Re-Evaluating Senior Care & Planning for the New Year

Many people use the New Year as a time to make changes and start fresh. It is a time of reflection and re-evaluation. This can also apply to caring for your senior. As you organize other parts of your life, take some time to review the care your senior is receiving and determine if it is still adequately meeting their needs. If you just saw them for the holidays, consider how things have changed over the past year and what areas you may have noticed them struggling in.

Check in on things such as:

• Health – have any new conditions developed or have others gotten worse or improved?
• Mobility – are they still able to maneuver as well as before? Are they steady on their feet or having trouble getting up and down? Maybe their fine motor skills have decreased due to arthritis or they are recovering from surgery or injury.
• Memory – are they becoming more forgetful or disoriented? Do they remember to take their medications as prescribed? Can they still follow directions, complete tasks, and get to and fro with little struggle?

These are all areas to pay attention to that can impact their independence and safety. Living alone can pose a risk if they are prone to falling, do not remember to take their medications, tend to wander, or have health concerns that need regular monitoring.

If you do notice these things, it may be time to consider in-home care services, or to adjust the amount of care that they are already receiving. An in-home care provider can help with basic tasks of daily living such as light cleaning and meal preparation, medication reminders, assistance with shopping and traveling, and provide daily companionship. They make it possible for your senior to maintain their independence as much as possible while receiving the support they need for higher quality of life and safety and better health.

The New Year can also be a great time to review finances and legal documents to ensure everything is in order. It is better to have these things worked out before your loved one’s health or memory declines and they are unable to effectively communicate their wishes. Make sure that their finances are still being used most effectively, their medical wishes are documented, and the proper insurance is in place to help cover expenses.

Start the year off on the right foot by ensuring that your aging parent is well cared for and all of their needs are being met. It is encouraged to review their care periodically and reassess their needs, but the New Year can be a good time to get the process started. If you do find that they need additional support or care, consider in-home care or assisted living placement through Always Best Care of Asheville-Hendersonville.

Modifications to Help your Senior Cope with Vision Problems

If your aging parent struggles with vision problems, it can make daily activities more challenging. They may have difficulty reading directions, finding items, staying organized, navigating around the home, and carrying out other functions. Trouble seeing can also pose a safety risk if they are living alone. Making some modifications around the home can help them to feel more confident and comfortable as well as improve safety.

• Improved Lighting

Replace any burnt out lightbulbs with fresh ones and consider adding additional lighting in hallways, staircases, bathrooms, and other poorly lit areas. This can make navigating easier. Installing reading lights can also be beneficial for when your senior is reading, doing puzzles, or writing.

• De-Clutter

Make sure that walkways are clear so that there is reduced risk of tripping or stumbling. Remove clutter from the floor and countertops and return things to their proper place. This can make them easier to find later and reduce confusion. Tuck cords away and ensure that rugs, carpets, and tiles do not have curled edges that can lead to falls.

• Buy Large Print Materials

Sometimes something as simple as large print books or remotes can be beneficial. The bigger letters and numbers are easier to see and can decrease frustration. Your senior can continue to enjoy these activities on their own with less stress. A magnifying glass can also help when large print items are not available. Make sure when leaving notes or instructions that they are written in dark in and larger script.

• Create Contrast with Colors

Add colored tape to the handles or borders of objects to make them easier to see and identify. Combine dark and light colors for more visible variation, such as a dark colored pillow or blanket on a white bedspread, or laying a dark towel over the side of the white bathtub. Try to avoid highly patterned materials for tablecloths, placemats, rugs, and decorations. Stick with things that are more simple and easier on the eyes. This can make it easier for your senior to find things. Use reflective or colored tape at the edge of stairs to make them stand out more.

Pay attention to things that your senior seems to struggle with and look for creative ways to make these tasks easier. Oftentimes there are relatively simple solutions. If you do find that they need more assistance, consider the services of an in-home care company or assisted living community. These professionals can help to provide a safer environment and support your senior as necessary with various tasks while still allowing them to be as independent as possible. Vision problems do not have to stand in the way of your loved one continuing to do the things they enjoy and taking care of themselves.

Natural Ways to Boost your Immune System for Better Health

A weakened immune system can put seniors at higher risk for developing illness. Their body is not able to fight off germs and viruses as well as it once did. In addition, certain health conditions and medications can make them more susceptible as well. However, there are several ways in which you can naturally boost your immune system and support improved health.

• Reduce Stress: Stress can put your body on overload and suppress immune function. Your body stays in a heightened sense of awareness. Taking steps to alleviate stress through yoga, exercise, meditation, music, journaling, socializing, and more can be beneficial. Find healthy coping strategies that help you to feel more relaxed and peaceful.
• Eat a Well-Balanced Diet: Make sure that your diet contains plenty of whole grains, lean proteins, and fresh fruits and vegetables. This will provide your body with essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that it needs to fight off illness and function more effectively. It can also help you to recover more quickly if you do get sick.
• Enjoy the Sunshine: The sun is a natural source of vitamin D which can help ward off infection. While it’s often more enjoyable to bask in the sun during the summer, make sure you are also getting some outside time during the winter as well. You can also take a vitamin D supplement if your body is not getting enough naturally.
• Spend time with Others: Although this seems counterproductive, being around others can actually boost your health. It is good for your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing and can help your body to build more immunity to certain germs or viruses. Just make sure that you are washing your hands and taking other necessary precautions such as avoiding those whom you know are ill.
• Get Plenty of Sleep: Lack of sleep can take a toll on your immune system. Much like being overly stressed, it taxes your body and does not allow it to rest and recover. You need sleep to allow your body to heal and fight off germs.
• Get Vaccinated: Vaccines help your body to build antibodies to certain strains of the flu as well as a host of other diseases. It is especially important for seniors to get a yearly flu and pneumonia vaccination to decrease their risk of getting sick.

While there is no surefire way to guarantee you won’t fall ill, being proactive providing your body with the support it needs to maintain a strong immune system is beneficial. Even if you do get sick, your body can often recover more quickly and symptoms may be less severe. Upholding a healthy lifestyle, staying active, eating well, and getting plenty of sleep are all simple ways to improve your overall wellbeing as well as immune health.

How Glaucoma Can Affect Your Senior’s Life

January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month and a time to refresh your knowledge about the impact that glaucoma can have on health and quality of life. There is currently no cure for glaucoma, but there are treatments available to help protect remaining vision and slow progression of the disease

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Glaucoma results from an increase in pressure in the eye that causes damage to the optic nerve. This pressure can be triggered by poor fluid circulation and drainage in the eye. Treatment aims to reduce and stabilize pressure, decrease fluid production, or reroute the flow of fluid for better drainage.

Damage to the optic nerve can impair peripheral vision and, over time, eventually affect central vision as well. Without clear peripheral vision seniors may feel as though they are looking through a tunnel. This can have a negative impact on activities of daily living as well as safety and socialization.

Difficulty driving: Not being able to quickly see what is approaching from the side can make driving more dangerous. Seniors may be slower to react to hazardous situations and at increased risk of getting in an accident.

Balance problems: Glaucoma can make it more difficult to maintain steady balance as well. Seniors may have trouble navigating stairs, narrow spaces, or cluttered areas. They may bump into things more frequently or trip and stumble. This can increase their fear of falling and make them more cautious when moving about. They may need to use assistive devices or hold on to handrails to feel more secure.

Problems reading: It can become more challenging to absorb information and take in material when reading as vision becomes more limited. Sensitivity to light can also affect their ability to see and interpret words. This can also make it more difficult to enjoy puzzle books, read and respond to mail or email, complete paperwork, read instructions, or read for enjoyment.

Decreased socialization: The combination of these things can reduce socialization and leave seniors feeling more isolated. They may be hesitant to get out and about because they can’t navigate as well both walking and driving, and may not be able to enjoy themselves fully because of lack of vision. Fear of further visual impairment or eventual blindness can also take a toll on mental health and lead to depression or anxiety.

All of these things can impact quality of life for seniors. Early detection is key to help preserve as much eyesight as possible and slow progression of the disease. Regular eye exams can aid in detecting changes in vision and risk factors for glaucoma and other diseases. For those who do have glaucoma or other vision problems, an in-home caregiver or assisted living facility can offer necessary support and safety. Making simple modifications around the home and to normal routines can help to accommodate for vision changes and enhance quality of life. Being proactive and getting help early can help support continued independence and protect vision.