According to the American Senior Communities, individuals aged 65 and over often face balance issues, cognitive decline, and osteoporosis. However, they are not the only ones suffering from these. A considerable number of people with disabilities also experience them. One of the biggest challenges they are facing is the lack of accessibility to essential services and programs suited for their needs.
Unfortunately, public support for these individuals needs more awareness and development. Here some ideas you might want to consider helping them.
Create a Startup
There is little you can do on your own, but with the help of others, you can significantly impact the lives of the elderly and people with special needs. Creating a startup focusing on providing these individuals with support can dramatically boost their moral, emotional, physical, and financial health as people gather to help. By enlisting some of your family, friends, and neighbors, you can make a huge difference.
A startup can help you formulate ideas to reach the elderly and people with disabilities. It will also help you gain access to connections that can help give these individuals medicine, services, and opportunities. For example, you can start an initiative in your community. One of the initiatives you should think about is streamlining services for them. These services are not only part of a simple outreach program. It can be a big business that helps raise revenue and pull the community closer together.
Establish a Game Plan
Once you have your initial ideas, you can sit down and talk about how you can help the elderly and people with special needs. For example, you can be more organized in your outreach programs, create donation drives, host free clinics, or provide various services, including cleaning, cooking, or simply even walking their dogs. The important thing is you have to organize your group and the activities you plan to do.
Examples of Programs and Activities
Once you have established your game plan, your startup can now commence the programs and activities you plan to give to the elderly and people with disabilities in your community. Just in case you want more ideas, here are some great ways you can help them:
The Buddy System
One of the biggest challenges that the elderly and people with disabilities are faced with is loneliness. Loneliness among older adults is linked to severe medical conditions. The worst case is premature death from all causes.
Loneliness is the common cause of depression and anxiety, and unfortunately, people with disabilities are more chronically lonely. The buddy system is a scheme through which your startup can schedule visits to the elderly and people with special needs. Visits can last between a few hours to a full day, emphasizing providing simple services, such as cleaning and cooking.
The main goal is to give them great company and prevent them from being alone for long periods of time. This is also a great way to cultivate a more substantial relationship among the members of the community. Just imagine the smiles and comfort your support group can offer these people.
Enhance Their Mobility
The elderly and a significant proportion of people with disabilities have difficulty walking or keeping their balance. This is why they are often confined in their beds. The more substantial challenge is when they live in a house with stairs, and they need assistance to move around. Another challenge is getting in cars when they need to move around. An excellent way to help them is to install stairlifts or even wheelchair lifts for vehicles.
You can also give them new and more modern wheelchairs. Wheelchairs are essential because they offer mobility and independence to users. This also allows them to move around outside of their homes and be able to interact with others. So it is not just a simple chair. It can be their way to a better quality of life.
Take Care of Their Pets
One of the easiest and sweetest services you can offer the elderly and people with special needs is to take care of their pets. Pets are an enormous source of support and comfort for them, and that is why they love them so much. Unfortunately, they might not always be able to look after their pets. Hence, you can walk their dog or cat, give them baths, or clean after them.
There are so many things we can do for the elderly and people with special needs. It is not just going to affect them. It is going to make an impact on the people around them, you, and the people around you. Your efforts will not only change their lives, but they are going to give you the perspective to change yours.
