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Tag: Senior Home Care in Summerlin NV

6 Ways to Help Seniors Avoid Complications from Untreated Cataracts

Posted on by ltcep2023

Among age-related eye problems, cataracts are some of the most common. Cataracts hinder vision, but they also affect overall well-being. Untreated cataracts make daily life more difficult and can cause seniors to experience loss of independence and other challenges. Senior home care providers are able to help aging adults with cataracts in a variety of different ways.

Monitoring Vision Changes

Seniors with untreated cataracts need someone who can help them to keep track of how their vision is changing. Cataracts cause blurred vision, sensitivity to light, trouble seeing at night, and fully impaired vision at times. Noticing new symptoms or noticing that symptoms are significantly worse can indicate that something else is going on besides the cataract, so it’s important that seniors get help in that situation.

Helping with Eye Care

There could be a variety of different reasons that seniors leave cataracts untreated. In that situation, it’s vital to ensure that they keep up with eye care. That might include daily eye drops or other types of eye care. Caregivers are able to stay on top of these needs for aging adults, helping them to remember to take care of their eyes.

Transportation Assistance

Often seniors with cataracts experience enough interference with their vision that driving is unsafe. Home care providers are able to do the driving for them, helping them to get to appointments and run errands when they need to do so. Having help with remaining mobile can help seniors to feel as if they still are a part of the community around them.

Help with ADLs

Activities of daily living are likely to be more difficult for seniors who cannot see well due to untreated cataracts. Keeping up with personal grooming, bathing, and meal preparation can be a lot more complicated than it ever was. Caregivers can make quick work out of these tasks, keeping seniors healthy and safe.

Fall Prevention

Another big safety concern is avoiding falls. Seniors who cannot see well due to untreated cataracts can very easily miss obstacles and other tripping hazards. Caregivers stay on top of potential hazards and offer mobility assistance around the house, helping seniors to stay safer and reduce their fall risk.

Offering Emotional Support

It’s easy to forget, but experiencing health challenges can have a serious emotional impact on aging adults. Losing vision, in particular, can be a huge loss. The more depressed and anxious seniors are due to loss of vision, the more they’re likely to withdraw and self-isolate. Home care providers offer valuable emotional support that can help seniors to deal with their feelings and have the companionship they need.

When aging adults are dealing with untreated cataracts, for whatever reason, they face a great many difficulties. Senior home care providers can be there for them, offering different types of support to meet those different needs and challenges. Whether aging adults ultimately decide to have cataract surgery or not, they need all the help that they can get to deal with the changes they’re experiencing with their vision.

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

Helping Seniors Cope with Loss

Posted on by Craig Bass
Senior Home Care in Summerlin NV
Senior Home Care in Summerlin NV

It’s inevitable that the older you get, the more likely you are to lose someone. And although this is something that everyone will go through, it is not always easy to cope with loss. If your senior loved one has recently lost a family member, a spouse, or adult child, you will want to help them cope. Firstly, it’s important to note that grief takes many forms, and it can take time for your senior to heal and cope with any loss, so you and senior home care mustn’t pressure your senior. There is no quick fix for this type of loss, but you can support, encourage, and be there for your senior loved one when they need you. Here are some other tips to remember for when your senior is ready to start the healing process and needs some tips to cope with this loss.

Prioritize Self Care

It can seem like a lot to prioritize self-care when a senior feels blue, but ensuring they are still taking care of themselves is crucial. If they are grieving, they may rely on senior home care more than usual to cook and bathe regularly. Even if they are grieving, it will be important to stick to their routine as best as possible. This will eventually help them get out of their blue mood and back on a regular schedule, helping them feel better when they know they still have a little control left.

Find a Support Group

No matter who you are or how old you become, you need to find a friend or support group to help you cope with loss. There is no way you can go through this alone, and a senior needs to recognize and understand that. However, right after a loss, it may feel like too much pressure to go and heal. This might take a senior time to go to, so it is important not to push them to go until they are ready to start talking to people. And keep in mind that if a senior has one person to talk to, that may be enough for them.

Continue to See a Doctor

A senior should be going to their doctor regularly, and although it is normal to go through a period of sadness after losing someone, it is not normal for it to continue for long periods of time. If your senior is depressed for a few months, it is time to talk openly to a doctor about depression and about why. A doctor may prescribe your loved one medication to help manage their moods.

Get Back Into Hobbies

If your senior has a favorite activity, senior home care can help your loved one get to the activity or help set it up for them. It’s important to encourage them to keep doing the things they love slowly. This can feel selfish after losing someone because it feels like enjoying life without the person they lost, but it’s important to find the joy in life when coping with a huge loss.

References
https://www.helpguide.org/articles/grief/coping-with-grief-and-loss.htm
https://www.centerforgrieftherapy.com/older-people-grieve-differently/

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

Why Are Seniors Likely to Be Stressed Out?

Posted on by Craig Bass
Senior Home Care in Summerlin NV
Senior Home Care in Summerlin NV

Life gets more challenging as seniors age and they may experience some really big stressors that take a toll on both mental and physical health. Health concerns, social isolation, and cognitive changes are all massive areas of daily life that become central issues for aging adults. When family caregivers recognize these concerns and put solutions in place like hiring senior home care providers, it’s a lot easier to find solutions that work for their family members.

Health Concerns

Health concerns are one of the most common stressors for seniors. Chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, and arthritis can limit mobility, cause pain, and impact daily activities in numerous different ways. As seniors age, they may also experience age-related changes such as hearing and vision loss, decreased balance, and memory loss. These changes can lead to feelings of frustration, grief over what they’ve lost, and anxiety. Home care providers can help address health-related stressors by providing assistance with daily activities as needed. They can also provide reminders about medication and help to monitor seniors’ health, ensuring that they receive the care they need to manage chronic illnesses. Elder care providers can also provide transportation to medical appointments and assist with mobility, helping seniors to maintain their independence and improve their quality of life.

Social Isolation

Social isolation is another big stressor for seniors. As seniors age, their social circle may shrink, and they may lose touch with friends and family members who were once a big part of daily life. Seniors who live alone may feel lonely, leading to feelings of sadness and depression. The more time they spend alone, the more they may worry that they’ll always be alone. Senior home care providers can help address social isolation by providing companionship and offering social interaction. They can engage in activities with seniors, such as playing games, going for walks, and having conversations, all while providing seniors with a sense of connection and purpose. Home care providers can also provide transportation to social events and help seniors stay connected with friends and family members through technology.

Cognitive Changes

Cognitive decline, including memory loss and dementia, can be a significant stressor for seniors. Seniors who experience cognitive decline may struggle with daily activities and may require additional support to maintain their independence. In the earlier stages of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, seniors may have significant stress about what the rest of their lives will be like. Senior home care services can help address cognitive decline by providing cognitive stimulation and memory care. They can also engage seniors in activities that promote cognitive function and provide assistance with daily activities such as meal preparation and medication management. Help from caregivers in the earlier stages of cognitive changes can help them to feel safer and more secure, which reduces stress significantly.

Seniors face unique challenges that can impact their mental and physical well-being. From health concerns to social isolation, these stressors can lead to feelings of anxiety, loneliness, and depression. Senior home care providers can support seniors in managing these stressors by offering assistance that helps to improve seniors’ quality of life and helps them maintain their independence.

Reference
https://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/what-to-know-about-anxiety-in-older-adults

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

5 Ways Senior Home Care Can Help Manage Depression

Posted on by Craig Bass
Senior Home Care in Summerlin NV
Senior Home Care in Summerlin NV

Depression is a lot more common for aging adults than a lot of family caregivers realize. Having senior home care professionals there with her during the day can be a big part of putting solutions in place for your elderly family member. Here are just a few of the ways that these care providers can make a big difference for your elderly family member.

Staying Aware of What’s Happening

It’s really important that you are able to stay aware of what is happening with your elderly family member and her health, especially if you’re not able to be there with her on a consistent basis. Having senior home care professionals there with your aging family member allows you to get another perspective about how your senior is doing. You can keep track of how she’s feeling, whether she’s eating or not, and other details that help you to talk with her doctor more effectively.

Encouraging Your Senior to Eat Healthy Meals

Nutrition always matters, especially when your senior isn’t feeling her best. Home care providers can keep up with all of the heavy lifting involved in getting healthy meals on the table and also remind your senior to eat. While depression isn’t a fully physical issue, remembering to eat and having nutritious options available can make a big difference in how your senior feels.

Keeping Her Home Safe and Tidy

It can be incredibly difficult for people dealing with depression to keep their physical environment as clean and as safe as it should really be. Senior home care can handle that part for your senior, too. You’ll feel better, as well, because you’ll know that your aging family member is in good hands and that she’s less likely to be living in an unsafe environment.

Helping Her Get to Appointments

Your senior’s doctor can be a crucial part of helping her to manage depression. Therapists and other mental health professionals may also be part of your senior’s care plan, so it’s important that she gets to those appointments when she needs to. If driving isn’t something she’s up for, having home care providers drive for her means she’s got another option.

Offering a Friendly Face

It’s also important for your senior to have a friendly companion available when she’s up for socializing. Isolation and loneliness can be big factors in seniors developing depression, so having a solution in place can do a lot of good. Your elderly family member may not even realize how important this is to her mental health until she’s got someone there with her on a regular basis.

There might be a lot of different causes and risk factors associated with your senior’s depression. It’s a lot easier to put a full care plan together for her when you and she have as much help as you need. And once a plan is in place, you can adjust the variables as needed to ensure that your elderly family member continues to have what she needs.

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

How Well is Your Dad Doing Living Alone?

Posted on by Craig Bass
Senior Home Care in Summerlin NV
Senior Home Care in Summerlin NV

When was the last time you gathered as a family to catch up and see how your dad’s doing? It’s time to have that dinner. Many families are only available to gather once a year, and in a year’s time, a lot can change. As you gather, here are some of the things you need to be watching for in your dad’s home. Once you’ve taken stock of his current situation, you can begin to asses if it’s time to bring in senior home care to help out.

How Are His Food Inventories?

How much food does your dad have on hand? Is he shopping regularly and stocked with healthy food options? If he’s ordering takeout regularly and not doing the shopping, ask him why. Is he able to drive? Does he find shopping overwhelming?

Is He Taking Care of Himself?

Does your dad shower a minimum of every few days? If you notice body odor and he’s not very active, he may be avoiding showers. Find out why. If he fell coming out of the shower, he may be fearful of being alone when he washes himself. A shower seat and grab bars can boost his confidence.

See if your dad has seen his doctor in the past year. Is he going for two dental cleanings per year? He should be seeing his doctor and dentist that often, or possibly more often if he has a chronic health condition or gum disease.

How is His Mobility?

As you watch your dad, see how well he moves around. Does he seem unsteady when he first stands up from a sofa or chair? Does he shuffle while he walks? How is he on the stairs?

When he’s moving around or standing in one space, does he seem to hold onto items for support? If so, it could be time to invest in a cane to provide some support while he’s walking. Talk to him about it, and make sure he knows that there are some amazing canes now. He could have one with built-in LED lighting to illuminate a hallway while he walks.

How Clean is the House?

How clean is his home? Does he have mounds of laundry that he can’t get downstairs to the laundry room? Is he re-wearing clothing rather than washing it? Does he wash items in a sink rather than make the trip to his laundry room?

Does your dad vacuum stairs or are they building up pet hair and dust? Is he able to carry and push his vacuum around or is it too difficult?

Talk with Him About Senior Home Care

Take time once a month or as often as you can to have family meals. Use this time to see how your dad’s doing and judge whether it’s time to have someone helping him with household chores or personal care.

As you talk to him about his safety and needs as he ages at home, make sure he realizes he’s in control. Senior home care isn’t about taking away his independence, it’s about the helping hand he needs from time to time to remain independent. Involve him in talks with a senior home care specialist when you make the call.

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

Top Tips for Improved Heart Health in the Elderly

Posted on by Craig Bass
Senior Home Care in Summerlin NV
Senior Home Care in Summerlin NV

Heart disease is the number one cause of death throughout the United States. Nearly 700,000 people lost their life to this disease in 2020. While heart disease risk can be somewhat genetic, there are some lifestyle factors that have a strong impact on preventing heart health issues, as well. Senior home care will encourage your elderly loved one to follow through with these tips when you can’t be there:

Movement Should Be a Priority

One of the things that your elderly loved one should be doing to prevent heart health issues is moving around regularly. Studies show that people who walk between 8,000 to 12,000 steps a day have a much lower risk of heart health issues than people who walk fewer steps than this. In addition, other studies show that people who get up and move around a bit every hour or two are much healthier than those who sit around for hours at a time without getting up. You and home care providers can make sure movement is a priority for your elderly loved one.

No Smoking

Did you know that smoking isn’t only bad for the lungs? It is bad for the heart, as well. In fact, research shows that people who smoke have a much higher risk of strokes, heart attacks, and heart disease than non-smokers. It also shows that people who quit smoking have a lower risk of heart issues within the first 24 hours of not smoking. After more time, the heart disease and heart attack risk goes down even more.

Heart-Healthy Eating

How does your elderly loved one eat right now? Do they eat a lot of fatty, cholesterol-filled foods? If so, their risk of having heart issues is probably quite high. Studies show that in order to lower the risk of heart disease when it comes to the diet, people must eat heart-healthy foods and eliminate or limit sodium, cholesterol-filled foods. Some of the foods that should be avoided are fast foods, fried foods, packaged foods, and different kinds of margarine. Some of the foods that should be added to the diet are leafy greens, healthy fats, avocados, nuts, and olive oil. Eating a rounded, balanced diet is truly one of the best ways to prevent heart health issues.

Sleep Well, Sleep All Night

Did you know that senior citizens who get quality sleep and who sleep all night have a much lower risk of heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes? According to professional resources, sleep helps to repair damage in the body which includes any damage done to the heart. So, the better your elderly loved one sleeps, the better it will be for their heart.

Conclusion

These are some of the top tips for improved heart health in the elderly. Now that you have these tips, you can better prepare your elderly loved one for lifestyle changes they will need to make to protect their heart. Don’t forget that senior home care can help your elderly loved one to make these lifestyle changes.

Sources
https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/prevention.htm

 

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

How Senior Women Can Keep Friendships Strong As They Get Older

Posted on by Craig Bass
Senior Home Care in Summerlin NV
Senior Home Care in Summerlin NV

September is Women’s Friendship Month, which makes it the perfect time for senior women to check in with their female friends. Taking the time to keep friendships strong will mean better mental and physical health for senior women. Over time women can drift away from their female friends because of the demands of taking care of their families and working. But as they get older when their children have grown they have more time to nurture those friendships. And those senior years are when women need their friends the most. If your mother, aunt, or older sister is lonely aging at home and not quite sure how to reach out and renew some of those old friendships these tips might help her:

Use Social Media

Social media is a fantastic way to track down old friends. Often people move, change jobs, or end up in totally new areas of the country which makes it difficult to track them down. Social media is a fast and easy way to reconnect. And it gives the other person the option to either accept the friend request or ignore it so there’s no awkwardness. If the person wants to be friends they will accept and if they don’t they’ll ignore it and your senior loved one can move on.

Send A Card

A handwritten card or note is a lovely way to rekindle a friendship. If your senior loved one knows the address of an old friend and knows they are still at their home, or knows their current address, sending a cute little postcard or a handwritten note indicates that they are opening the door to friendship again. And just like with social media a cute note or card gives the other person the option to ignore it if they’re not interested so it’s not uncomfortable or awkward. A senior home care provider can help your senior loved one purchase cards or stationary and can help them mail the cards they write.

Be Honest

There’s no easy way to start a friendship again after a long time apart. But if the friendship didn’t end because of a fight and instead it just fizzled the best way to start a conversation about being friends again is to be honest with the other person. Your senior loved one should let that person know they missed the friendship and still thought about them after these all these years and want to get to know them again.

Start Slow

After an absence of many years there will probably be some hesitancy on the part of both people. It’s unlikely that even former best friends will just fall back into daily conversations or spending lots of time together. That’s ok. Start with a few phone calls each week, or a weekly lunch, and let the friendship naturally develop again. If your senior loved one can’t drive any longer a senior home care provider can help arrange transportation for lunches out or shopping excursions.

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

The Most Common Sleep Problems Seniors Have And How To Avoid Them

Posted on by Craig Bass
Senior Home Care in Summerlin NV
Senior Home Care in Summerlin NV

Research shows that as many as 70% of seniors could be dealing with sleep problems. There are many different factors that affect a senior’s qualify of sleep including things like the medication that they take and how active they are. But regardless of the reasons why seniors aren’t getting enough sleep family members and senior home care providers need to do what they can to help seniors manage their sleeping problems so they can stay healthy. Getting enough sleep is essential for good health. The most common problems that seniors experience include:

Insomnia

Insomnia can be occasional or chronic but whenever it appears it’s going to make it tough for seniors to get the good night’s sleep they need. In order to combat insomnia you can help your senior loved one establish a night time routine that includes a relaxing activity like reading a book or taking a bath. Seniors should also go to bed at the same time every night to help them fall asleep faster.

Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a medical condition that occurs when someone’s airway is obstructed when they sleep. Millions of people suffer from sleep apnea in varying degrees. Sometimes all it takes to alleviate the problem is using more pillows or side sleeping instead of sleeping on the back. But in more serious cases a sleep apnea mask might need to be used to ensure your senior loved one is getting the oxygen they need throughout the night. It’s quite common for seniors to use sleep apnea machines at night.

But if your senior loved one is anxious about using a sleep apnea mask they may be unable to sleep because of that anxiety. A senior home care provider that is there throughout the night can bring peace of mind to seniors at night. They will know that someone will be there to help them if they need help with the sleep apnea machine or if it stops working. It will bring you some peace of mind to have a senior home care provider staying with your senior loved one at night too.

Restless Leg Syndrome

Restless Leg Syndrome is a neurological condition that causes a powerful urge to move the legs and feet when sitting or lying down. It’s similar to what happens when you feel like you’re about to fall in a dream and you jerk awake. The urge to jerk the legs and feet can be very intense. Some medications can make RLS worse. If your senior parent has RLS and finds it difficult to sleep because of the sensations in their legs there are some ways to try and stop that urge. Gentle exercise during the day and improving muscle strength can help. So can a warm bath before bed to relax the muscles. Hot and cold packs can provide some immediate relief when the urge flares up at night. If your senior loved one is prone to bouts of RLS a senior home care provider can help them manage their symptoms so that they can sleep at night.

Sources:
https://www.aafp.org/afp/1999/0501/p2551.html

Insomnia and Older Adults


https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/restless-legs-syndrome/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20377174

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