Daily Routine in Wartime

Old age is naturally accompanied by anxiety over the physical changes. During wartimes, like those we are currently experiencing, when everybody's level of anxiety rises, older adults experience even greater levels of anxiety. They are concerned with questions such as "will I be able to make it to the bomb shelter in time?", "will I be holding other people back?", "what is going to happen to my caregivers?", "will someone come to visit me?"

Older adults are advised to maintain their safe and familiar home routine by making adjustments to their home environment and reducing feelings of anxiety and confusion.

• Maintaining the normal routine: try to maintain the familiar and structured routine as much as possible.
• Feeling a sense of control: encourage older adults to engage in familiar pursuits and in meaningful activities.
• Relaxation methods: teach older adults and their caregivers how to use relaxation techniques such as meditation, deep breaths and mindfulness.
• Making adjustments to the home environment: organize the home environment so that the older adult can reach the bomb shelter safely and stay there comfortably.
• Contributing and caring for other people: encourage activities and engagement in tasks by which older adults can feel that they are contributing to the family and the community, like knitting beanies for soldiers, preparing baskets of goodies, writing letters of encouragement and preparing videos for families and soldiers.
• Technological means: make sure they have technological means that will allow them to communicate with family members, friends and acquaintances.
• Discourse spaces: hold discourse spaces where they can communicate, connect, and express their emotions, worries and concerns.
• Connecting with family members: encourage other family members to contact older adults in the family and encourage them to express themselves.
• Adapting and adjusting: find creative ways to explain to older adults "what is going on", adjust their environment and their activities to calm them and to ease their adjustment to the new situation and to the changes that will follow.

When going to the safe room

Our safe room protects us from shrapnel and rockets. By planning ahead and rearranging the house, we can ensure that older adults can get there securely. We can also reduce the risk of falls by creating a direct and safe way.

• Choose in advance the safest and nearest safe room and practice your path to it, to make sure that you make it to the space safely and quickly.
• Clear away any obstacles and objects such as chairs, carpets and plants.
• Try to wear closed shoes as much as possible instead of flip-flops or socks to decrease the risk of sliding injuries.
• Leave the lights on in the path to the protected space and inside it.
• Prepare in advance the following in the safe room: a comfortable chair, a table, regular glasses and reading glasses, hearing aids. If necessary: your regular medications, food and drinks.
• Once you hear the siren, walk quickly but carefully towards the safe room. Be careful not to walk on wet floor.

By preparing in advance, we ensure our safety!

Video: these are difficult times and we will get through them together (Prof. Eyal Fruchter)