Senior Home Care in Henderson NV Archives

Oral Thrush and The Elderly

Posted on August 16, 2024 by ltcep2023

Oral thrush is an infection in the mouth caused by candida, a fungus that naturally occurs in the mouth. When it becomes overgrown and starts to create tiny lesions on the tongue and other parts of the mouth, it becomes an oral thrush. For most healthy adults, the candida stays in check, and oral thrush doesn’t develop. But for the elderly, especially those with weakened immune systems, it can develop and cause health issues.

What Causes Oral Thrush in the Elderly?

Many parents have only heard of oral thrush when it comes to taking care of their babies. But this condition can also develop in seniors so if you are a caregiver, it’s helpful to understand why it might occur and what to do to treat it if your elderly loved one develops it.

Dentures

Improper denture care can lead to oral thrush. Combine an unclean set of dentures with dry mouth (a common condition in many seniors) and your loved one may have a breeding ground ready for the candida fungus to get out of control. Having a senior home care provider help with the daily cleaning of dentures is one way to make sure they remain clean. Regular check-ups with the dentist to ensure a good fit are another way to keep the dentures healthy and prevent the build-up of unhealthy materials.

Diabetes

Some diseases increase the risk of your elderly loved one developing oral thrush. Diabetes can lead to oral thrush if your loved one’s blood sugar levels are high. Too much blood sugar can reduce the amount of saliva our loved one produces, and thus reduce the amount of needed moisture in his mouth to flush it out regularly and keep it healthy.

Medical Treatments

Some conditions require treatments that reduce the ability of the immune system to fight off bacteria and other health risk. Cancer treatments, organ transplants, and some other conditions will require your loved one to take medications that suppress the immune system and may cause oral thrush to develop.

Using an Inhaler

If your loved one needs to use an inhaler for COPD or Asthma, it could increase his risk.

Oral Thrush Prevention

Luckily, prevention is the key to eliminating the risk of oral thrush. Your elderly loved one can reduce his risk of developing candida infections by taking a few simple precautionary actions.

Practice good oral hygiene. Brushing, flossing, and rinsing regularly all help to keep the mouth healthy and things in balance. If your loved one needs help with any of these tasks, a senior home care provider can assist him in areas he needs.
Keep dentures clean and well-fitting. Dentures should be taken out each night, cleaned, and soaked to keep them in good condition.
Rinse or brush after inhaler use. If your loved one needs an inhaler, he should at least rinse his mouth out after each use, and brush when he can.
Stay hydrated. Dry mouth can cause plenty of oral health issues, so keeping hydrated to promote healthy saliva levels can help keep your loved one’s mouth in good shape and reduce the risk of oral thrush developing. If remembering to drink water throughout the day is tough, have a senior home care provider help by filling up a large water bottle each morning that needs to be finished by the end of the day to help your loved one stay on track with his hydration.

If you are considering senior home care in Henderson, NV for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Summerlin. 702-800-4616

5 Common Nutritional Deficiencies in Seniors

Posted on July 20, 2023July 30, 2023 by Craig Bass

Three out of five adults aged 65 or older have lost some of their sense of taste. In addition, an older adult’s stomach empties slowly, so they feel fuller longer and may not eat as much. These are just two of many circumstances that can lead to nutritional deficiencies in seniors. Here are some of the most common vitamins and minerals that seniors become deficient in, and how senior home care can help.

B-Vitamins

The value of B vitamins lies in their help with cognitive function and mood. The three most common are folic acid, B-12, and B-6. Around 26% of older adults have a B-12 deficiency. Studies found that 61% of older adults had a B-6 deficiency.

Calcium and Vitamin D3

Calcium and vitamin D3 are necessary for bone health, yet estimates find that less than 1% of women get enough calcium and about 25% of men get enough. A high-sodium diet leads to calcium getting flushed out of the body faster.

Deficiencies are linked to osteopenia and osteoporosis. If your dad falls and doesn’t get enough calcium, there’s a higher chance that his bone is weaker and will fracture. While women are more likely considered for osteoporosis risk, men can also get the disease. It’s worth asking your dad’s doctor if he should undergo a bone density screening.

Iron

Iron plays an important role in the transportation of oxygen throughout the body. Iron helps form hemoglobin, which is the component in red blood cells that transports oxygen to your brain, lungs, etc. If you don’t have enough iron, anemia occurs and can make you easily exhausted, depressed, and impact cognitive function.

An estimated 15% of men aged 70 or older do not get enough iron and have anemia. Foods rich in vitamin C, such as oranges and berries, help the body absorb iron, so that’s an important consideration if your dad’s doctor tested his blood and believes he should start taking iron supplements.

Protein

Around 30% of adults aged 60 or older are losing muscle mass because they don’t eat enough protein. It’s over 50% for adults aged 80 or older. Changing metabolic function means that aging bodies don’t generate muscle protein as quickly. Muscle mass decreases if protein intake isn’t high enough to provide muscles with the necessary protein.

Recommendations are that you eat 1.0 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of weight. A 200-pound adult (90.7 kilograms) should be eating around 90 to 109 grams of protein per day. Spreading that protein throughout the day is better than getting it all at once.

Zinc

Zinc is essential when it comes to immune system function. Collagen production diminishes in older adults, and that impacts how much zinc is absorbed. Older men need 11 mg of zinc per day, yet just over half of older adults don’t get enough.

The Value of a Balanced Diet

The best way to avoid deficiencies is by eating a balanced diet throughout the day. This includes eating vegetables and fruits of every color, lean proteins like seafood, poultry, beans, and tofu, whole grains, and dairy.

If your dad can’t prepare meals that meet his nutritional needs, arrange senior home care. He can have caregivers available to help him plan and prepare meals that provide the nutrients he needs to stay healthy. Learn more about meal preparation services by calling an advisor in senior home care.

Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6971894/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3579689

If you are considering senior home care in Las Vegas, NV for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Summerlin. 702-800-4616.

How Do You Care For Your Parent Without Taking Over?

Posted on February 10, 2023 by Craig Bass

Senior Home Care in Henderson NV

You’re the main family caregiver in your household, and your dad’s mobility is changing. He needs help, and you’re in a good position to help out. How do you help your dad out without taking over? Here are a few ways to support your dad without becoming the parent, and how senior home care can help.

Talk to Him and Establish a Care Plan

Be upfront with your dad and talk about his need for care with his desire to also remain independent in his home. Make sure he knows that you want to ensure this is possible.

By involving your dad in his care plan, he’ll feel that he’s making the decision. That ensures he feels at ease when you do have to help him. That’s the ultimate goal. You want him to be comfortable with asking for help.

Ask His Doctor For Guidance

What are your dad’s health concerns? His health has to take priority, so you need to make sure you know what his doctor says he needs to do each day. Does he have medications to take? Does he take them on time and the right way?

Ask your dad’s doctor about the things he’s supposed to do each day, whether it’s exercise, diet, or pills. Take notes and verify with your dad that he is prioritizing his health. If he needs help remembering to take his pills, shop for low-sodium foods, or walk every day, make sure you help him.

Let Your Dad Try First

Let your dad try first and then step in and help out if he can’t do something. Let him ask when he needs assistance. For example, he needs to change his sheets. If he wants to do it, let him try and help out only when he asks.

Or, he wants to make soup for dinner but he has a hard time chopping vegetables due to arthritis in the joints. You could prep the ingredients for him and let him do the rest.

Accept Criticism Without Getting Defensive

When your dad criticizes how you did something, don’t get defensive. What he says may upset you, but don’t get defensive. If you do, the situation may only escalate into a big argument. If possible, consider what he said and see what is feasible to change to make him happier.

Bring In Senior Home Care to Offer the Care He Needs

Are you finding your dad is argumentative and uncooperative when you’re trying to help out? This is more common than you might think. He may not be comfortable having his child help out. Hire senior home care aides to assist him.

Senior home care aides are there to ensure your dad maintains his independence, so he’ll feel that he’s in control. That makes him happier and eases your stress. Talk to a senior home care specialist to learn more.

If you are considering senior home care in Henderson, NV, for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Summerlin. 702-800-4616.

Boost Your Mom’s Social Life With Senior Home Care

Posted on January 13, 2023 by Craig Bass

Senior Home Care in Henderson NV

Socialization is important to your mental and physical health. People who socialize regularly have been found to gain benefits like a stronger immune system and a lowered risk of depression. The CDC shares a few alarming statistics about loneliness and isolation.

Loneliness and isolation may increase the risk of dementia by 50%.
The stroke risk increases by 32%.
The risk of heart disease increases by 29%.
Isolation and loneliness are just as detrimental as smoking or obesity.
The suicide risk increases in people who feel isolated.
People with heart disease who are isolated or lonely have a 68% higher risk of hospitalization.

As your mom gets older, she spends more time at home and her social outings aren’t as frequent. After retirement, it’s common for work friendships to become more distant as people move to new areas to be closer to family, in a warmer area, or in a place with a lower cost of living.

You worry about her always being alone. While you spend as much time visiting your mom as you can, you have work responsibilities, children, and friends you need to fit into your weekly plans. Did you know that senior home care can help improve your mom’s social life?

Your Mom Makes New Friends

Each caregiver who works with your mom becomes a friend. Your mom has someone to join on walks, watch movies with, or talk to. She no longer has to eat alone as her caregiver can cook meals for her and sit with her at the table.

You can have a senior care aide stop by once a week, a few times a week, or every day. During those visits, her caregiver is there for socialization, but there are the added benefits of having help with housekeeping and laundry.

Her Confidence Grows

As she gets used to spending time with new people, she gains confidence in her ability to socialize. The more confident she is, the braver she is at trying new things. You might find her wanting to start volunteering or joining community groups and clubs.

That confidence boost is good for your mom’s mental health. It makes her feel valued and appreciated. All of this continues to help her expand her comfort zones and meet others.

Senior Home Care Provides the Socialization That Your Mom’s Missing

Senior home care providers offer regular chances to get out and explore the community. Your mom doesn’t have to drive, she has a caregiver available for rides to museum events, theater performances, socials at a local senior center, and community center clubs and classes. Your mom has her caregiver with her if she needs the boost of confidence walking in and registering.

Make sure your mom has the support she needs at home and when out running errands or enjoying a day out. Senior home care services like companionship are essential in helping her stay socially active, even as her abilities change. Call a senior home care agency with your questions.

Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/aging/publications/features/lonely-older-adults.html#

If you are considering senior home care in Henderson, NV, for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Summerlin. 702-800-4616.

What Happens With Personal Care as Alzheimer’s Progresses?

Posted on November 18, 2022 by Craig Bass

Senior Home Care in Henderson NV

There are three main stages of Alzheimer’s disease. But, there are several stages within the early, middle, and late stages. Some medical practices focus on five, but many others, including Penn Medicine, feel there are seven. Take a closer look at these seven stages of Alzheimer’s to learn how each one will affect your dad’s personal care routines. Knowing them in advance helps when it comes to arranging personal care at home services.

Early Stages

In the early stages, your dad’s need for help with personal care will not be present yet.

First Stage – Alzheimer’s is present, but it’s not noticeable yet. Changes are happening, but it’s going to take some time to realize that there’s something wrong. It will progress from here.
Second Stage – This is where basic forgetfulness comes into play. Your dad will start forgetting he’s told you something. He may lose his keys and not be able to retrace his steps.
Third Stage – Memory loss and forgetfulness are impossible to ignore at this point. Your dad calls you and tells you that you haven’t talked to him in months. It was just ten minutes ago that you hung up the phone. He’s forgetting to pay bills, he’s spending more than he has, and he may make appointments, but he doesn’t remember he’s made them.

Middle Stages

As you move into the middle stages of Alzheimer’s disease, your dad’s need for help with certain tasks is obvious. He’s going to need cues to make sure he’s using the toilet when he needs to.

Fourth Stage – Cognitive function is declining. Your dad forgets where he lives. He goes out for walks and can’t remember what his house looks like. He doesn’t know what month it is, and he may start to dress inappropriately for the weather. He tries to bathe as he always has, but he’s starting to use the wrong products, such as body wash for moisturizer or mouthwash for aftershave.
Fifth Stage – Emotional and mental changes start to take place. Your dad may start worrying that people are stealing from him. He may accuse you. He’s hiding items from others. He withdraws and doesn’t want to leave his bed or home.

Late Stages

In the final two stages, your dad is dependent on others for most of his daily routines.

Sixth Stage – He cannot bathe alone. He forgets to use the toilet and has many accidents. He’s not feeding himself anymore, and his fine motor skills are diminishing, so he has to have others trim his nails or brush his teeth. He stops talking more than babbling or randomly blurted words.
Seventh Stage – The seventh and final stage often finds your dad confined to bed or a wheelchair. He needs sponge baths and spoon-feeding if he’ll eat at all.

Personal care at home is one of the best ways to ensure your dad’s grooming and hygiene routines are kept up. Caregivers can help him properly clean himself in the shower. They can help him shave and brush and floss his teeth. Talk to an expert in personal care at home about your dad’s Alzheimer’s progression to determine what help he needs.

Sources:
https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/neuroscience-blog/2019/november/stages-of-alzheimers

If you are considering personal care at home in Henderson, NV, for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Summerlin. 702-800-4616.

Five Ways to Help a Highly Independent Senior Thrive with Arthritis

Posted on September 16, 2022 by Craig Bass

Senior Home Care in Henderson NV

Everybody needs help from time to time, but sometimes aging adults don’t feel comfortable accepting assistance. If your elderly family member is both highly independent and is dealing with arthritis, she may be struggling more than she lets on to you. Having help from senior home care providers reduces the struggling and keeps your elderly family member as independent as she wants to be.

Work with Her Doctor to Formulate a Care Plan

It’s really important to understand as much as possible about your senior’s arthritis and how it impacts her life. Working with her doctor can help you both to find out as much as you can about what’s happening now and what might happen down the road. There might be therapies and tools that your senior can put into place now that will help her as her arthritis continues to change.

See if Assistive Tools Help

Some people with arthritis don’t realize that there are lots and lots of tools that can help them to manage daily life. Tools that assist with buttoning and zipping clothing, opening jars, and turning keys all protect your senior’s ability to keep up with her daily life. Sometimes, though, your senior may need more help than that. Senior home care professionals are experts in helping people with all sorts of challenges continue to live their best lives.

Make Sure She’s as Safe as Possible

Safety is always important when it comes to your elderly family member and arthritis can hinder her ability to be as safe as you might want her to be. Home care providers can watch for potential issues, like slippery rugs or other tripping hazards, and work to prevent possible issues for your elderly family member. They can also alert you to bigger issues that might pose problems, like not having handrails in the shower or tub that your senior can use to steady herself.

Get Extra Help from Senior Home Care

Above all, senior home care is able to take on a variety of tasks that might have become too difficult for your elderly family member to manage on her own. When your senior has help on a regular basis, she is better able to spend time and energy on what she is able to do easily. Then she’s not struggling through her day and ending up frustrated and upset, which is a huge waste of energy.

Keep Tabs on the Situation

Over time, your elderly family member’s situation is likely to continue to change. By keeping up with what is happening, you’re able to start anticipating what your elderly family member might need. This is another area in which senior home care can be a huge help. They’re able to use their experience to share information that helps you to stay ahead of your senior’s biggest needs.

Having help doesn’t mean that your elderly family member can’t still be independent. What it does mean is that your senior doesn’t have to struggle to do the things that she used to do so easily.

If you are considering senior home care in Henderson, NV, for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Summerlin. 702-800-4616.

Cold Prevention Tips for Your Elderly Loved One

Posted on March 18, 2022 by Craig Bass

Senior Home Care in Henderson NV

While many people are taking steps to reduce the risk of contracting the COVID-19 virus and other illnesses, it’s still possible to come down with a cold. If you are caring for your elderly loved one, there are some cold prevention tips that can be shared with them. If your elderly loved one follows through with each of these tips, they will have a much lower chance of getting sick from a cold.

Hand Washing

One of the best tips for preventing a cold is hand washing. There are many resources out there that talk about how long someone should wash their hands and how to get the hands fully clean. In addition, by having your elderly loved one wash their hands regularly, it can help to prevent the spread of their germs to others and to their face. By doing this, they not only reduce the risk of others getting sick but lower the chances of themselves catching a cold or getting other illnesses, too.

Prevent Face Touching

Another reason that people often catch a cold easily is that they are touching their faces a lot. The more someone touches their face, the more chances there are for germs to spread into their nose and mouth – increasing the chances of getting sick. If you notice your elderly loved one touches their face a lot, it may be a good idea to have a senior home care provider who can remind them not to do this. If your elderly loved one can break this habit, they can keep themselves healthier.

Regular House Cleaning

Another way that your elderly loved one can lower their chances of catching a cold is by cleaning their house regularly. Research shows that germs are mostly on countertops, doorknobs, and other surfaces in the home. If someone doesn’t clean their house regularly, the germs are likely to get spread through the air and onto hands. Then, when someone touches others or their own face, the germs can spread, causing everyone to have an increased risk of getting sick. A senior home care provider can work with your elderly loved one to keep their home clean.

Conclusion

Do you feel that your elderly loved one is getting sick a lot? What about during the winter months or when spring is almost here? Does your elderly loved one catch colds often? If this is the case, you should encourage them to follow the tips noted above. These tips can significantly reduce their risk of catching a cold. Not only that, but if your elderly loved one follows through with those tips, they can reduce their chances of spreading germs to other people, too.

If your elderly loved one has already gotten sick, a senior home care provider can help monitor their condition while you are away. Elderly people can get sick very fast, even from the common cold. If your elderly loved one doesn’t seem to be doing well, make sure they see a doctor as soon as possible.

Sources
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/cold-weather-safety-older-adults

If you are considering senior home care in Henderson, NV, for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Summerlin. 702-800-4616.

Tips for Making an Emergency Checklist for Your Senior

Posted on January 14, 2022 by Craig Bass

Senior Home Care in Henderson NV

As you are taking care of your elderly loved one, take some time to think about what they will do if there is an emergency and nobody is around. What would you do if you were with your elderly loved one and they had an emergency? It is important to have a plan. One of the things that you may want to do is to create an emergency checklist with your elderly loved one, so they can be more prepared in case of an emergency.

Writing Down Personal Information

One of the most important things to add to your elderly loved one’s emergency checklist is their personal information including:

Name
Phone number
Doctors
Medication allergies
Medication list
Treatments they are receiving
Religious affiliations or preferences (if any)
Emergency contacts

If all of this information is kept in an accessible place, if you or a senior home care are with your elderly loved one when they have an emergency, you will be able to inform the medics who arrive of the important things.

Who to Contact

If your elderly loved one has a medical emergency, it is important that certain people are contacted. For example, if your elderly loved one is being picked up by the ambulance for heart issues and they have a cardiologist, it is very important that this doctor is contacted right away. The sooner your elderly loved one’s doctors are contacted, the sooner they can work with emergency medical personnel to help your elderly loved one.

Health Concerns

If your elderly loved one is getting a new senior home care provider, it is crucial they know about your elderly loved one’s health concerns. For example, if your elderly loved one has allergies to certain foods or needs medication reminders because they won’t remember to take their nightly medications, these are things the senior home providers need to know.

Having an Advance Directive

Who will be in charge of your elderly loved one’s care or medical decisions if they are unable to do so? This should be thought about well before there is an emergency. One of the things you can work with your elderly loved one is making an advance directive. The advance directive can help to ensure the doctors know who is responsible for medical choices on behalf of your elderly loved one. It can also help to ensure your elderly loved one’s wishes regarding their medical needs are met.

Conclusion

These are some of the best tips for making a senior citizen an emergency checklist. You can use these tips to help create this type of checklist for your elderly loved one. If you need more information about how to create this checklist or what to put on it, you can talk to medical professionals including your elderly loved one’s doctor.

Sources
https://www.cdc.gov/features/older-adult-emergency/index.html
https://acl.gov/programs/emergency-preparedness

If you are considering senior home care in Henderson, NV, for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Summerlin. 702-800-4616.