As people age, their quality of life can sometimes begin to decline. While we tend to think of this as an inevitable part of the aging process, the reality is that it is often caused by mental health issues that can be addressed. After retirement, seniors can often find themselves without a feeling of purpose or a sense of belonging. By taking the time to talk to an elderly loved one and help them set goals for themselves, you can go a long way towards rekindling their sense of purpose and alleviating their loneliness. Below, we’ll take a look at what you can do to improve a senior’s quality of life by talking to them about goals.
Get to Know the Senior in Your Life
First, before setting goals with your senior, it is essential to spend time with the senior to get to know them personally. If you don’t know what things they like or don’t like and what activities they enjoy, how can you set goals for them? Be sure that when you talk about their goals, the senior is free from distractions such as friends visiting or the tv on. Sometimes if the senior has a lot of visitors and there’s always something going on at their house, it can be hard to have a one-on-one conversation.
Learn Their Likes and Dislikes
It’s essential to find out first the senior’s likes and dislikes. This is sometimes hard to do because some seniors will tell you what they like and don’t like, but if you pick it randomly, there’s a good chance you’ll pick something wrong. Find out as much information about your senior as possible by asking questions such as “What do you enjoy doing on Saturday nights when no one is at the house?” or “Where do you go to get your groceries?”
Think of Goals That Are Challenging but Not Too Difficult
Once you’ve gathered information about them, think of a few goals that can help improve their quality of life. If you’re thinking of things that will make them feel like they are in control and help improve their life, it’s best to pick things that won’t be too hard for them to do.
You may also want to think about creating goals for the seniors that are challenging but possible goals that might take some time to accomplish. It’s best if they can have a little time to put into trying to accomplish the goal since many people don’t set goals at all or set goals so quickly that they don’t have time to do it.
Key Takeaway
Talk to the senior in your life frequently, and you can have a great time together even if you have a busy schedule. Your loved one may not feel like they’re in such a bad situation anymore once you help them set goals for themselves. Whether in person or over the phone, always take the time to sit down and talk about what you and your senior want to do. Your specific goals for that day don’t matter so much as the act of discussing goals. If you keep in touch with your senior and discuss goals and progress on a regular basis, it will become a habit that improves the quality of both your lives.