Ingenia’s General Manager Care Development, Janene Eagleton, has urged Australian families to make the most of their time together this Christmas, encouraging people to tackle some important topics and check in about their health, their lifestyle and their future.

“Christmas is a wonderful time, and often the only time in the whole year, when generations come together to celebrate and be together,” Janene said.

“However, it should also be a time when family takes time out from busy schedules to really check in with one another, see how people are doing and what help or assistance they might need.

“It’s important to create an open and honest dialogue as it can be easy to dance around topics like how well someone is managing in their own home, especially when your senior family members insist they are doing fine.

“In my experience leading the Ingenia Care program and working with hundreds of senior Australians, there are a number of common concerns in our community, including the below:”

Finances

Learning to live on a budget can be a huge challenge for anyone. Despite owning your own home, and possibly receiving pension and superannuation payments, it’s very possible that seniors don’t have sufficient cash flow to live the lifestyle they would prefer. This problem was recently identified by The Productivity Commission, which suggested retirees might consider downsizing to free up the wealth in their home. It’s worth discussing this with the family and looking at the possibility of more affordable housing within their local area.

Maintenance

Home maintenance is a chore at any age, but having a huge yard and empty bedrooms to maintain can be an unnecessary burden. How are your family members coping with mowing, gardening and vacuuming such a large space? Many seniors cite problems with maintenance as the primary driver for downsizing, so it’s important to explore the options to help lighten the load.

Lifestyle

After more than 40 or 50 years in the workforce and raising a family, retirement should be a time for putting yourself first and doing what you love, whether that’s travelling, staying fit or keeping social, try and consider some ways to make it happen. If your family members would love to indulge a new passion or revisit an old one, try and consider some ways to make it happen. Whether it’s taking that long-awaited holiday to New Zealand, taking up photography or joining a sailing club, make time for the important things in life.

Loneliness

Recent research has identified loneliness and social isolation as having a significant negative impact on the health and wellbeing of seniors. Whether in the city or in the suburbs, living alone is not always conducive to forming friendships and we all know how busy members of the family can get. If seniors are feeling lonely, look into local community and social groups that might make for a best fit, and help ensure some healthy companionship.

Health

Poor health can be an unfortunate consequence of ageing, and having easy access to medical   facilities and wellbeing programs is more important than ever. There are a variety of independent retirement living options that can help provide that access, such as the Ingenia Care program, which connects residents in Ingenia Lifestyle’s communities with critical health, social and domestic service providers so they can maintain an independent and active lifestyle.

For more information on Ingenia Care please visit http://ingenialifestyle.com.au/about