Little Things Can Help Your Loved One Feel Better About Themselves

Personal care at home helps seniors feel confident, supported, and valued each day

Did you know that February is considered the International Boost Self-Esteem Month? This can look different for everyone, from the youngest to the oldest, but one group that often struggles with self-esteem issues but doesn’t share those feelings is the elderly. Having lived with a generation of individuals who rarely talk about feelings, much less those highly personal ones like how they perceive themselves, the elderly can often be found suffering silently from self-esteem issues, but you and personal care at home services can help.

Four Signs Your Loved One’s Self-Esteem is Struggling

1. They struggle to attend social events and interact with new people. Someone with low self-esteem may feel they’re not good enough to attend a local event and meet new people they don’t know. They may fear judgment or rejection.
2. They’re sensitive to criticism or questioning. Low self-esteem often takes the form of a suggested change as a key that they are failing at not only that activity, but everything.
3. They talk a lot about their own lack of self-worth. They may say things like “I’m not needed anymore,” or “I don’t have a place in today’s world.” They might refuse to try new things because they say they can’t learn something new at this age.
4. They have physical symptoms such as stomach or digestive issues, depression, or engage in unhealthy behaviors to try to bury their negative inner thoughts, like drinking too much or eating too much.

Tips to Help Your Elderly Loved One Rebuild Feelings of Self-Worth

While self-worth is an internal perception of someone’s worth and, in the end, up to the person to discover the best ways to feel better about themselves, there are steps as a caregiver that you can take to help remind your loved one how much worth they have to you, your family, and the world around them.

• Provide daily affirmations that are positive and genuine. While too many positive remarks can appear fake or trite, noticing what your loved one does well and making an honest positive remark about it can remind your loved one of their strengths.
• Reconnect them with younger generations. If your loved one has always loved children, help them find ways to reconnect with the younger generations. It might be volunteering at a school, teaching a class, or serving in a youth shelter. With younger kids, they don’t need to be perfect; they just need to be present.
• Take steps at home to feel better about themselves. Some seniors may need help with personal care at home tasks, such as eating well and taking care of their appearance. A personal care at home aide can support your loved one’s journey to better self-worth by assisting with personal care activities like hair care, shaving, and bathing. Personal care at home providers can also help your loved one get dressed each day in clothes that they feel great in.
• Encourage them to keep a gratitude journal where they write up what they accomplished each day. Tracking those little accomplishments can add to a big boost in self-esteem.
• Finally, remind them that there will be failures and setbacks along the way. That’s a normal part of life, but one mistake doesn’t determine their value.

If you or an aging loved one is considering Personal Care at Home in Faith, NC, contact the caring professionals at TenderHearted Home Care today. Call us at (704) 612-4132