then. Make sure to discuss the family visits with them before coordinating anything. They’ll likely hope to spend more time with their grandchildren than anyone else.

In addition to family gatherings, by organizing a reliable in-home caregiver, you’re practically guaranteeing that your parents never feel abandoned, or consider themselves a burden on the family.

Conclusion

Thankfully, we live in an age when eldercare is developing rapidly, and new methods of aiding our parents with dignity are cropping up all around. Still, one motif never changes no matter the time and place – and that is the aspiration of the retirees to age with dignity, grace, and surrounded by the love of their family.

This is why, no matter what technology, medicine, and eldercare devise, it will always come down to what you can bring to the table as a responsible adult.