Although your aging parent may have health or vision issues, he or she still values having independence. Issues such as limited mobility and degenerative diseases of the spine can heighten the risk of accidents or injuries in the home, but there are several things you can do to keep your parent safe while maintaining independence.
Monitor Medication Side Effects
Certain medications can lead to dangerous side effects, such as dizziness, impaired vision, weakness, blood pressure abnormalities, and cardiac arrhythmia. Severe side effects can limit your parent’s independence, as the fear of an accident may frequently creep into his or her thoughts.
At the first sign of an adverse reaction, see if your loved one’s physician can lower the dosage or prescribe a different medication that’s less likely to cause side effects. Once your loved one is no longer afraid of medication side effects, confidence and independence will be restored.
If your loved one needs help remembering to take medications, consider hiring a professional caregiver. Home care service providers can benefit aging adults in a variety of ways. From cooking nutritious meals to offering timely medication reminders, the dedicated caregivers at Assisting Hands Home Care are available to help your senior loved one 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Evaluate Floor Surfaces
When floors are uneven or go from flat to raised, accidents can happen. If your loved one’s living room has hardwood floors but the dining room is carpeted, he or she may trip. Installing transition strips between uneven surfaces can prevent accidents by evening out differences in surface heights.
Ensure Adequate Nutrition
Your parent may feel unsteady or sick if adequate nutrition and hydration are lacking. Poor nutrition can severely compromise independence due to feelings of weakness and illness. When people feel sick, they’re more likely to depend on others for help.
If your parent is losing weight or has a dry mouth, itchy skin, or sunken eyes, make an appointment with his or her doctor, as these may be signs of dehydration or nutritional deficiencies. Once these issues are corrected, your loved one may feel better and more likely to embrace his or her independence.
Living independently is important for seniors who want to maintain a high quality of life. For some, this simply means receiving help with tasks that have become more challenging to manage over time. Even when families have the best intentions, they may not have the time to provide the care their aging loved ones need and deserve. If your loved one needs help for a few hours a day or a few days a week, reach out to Assisting Hands Home Care, a trusted provider of home care Northern Kentucky seniors can depend on.
Encourage Exercise
Exercise is important for seniors because it helps them maintain strength, mobility, and balance. The stronger and steadier your parent becomes, the more likely he or she will be to do housekeeping tasks, drive, and socialize.
Exercise can also help seniors manage blood pressure, cardiovascular health, blood sugar levels, and chronic pain, and it can also alleviate depression and anxiety by lifting mood. Exercise promotes the release of chemicals known as endorphins, also known as feel-good chemicals. An abundance of endorphins in the bloodstream can provide pain relief while enhancing restful sleep.
Always check with your loved one’s physician before recommending a new exercise program. If your parent isn’t used to exercise, it may do more harm than good.
Many seniors prefer aging in place over moving to assisted living facilities. If your senior loved one needs assistance to remain safe and comfortable while living at home, reach out to Assisting Hands Home Care of Northern Kentucky, a leading Northern Kentucky senior home care agency. Our dedicated in-home caregivers can assist with meal prep, bathing and grooming, exercise, medication reminders, and many other important tasks. To hire a dedicated caregiver, call Assisting Hands Home Care at (859) 374-7455 today.
