Home Care in Apex NC
October 2 through 8 is Great Books Week. This is the ideal opportunity to get your aging parent reading more so that they can keep their mind active and engaged, improve their cognitive 
processing and memory skills, and enjoy constructive entertainment that can connect them with others through a reading club or even just you reading the same book at the same time.
Try these tips to help your parent enjoy reading more:
- Provide ample lighting. Evaluate where your aging parent usually does most of their reading and determine if there is enough lighting for them. Trying to read without enough lighting can cause serious strain to your parent’s eyes, possibly causing serious headaches, fatigue, and even contributing to low vision. Add extra lighting that will help them to better see the words on the page. For optimal effect, have the light come from above your parent rather than behind them to help prevent shadows.
- Look for large print. Low vision is one of the most common ailments of old age. In fact, virtually all older adults will experience some or even severe decrease in the acuity of their vision. Large print books feature text that is larger, darker, and spaced more widely to make it easier to see. Ask at the local library to find the large print section so that your parent can find a wide range of books printed in this type of text.
- Keep it fresh. Make frequent visits to the library or used book store a regular part of your care routine so that your loved one has access to fresh books. This will keep their mind engaged and always give them something to enjoy, whether it is in their home or when they are out and about, such as in the waiting room at a doctor’s office. If they choose to purchase their books, encourage them to then donate the ones that they have read so that others can benefit from them.
- Read along with them. Spending quality time together is a fantastic way to support your relationship and bring extra meaning to your care journey. Choose books that both of you will enjoy reading and take time each week to discuss what you have read. This will encourage conversation, sharing, and exercising your minds for improved mental, emotional, and cognitive health for both of you.
If you have been looking for ways to encourage your aging parent to have a higher quality of life, home care may be the ideal solution. An in-home senior care services provider can be with your elderly parent to help them to select the right books, make meaningful changes to their home that encourage them to enjoy their reading more, and even join them in reading so that they can discuss their reading adventures and keep their mind active and engaged. This can not only improve their mental, emotional, and cognitive health, but can also help them to build a stronger relationship with the care provider. This better relationship will mean that they are more trusting, more comfortable, and more willing to go along with the care efforts of the provider.
