A Glimpse into the Heartfelt Moments of Caring for the Elderly at Home

Hello all,
Here is short trip into our family, I hope you like it.

Older folks in our family are like real treasures. They give us that warm feeling inside. My grandpa was 94 when he passed away, and now Grandma is 92. Luckily, she's doing well, going at her own pace, healthy and active.

Even though her memory is not as strong as before, she still remembers everyone. She eats soft food without teeth, taking her time to make sure it goes down right. It's kind of cute - she looks like a little baby elephant, and it just makes us happy.

We cut her hair short to make it easy to take care of. Instead of saris, she wears short dresses. They're simple to change and wash, and she's comfy in them. She likes wearing a bit of jewelry, a tradition in our Indian culture. So, we keep some pretty ornaments for her, bringing her joy.

She's happiest on her sofa in the living room, watching TV and everyone around her. During her free time, she chats with everyone. Lately, she's been laughing a lot at little things, which is fun. We remind her to take it easy sometimes, but she loves those moments. We regularly take her to the family doctor, and for now, she's doing fine without many health problems. Life's good with Grandma, the heart of our family.

Every day, she's up around 6-7 in the morning. First thing, she rinses her mouth with a little water and some gargling. Then, it's sofa time, waiting for that hot cup of tea that my mom makes for her – her favorite way to kickstart the day. After that, she heads to the bathroom to finish her morning routine.

While waiting for the rest of us to wake up, she watches my mom doing her thing, cleaning the floor and handling other chores. That's when I get up and head to the hall. She greets me with a big smile and a delightful hands-in-the-air hello. It's her way of saying, "Have a good day, be good." I wait for the others, my wife and brother, to join in. When they wake up, she welcomes them the same way, with that happy gesture and a smile. It's a simple but joyful moment.

Then comes the universal gesture – a sign to wash up with some gargling and have a cup of tea. Mom brings tea for everyone, and we all enjoy it with a little chitchat. It's these small, delightful routines that make our mornings special.

After tea, it's bath time for everyone, one by one. Even she is all set for a bath. My wife helps her out, making sure she's clean and neat. She really likes being tidy. We dry her off, tidy up her hair, and put a bindi on her head.

Next up, we encourage her to go sit in the veranda for a bit of sun. She's not a big fan, but we insist. It's good for boosting her Vitamin D, keeping her feeling active and fresh.

After the sun, she comes back inside and settles on her sofa. It's a bit drowsy for her, but that's okay. By this time, everyone's off to work. She naps like a toddler. It's another delightful sight, seeing her all cozy and peaceful.

Around 1-2 pm, she wakes up to mom's call because lunch is ready. She likes keeping it simple – just-made soft hot chapati with a bit of veggies and some daal to make it extra soft. After lunch, she heads back to the hall.

Once we're done eating in the kitchen, we all come back to the hall. Mom switches on the TV and lounges on the bed, watching it. She enjoys looking at the images with interest too. After a bit of chitchat, everyone takes some time to lie down. It's like a chill time, a little nap to recharge.

At around 5 pm, Mom wakes up and has tea with Grandma, just like in the morning. Grandma really enjoys her evening tea. She even does her cute tea gesture again. By that time, we also join in for a little tea party.

Grandma likes to sit in the veranda and watch the sun setting in the evening. We join her for a bit. Mom, at that time, lights a small lamp in front of the Tulasi plant as part of her daily routine.

After everyone heads off to work, Grandma joins Dad to watch his favorite TV program. She watches with short breaks because her back needs a bit of rest. By the time the show ends, dinner is ready.

She goes for dinner first since she's on an early schedule of waking up and going to bed. Mom notices and gets her dinner ready. Sometimes, she likes to add some chivda (crunchy snacks) to her veggies to make it tastier. After dinner, she comes back to her sofa. We suggest she walks a bit, as lying down immediately isn't the best. Most of the time, she takes a little stroll, depending on her mood.

Then the remote ends up in Mom's hand for watching serials. Both Mom and Grandma enjoy the scenes until around 10-10:30 pm. Grandma starts snoring while watching, so Mom puts blankets on her. Everyone calls it a day.

This is how her day wraps up – with routine, a bit of activity, some chitchat, and a good rest.

Thanks