How to help older people in your community

During the last few turbulent years, supporting the people in your community has never been more important. People can often suffer silently without asking for help, and it can sometimes not be apparent how someone feels or to know what they need. That is why opening up the conversation on supporting the more vulnerable people within your community and offering a helping hand has never been more important.

Read on for our guide on how you can help older people in your community.

Get Involved

One of the best places to start is by looking at ways to volunteer within your community. Many charities are always looking for new volunteers to help with the demand for support needed.

However, you may have already seen an individual struggling to look after their garden, go for a walk, or carry their shopping. You can always approach people gently and offer a helping hand in a non-condescending way. It can be hard for people to ask for help themselves, so offering to give someone a hand can be a good way to help. Even if they refuse help, they will know that someone cares about them, and that can be all that matters sometimes; it only takes something small to have a huge impact on someone's life.

Another way to get involved is to be present. Unfortunately, many residents of care homes don't get regular visitors, which can significantly affect their mental health. Many of these homes will welcome those who would like to volunteer, and there are a lot of things you can help with; from having a chat over a cup of tea, just being there to listen or even helping them get used to smartphones. Just send over an email, pop in, or call a local care facility to see if they would be happy for some additional help.

Most of the time, all people need is a conversation, whether asking someone how they are feeling or just enjoying a chat for a sense of human connection; everyone has a right to be listened to. Everyone can get involved by simply saying hello when they see a neighbour. Elaborate on the conversation, ask them how their day is going, and you may even strike up a brand-new friendship from such a simple interaction.

Lend a helping hand

If you have a trade that may be useful to someone, such as a plumber, electrician or general handyperson, then offering your skills can be a great help for someone in need who may not have enough to get something fixed which could improve their quality of life. From helping with the garden to assisting with a plumbing or electrical issue, you can really make a difference.

If you have any free time and may not have the skills mentioned above, assisting with driving or shopping can be just as helpful as sometimes the smaller things are often forgotten. You could lend a hand by helping to pick up their shopping, medication and more, making an extra portion of food when you're cooking dinner or baking and delivering it to them as a nice treat.

Tayrn from Saving in London City, a lifestyle blog, told us how she lends a hand in her community:

“I volunteer with Reengage, a charity which aims to reduce loneliness and isolation in older people in the local community. I am a volunteer tea party host, and hold gatherings at home for the group, providing food and drinks for afternoon tea. The tea parties are a welcoming and comfortable environment for elderly people to chat and make new friends over lunch.

“We always have a fun afternoon listening to our guest’s stories, and it’s a great way to get involved with helping the older generation.”

Have fun

With many feeling lonely and isolated, having fun can be an incredible way to improve one's mental health. Kindness is an important trait to have, but sometimes you need to bring some fun. We can sometimes forget that older people like having fun like everyone else, and this can sometimes be forgotten about. Of course, age stops us from doing many things, but you can still have fun out on a walk or even attend a low-impact exercise/dance class together. Whatever you can do to make someone laugh and have a good time will brighten someone's day in your community.

Another way to have some fun is to involve your pets. Did you know that animals can help reduce stress? Just spending time and having a cuddle with a dog or cat can make anyone feel great. Not everyone can have the mobility to care for their own animal, but that doesn’t mean that they should miss out on the benefits a pet can provide. Bringing your pet to spend some time with a person can help them feel more connected and create an incredible bond for those feeling lonely.

Many people believe that kindness has to be a grand gesture to have an effect on people, but spending a few minutes, hours or a day helping the people around you can be one of the best ways to help. A simple gesture of a kind smile and a kind offer can make all the difference to someone.

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