Problems of Daily Living
A program for family and friends caring for older people
at home
Understanding the Problem
Understanding the Problem
3
Inability to perform self-care is a common reason
why older people:
 seek help from others
 move to assisted living communities, or
 enter nursing homes
Understanding the Problem
4
The daily living skills most affected by aging and
chronic illnesses or disabilities include:

basic self-care activities


dressing, bathing, eating, toileting, getting in and
out of bed
activities for living independently

cooking, laundry, driving, managing money, using
the telephone
Understanding the Problem
5
 Problems in doing daily living tasks are closely
linked to health problems
Understanding the Problem
6
 Problems of daily living are often a matter of
degree
Understanding the Problem
7
 In most cases, the older person will be the
best judge of their own need for help with
daily living
Understanding the Problem
8
 Do not arrange for someone to come into the
home to help without discussing it with the
older person first
Understanding the Problem
9
Your goals are to:
 Maintain the older person’s ability to function as
independently as possible for as long as possible
 Arrange for appropriate care
 Involve the older person in planning the care
 Call for professional help when needed
When to Get Professional Help
When to Get Professional Help
11
 You want to learn better ways to help the
older person with daily activities
11
When to Get Professional Help
12
 You and your family
cannot give the kind
or amount of help
that is needed
12
Where to Get Help
13
 Your local Area Agency on Aging
 Home health agency
 Healthcare provider’s office or hospital
13
What You Can Do To Help
What You Can Do To Help
15
 Work with the older
person in developing a
plan to provide the help
that is needed
What You Can Do To Help
16
 Encourage a positive attitude toward change
What You Can Do To Help
17
 Support the older person’s efforts to manage
daily activities
What You Can Do To Help
18
 Organize help from family and friends
What You Can Do To Help
19
 Arrange for and supervise paid help
19
Suggestions for Daily Living
Dressing Suggestions
21
 Avoid pullover
shirts and clothing
with difficult
fasteners
Dressing Suggestions
22
 Shop for special
clothing in home
care catalogs or
websites
Dressing Suggestions
23
 Use grabbers to
reach socks and
put them on
Bathing Suggestions
24
 If bathing is difficult, limit full tub baths or
showers to once weekly
Bathing Suggestions
25
 Install grab bars or a bath chair
Bathing Suggestions
26
 Avoid baby oil in the tub
or in bath water
 Avoid bubble baths
Grooming Suggestions
27
 Consider using large
combs, hairbrushes,
and toothbrushes
Shampooing and Hair Care Suggestions
28
 Consider arranging
for regular visits
from a hair stylist
Shampooing and Hair Care Suggestions
29
 Consider using a
shampoo tray to
wash hair in bed
Shampooing and Hair Care Suggestions
30
 Consider using
no-rinse
shampoos
Foot Care Suggestions
31
 Soak feet every
weekly or other
week
Foot Care Suggestions
32
 Call a foot doctor
(podiatrist) about
nail or foot fungus
and hard-to-cut
toenails
Toileting Suggestions
33
 Consider
raising the
toilet seat
 Consider grab
bars by the
toilet
Toileting Suggestions
34
 Consider
replacing the
toilet with one
made for
disabled people
Toileting Suggestions
35
 Consider placing
a portable
commode by the
bedside chair for
quick access
Lighting Suggestions
36
 Consider using remote control lighting devices or
motion-sensitive night lights
Moving In and Out of Bed Suggestions
37
 Encourage the older person to sit and dangle legs
before standing
Eating Suggestions
38
 Use utensils
with large
handles if hands
are weak
Eating Suggestions
39
 Consider serving
small meal portions
Eating Suggestions
40
 Make snacks
available
between
meals
Shopping Suggestions
41
 Encourage
the older
person to
join you in
shopping
Shopping Suggestions
42
 Consider
getting help
for shopping
Preparing Food Suggestions
43
 Consider preparing meals in advance and
freezing them
43
Preparing Food Suggestions
44
 Consider using Meals-on-Wheels
Carrying Out Your Plan
Possible Problems Carrying Out Your Plan
46
“Helping with daily activities seems endless;
I don’t see any progress.”
“I don’t think the paid helper is doing a good job,
but my mother is reluctant to criticize.”
Possible Problems Carrying Out Your Plan
47
“What happens if the paid helper is sick? How do
I get help then?”
“My family is dissatisfied with the paid help we
have for my mother. They want perfection and
that isn’t possible.”
Possible Problems Carrying Out Your Plan
48
“My father has always taken care of himself and
he is absolutely against getting outside help, but I
can’t give him the help he needs by myself.”
Possible Problems Carrying Out Your Plan
49
Think of other problems that could
interfere with carrying out your plan.
Checking On Progress
50
Set reasonable goals for yourself and for the
older person
If Your Plan Isn’t Working
51
The older person might need a little more time
to accept and adjust to the changing situation
For More Information
52
 Visit www.HealthinAging.org
 Call the AGS Health in Aging Foundation at
1-800-563-4916
This Caregiving Tips program is based on the 2004 Eldercare at Home, 2nd Edition
presentation kit, and has been updated by the AGS Public Education Committee.
Copyright © 2015 by the AGS Health in Aging Foundation