Off The MRKT

Your guide to New York real estate and more

Off The MRKT - Where New York's, Real Estate, Life Style, and Culture Converge

  • Real Estate
    • New York
    • Hamptons
    • Connecticut
    • Florida
    • Submit Your Open House
  • Food & Wine
    • Wine and Spirits
    • Where To Drink and Eat
  • Events
    • Events Gallery
    • Submit an event
    • Calendar Listings
  • The Look
    • Travel
    • Health and Beauty
    • Fashion
    • Lifestyle Guide
  • About

How To Care For Family In Their Old Age

June 09, 2021 by Jeremy Lindy

Growing old is inevitable, but growing old gracefully is a dream for many of us. As an adult looking after an elderly relative or loved one, it can feel like a daunting task. After all, there are lots to know about and so much can go wrong. But it’s also one of the greatest acts of love. Read on for 6 tips and tricks for looking after family members in old age.

Enlist the help of family, friends, and the professionals 

Looking after an older person is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s not an easy task — while that’s not to say it’s a chore — so enlisting the help of family and friends is key. Reach out to those you know you can rely on and consider asking for help before you actually need it. The last thing that anyone needs is for you to get burned out. 

Get professional help 

It may be that the person you’re caring for has medical issues they need assistance with, or you need to fix up legal or housing issues. If it’s financially possible, enlisting the help of professionals can help you get things done easily and properly. 

There are multiple benefits to taking this approach. If you plan on considering this, you’ll need to keep a few things in mind.

The difference between home health and hospice care, for example, will be one of the more notable. One could be much more appropriate than the other.

They can both be worth considering, although they do have pros and cons. Regardless of which one you choose, you’ll need to put a lot of research into this.

Finding the right professional or professionals to help your loved one is vital. You’ll need to make sure that they have the skills and equipment needed to help.

While that will take some effort, it can be vital. You’re taking care of a loved one’s health, after all.

Consulting different options before making your decision will be a priority. Involving the person you’re caring for can also be helpful.

They’ve a right to have a say in their care, after all. Though this process could take a while, it will be more than worth it.

Get organized 

Now’s the time to kick into organization overdrive. Make sure everyone is aware of what time medication needs to be given, or doctors need to be called, by using a large whiteboard. You can dedicate family members' tasks using the board, and also use it to write notes or reminders to your elderly relative that you’re looking after. Also, if your loved one does need medication a daily pill box is a great way to keep track.

Choose the right nursing home 

It might not be the ideal choice initially, but a nursing home can be both a brilliant option for you and your family member. There are brilliant facilities out there that can provide careful, round-the-clock care, stimulation, and security for your loved one. While there are some horror stories (you can read more about abuse in nursing homes somewhere else) they can allow you more freedom. You can also feel safe in the knowledge that your loved one is being totally cared for. 

Care for yourself 

The saying goes, you can’t pour from an empty cup. So, while you’re caring for an elderly family member, it’s crucial to take care of yourself. This means ensuring you have enough time to rest and enjoy yourself, as well as caring for a relative. If you find that difficult, it can be helpful to physically pencil it into a diary to ensure that you take time for yourself. You could consider picking up some calming activities such as meditation or yoga - there are even apps that will teach you how to meditate from the comfort of your own. 

Hopefully, this list has provided you with a few tips and thoughts to help you on your caring journey. Looking after an older relative is such a wonderful thing to do, so well done to you. 

Featured
222 E. Broadway Loft Living Room.jpg
Jul 15, 2025
Loft Living Reimagined: NYC’s Coolest New Residences with Industrial Roots
Jul 15, 2025
Jul 15, 2025
Luxury-Modern-Home-IMAGE-1.jpg
Jul 15, 2025
The Impact of Architectural Details on Home Value
Jul 15, 2025
Jul 15, 2025
4-web-or-mls-Harbor Dr-002.jpg
Jul 14, 2025
Modern Waterfront Marvel Lists for $7.995M in Sag Harbor
Jul 14, 2025
Jul 14, 2025
Summer Fun: Family-Friendly Activities in the Hamptons
Jul 14, 2025
Summer Fun: Family-Friendly Activities in the Hamptons
Jul 14, 2025
Jul 14, 2025
Screenshot of Imagery - Google Drive.jpg
Jul 10, 2025
Cameron Diaz and Stella McCartney Unite for the Chicest Rosé Collab of the Summer
Jul 10, 2025
Jul 10, 2025
Our Favorite Listings For The Week
Jul 10, 2025
Our Favorite Listings For The Week
Jul 10, 2025
Jul 10, 2025
LE030_0026536_VIEW 09_BUILDING ENTRANCE_FINAL.jpg
Jul 10, 2025
A New Icon on the Upper East Side: 1122 Madison Avenue Unveiled
Jul 10, 2025
Jul 10, 2025
June 09, 2021 /Jeremy Lindy
  • Newer
  • Older
 
Off The MRKT Articles RSS

Follow Off The MRKT: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Contact us: Jeremy@Offthemrkt.com                                                                                           

Advertise | Off The MRKT Internship Program | Byline | Bible

Want More?

Want more awesome content like this? Sign up and get our best articles delivered straight to your inbox!

Thank you!
Our favorite listing this week is 508 West 24th Street, Unit 5th Floor, home to NBA Player Carmelo Anthony. The ten-time NBA All-Star, has listed his New York City condo. The home is the largest unit in the Cary Tamarkin designed building at 508 W 24
251 East 51st Street, Unit 2M, listed on the market as a Compass "Coming Soon," is a recently renovated, perfect pied-a-terre (and ideal one bedroom for all the rest of us). What truly sets this pad apart from the rest is the dreamy outdoor
Our last #openhouse roundup will you be checking out this #parkslope home?

#nycrealestate #brooklynrealestate #milliondollarlistings #luxuryhomes #OffTheMRKT
DNA Development announced that closings have commenced at 350 West 71st Street, the successful Upper West Side luxury conversion that seamlessly combines two historic pre-war buildings into one stunning contemporary condominium with a classic fa&cced
Our favorite listing this week is located at One West End, the sculptural glass residential tower designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli within Riverside Center. At $19.5 million, 29B offers 5,302 square feet of interiors space, with four bedrooms, five and
Looking to live in one of the trendiest neighborhoods in Manhattan? SoHo offers some of the most luxurious prime New York Real Estate. Known for its largest collection of incredible architecture in the entire world, SoHo is the heart of the historic
Following the unveiling of Rose Hill, one of the new residential developments in Manhattan's NoMad neighborhood that represents a modern era of Gotham-esque architecture and design by award-winning New York-based design firm CetraRuddy, legendary dev
The ethereal master bath at @theXInyc West Tower Penthouse features a custom sandblasted verde caldia floor, a carved verde scuro tub, and bronze vanities with marble tops designed by #AD100 French interior architect @pierre.yovanovitch.

Situated in