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Month: March 2024

What Safety Issues Exist for Seniors Living Alone?

Posted on by ltcep2023

When seniors live alone, they must have a safe and secure environment. Staying independent means that seniors need to be able to address safety issues, either on their own or with the help of senior home care services and family caregivers.

Entrances and Exits

Entrances and exits are a huge problem for seniors because they can be common spots for falls and other injuries. Lighting issues need to be addressed and walkways need to be clear of tripping hazards. It’s also important to make sure that there are working locks on doors and windows. Home care providers can keep track of these issues and help seniors address them.

Stairs and Flooring

Inside the home, flooring and stairs can cause similar issues as entrances and exits can. Hallways and stairs need to be free of clutter and tripping hazards. They should also have sturdy handrails so seniors can grab them whenever necessary. Carpets, rugs, and other flooring types need to be secure and without tripping hazards of their own.

Kitchens

In kitchens, seniors may find that counters and cooking surfaces might not be at the right height any longer. This is especially true if they’ve started to shrink or if they need to sit to work in the kitchen. Appliances need to have easy access to controls that are also easy to read. Any dangerous items, like cleaning supplies and sharp items, might need to be secured as well.

Bathrooms

Bathrooms are a huge concern for many seniors, particularly if they’re experiencing more trouble with mobility. Adding grab bars and using assistive tools like shower benches can make it safer to use the bathroom properly. Seniors may need additional help from personal care at home if they’re having significant trouble keeping up with hygiene tasks.

Bedrooms

Seniors need to be both comfortable and safe in their bedrooms in particular. The bed should be at a safe height to get in and out easily. Using bed rails might be a good idea overnight, especially for seniors with mobility issues. A nightlight can help aging adults get to the bathroom safely overnight and it might be a good idea to make sure there is a phone or emergency call button near the bed.

Lighting

Lighting throughout the house is another safety concern. Bright, glare-free lighting helps seniors to see easily without tripping over objects or shadows. Easy-access light switches are important, but it can also be a good idea to put motion-sensing light fixtures in each room. Nightlights are also helpful everywhere in the house, not just in bedrooms and bathrooms.

Emergencies

Carbon monoxide detectors, smoke detectors, and other safety tools are crucial. There should be a fire extinguisher in the kitchen, just in case. It’s also a good idea to come up with an emergency plan for all sorts of situations so that seniors know exactly what they need to do in a given situation. These plans are also incredibly helpful for senior home care providers.

Senior home care services can offer companionship to aging adults, but they also work hard to ensure that seniors are as safe as possible at home. Home care providers can assist with home safety assessments, fall prevention, and daily safety as well.

Reference
https://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/features/keeping-seniors-safe-in-their-own-homes

If you or an aging loved one is considering senior home care in Chandler, AZ, please call the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Scottsdale at (480) 284-7360. We are here to help!

Painting Class with Friends!

Posted on by ltcep2023

Hello Seniors, Families and Friends. As many of you know, we love to get out and do activities with our clients. With the help of a friend Dustin Baker and Andara Senior Living, we were able to present a painting class for our friends. Thank you Andara and Dustin for your participation. As you can see from the pictures, classical music and a paint project can be a great time.

Visiting with Post Acute Rehabilitation Center!

Posted on by ltcep2023

Hello Seniors, Families and Friends. As many of you may know, activities with seniors is the best part of my job. In these pictures, we enjoyed sponsoring a drum circle at a Post Acute Rehabilitation Center. What a fantastic way to place joy in the hearts of seniors going through a rough time. We all had such a great time, we forgot about our issues for a short time. To have Golden Heart plan an activity at your facility, please contact us and we would love to help make it happen.

Six Ways Home Care Makes Long-distance Caregiving Easier

Posted on by ltcep2023

Caring for a family member from far away is full of some interesting challenges, but it’s possible. Long-distance caregivers often worry that they’re missing something or that they aren’t helping enough. Having help from home care services can reduce a great many of those difficulties without making seniors feel as if they’re being restricted. Here are some of the main ways home care providers can help.

Check-ins and Updates

It can be tough for long-distance caregivers to check in as much as they really need to, especially in the right ways. Sometimes it’s a delicate balance between just enjoying the senior’s company when talking with them and not wanting to overstep boundaries. When elder care providers are there visiting seniors in person, it’s a lot easier for long-distance caregivers to get an unbiased update about what’s happening with the person they care about.

Addressing Unique Needs

Each senior has a different experience and faces different health issues and other challenges. Senior care providers understand this fact and they are prepared to look at what the person receiving care truly needs. That allows them to help put a plan together that addresses those unique needs as thoroughly as possible.

Coordinating Services

Managing multiple health issues or other challenges sometimes means that seniors rely on a variety of different services or therapies. From afar, it can be really difficult to manage those services. Home care providers can help seniors to stay on target and coordinate these different care options. This makes it easier for seniors to get the care that they truly need.

Promoting Security and Safety

Safety is a huge part of helping aging adults to stay in their own homes for as long as they can. When family caregivers aren’t able to be there in person to ensure safety, it’s helpful to have someone else available to do those checks. Elderly care providers understand what types of safety issues are a huge concern for aging adults, so they’re able to stay on top of safety at home.

Offering Companionship

Depending on health issues, where family and friends live, and many other details, seniors often find themselves battling loneliness. Over time, this can even lead to isolation and bigger problems, like depression. When senior care providers stop in to help aging adults and tackle tasks for them, they’re also offering companionship that breaks through that loneliness.

Offering Flexibility

Above all, seniors need flexibility when they’re staying in their own homes while family caregivers live far away. Being able to access the different types of assistance that they need when they need it is the most important factor to consider. Home care providers can offer that flexibility, ensuring that seniors have just as much help as they need and want.

Adapting to long-distance caregiving can feel overwhelming for family caregivers, but having the right tools and solutions in place helps. Home care services can help family caregivers stay aware of what’s happening with their aging adults while also assisting in all of the ways that seniors need.

If you or an aging loved one is considering home care in Cave Creek, AZ, please call the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Scottsdale at (480) 284-7360. We are here to help!