A closer look at elderly care
Care that adapts as needs change
Elderly care usually means support for someone whose needs are growing: an adult in their eighties or nineties who tires more easily, moves more slowly or needs someone nearby more of the time. The goal is the same as with any good care, to protect dignity and routine, but the pace is gentler and the attention to safety is closer.
Common tasks
- Supervision during the day so your loved one is not alone for long periods
- Help moving around the home, using a walker and getting in and out of chairs
- Bathing, toileting and continence care, with privacy and respect
- Simple, nourishing meals and help with eating if needed
- Keeping a daily log for family members who live elsewhere
- Gentle activity: short walks, music, photographs, puzzles
Questions to ask a caregiver
- How have you helped someone who was at risk of falling?
- How do you encourage someone who does not want to bathe or eat?
- What would you do if my mother seemed confused or unwell during a visit?
- How would you like to update the family?
Planning for the future
Needs can change quickly after an illness or a fall. It helps to talk early with your loved one, their doctor and other family members about what more support could look like, and how it would be paid for. Our resource center has guides on costs and on aging in place.
Caregivers on CaregiverCrew offer non-medical help. For nursing tasks, therapy or medical equipment, speak to your loved one's doctor about a licensed home health provider.
