Dallas Geriatric Home care - Home Instead Senior Care Dallas - (972) 239-3834.

FALL SAFETY CHECKLIST FOR SENIORS LIVING AT HOME IN DALLAS

Check condition of stairs (both inside and outside) for:

• Missing or broken steps
• Missing or loose railings
• Items left on steps
• Inadequate lighting
• Warped wood planks

Inside the home:

• Turned up rug edges  
• Keep walkways and aisles clear of obstacles
• Keep drawers closed
• Clean up spills right away
• Avoid running
• Walk carefully if you are in a hurry
• Avoid walking on slippery surfaces; walk with a sliding motion if a slippery surface must be crossed
• Wear shoes with non-skid soles and flat heels
• Step around, not over, obstructions (move obstructions when possible)
• Pay attention to where you’re going and what might be in your way
• Use railings when climbing up or down stairs
• Keep things in their proper places and put things away after use
• Dispose of trash promptly and properly
• Keep areas that are being cleaned or repaired blocked off and marked
• Make sure lighting is adequate
• Don’t leave cords stretched across the floor
• Don’t carry a load you can’t see over - especially when going up or down stairs

*Information provided by Care West Insurance Company.

Dallas Geriatric Home care - Home Instead Senior Care Dallas - (972) 239-3834.

It’s no secret that falls are common place with older adults. Many falls happen simply due to the aging process.  Dizziness, gait and balance disturbance, generalized weakness, environmental hazards, confusion, visual impairments and underlying medical conditions common in old age can cause falls in older adults. Older adults can sometimes suffer these problems because of the types of medications they are prescribed.

Senior clients aren’t the only ones susceptible to falls. Family Caregivers are also at risk. In these cases, it’s often a matter of simply not paying attention to the surroundings or working in an unsafe manner when a fall occurs.

Wearing improper shoes, trying to move around obstructions in a walkway or on stairs, being tired or mentally distracted, and working in poor lighting conditions can also lead a client to fall.

There are basic housekeeping and safety “Dos and Don’ts” that owners should perform regularly to ensure safety and help eliminate falls.

Dallas Seniors and Elders - Assess your home for safety

Startling Facts about Falls*

• Falls kill more than 12,000 people a year; of these falls, about 1,200 occur at work.
• Falls are the biggest cause of accidental death, after traffic accidents.
• Falls are the most common accident occurring at home.
• 33,000 people are disabled every year from falling on stairs.
• Many people receive lesser injuries, including strains, sprains and broken bones from falls.
• Fall-related accidents keep people out of work and can result in hefty medical bills.
• Falls are the leading cause of injury-related death for both males and females 75 years and older.

These are startling facts for any business owner but are even more alarming for the senior care industry.  Almost every fall-related risk listed above can be found in the work performed by a Home Instead Senior Care® business.

In the Home Instead Senior Care Insurance Program, administered by Lockton Risk Services, 256 claims have been attributed to falling, totaling nearly 3.5 million dollars. In addition, nearly half of all claims in the program are as a result of slips and falls.

Helping Dallas Elders remain safely at home - Home Instead Senior Care Dallas - (972) 239-3834.

Home Instead Senior Care Assistance in Dallas - (972) 239-3934

• Non-medical care – HISC provides in-home services such as providing companionship, meal preparation, medication reminders, light housekeeping duties, and providing transportation and escorting to appointments and errands

• Time available – services can be provided for a few hours per week, but are available 24/7 and everything in between (including holidays)

• CAREGivers – they have to pass a rigorous screening process which includes bonding, insurance and passing extensive criminal background checks

• Training & Education – HISC’s education program for CAREGivers uses a multi-faceted approach to training and has a curriculum that includes case studies, senior illness information, stimulating activities, nutritional recipes, and tips for coping with stress. The curriculum is supplemented with mandatory testing

• Alzheimer’s program – CAREGivers may elect to complete a specified Alzheimer’s training program

Home Instead Senior Care Dallas - helps elders living with Alzheimer’s stay home longer. Please call 972-239-3934.

ALZHEIMER’S FACTS & HOME INSTEAD SENIOR CARE Dallas - When you have an elder living with Alzheimer’s disease in Dallas, please call us for home health care at (972) 239-3934.

Alzheimer’s Facts

• Alzheimer’s in America - 4.5 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s disease
• Alzheimer’s across the border - 290,000 Canadians are living with dementia and Alzheimer’s
• Age & Risk – by age 85 the risk of developing Alzheimer’s is as high as 50%
• Dementia – currently 24 million people suffer from other form of dementia
• Growth of Alzheimer’s – by 2050 the disease is projected to affect 11.3 to 16 million people; and 81 million who will suffer from some form of dementia
• National costs of Alzheimer’s – national direct and indirect annual costs for Alzheimer’s care are currently around $100 billion.
• $24.6 billion dollars covers health care for people with Alzheimer’s
• $36.5 billion covers costs related to caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer’s, which includes lost productivity, absenteeism and worker’s replacement.

Caregiver Facts

• Alzheimer’s caregivers– most caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer’s are female, an average of 48 years old, married, employed and have some college education and an empty nest at home.
• All in the family - 87% of Alzheimer’s caregivers are relatives
• 57% are family caregivers are daughters providing for their mother’s care and many others are children caring for parents

Home Instead Senior Care Dallas delivers in-home Alzheimer’s, Dementia, and Memory Loss Care to Dallas Seniors and Elders choosing to live at home instead of Assisted Living or Nursing Home facilities.  Call us for in-home care help at 972-239-3934.

Aging Dallas seniors deal with eating and digestive problems. The ones we mentioned on our last post dated September 19 can slow down the digestive process in addition to the rapid growth of pathogens in the gut and the possible formation of toxins. Seniors’ diets and lifestyles also can make them more vulnerable. 

Malnutrition, for instance, leads to increased incidence of infections, including those that result from food borne bacteria. There are many reasons why malnutrition occurs in seniors including a decrease in the pleasure of eating.  Medication, digestive disorders, chronic illnesses, physical disabilities or depression may result in a loss of appetite.  Good nutrition is an important factor in maintaining a healthy immune system.

Helping seniors buy nutritious food, maintain it properly and cook it safely also are valuable lifestyle factors.  Perhaps your father needs assistance.  If so, consider discussing with him the option of hiring in-home companionship.  

Home Instead Senior Care Dallas employs CAREGivers to go into the homes of older adults to assist them with shopping, meal preparation and light housekeeping, tasks that can help ensure that your dad gets a safe and proper diet.

Home Instead Senior Care Dallas delivers in-home Alzheimer’s, Dementia, and Memory Loss Care to Dallas Seniors and Elders choosing to live at home instead of Assisted Living or Nursing Home facilities.  Call us for in-home care help at 972-239-3934.

My father is 80 years of age. He lives alone in Dallas. I live in Oklahoma about 150 miles away from him. Last week he got sick and I suspect it could be food poisoning.  Do you know if seniors are at greater risk for this danger and what can I do to help protect his health?

Your question is frequently asked to the medical community here in Dallas. Dr. James L. Smith, a microbiologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, wanted to find out if and why seniors are more at risk for food-borne illness. He reviewed data from food borne outbreaks at nursing homes, and compared the immune and digestive systems of seniors and younger individuals as well as evaluating the overall physical well-being of seniors.

What he found is most interesting. Among other things, he discovered that as we age, inflammation of the lining of the stomach increases and a decrease in stomach acid occurs.  Because the stomach plays an important role in limiting the number of bacteria that enter the small intestine, a decrease or loss of stomach acidity increases the likelihood of infection, if a pathogen is ingested with food or water.

Dallas Home Health Care - 972-239-3934

Due to age-related physical changes, to chronic illnesses that are common among older adults, and to side effects of medications they may take, older people have different nutritional needs than younger people.

Older adults usually need fewer calories than younger adults, but need more of certain nutrients, such as calcium and vitamins D and B12. Older people who don’t exercise; have dementia, difficulty functioning, chronic illness, tooth or mouth pain, or depression; drink excessive alcohol or use drugs or are isolated or have limited incomes run a higher risk of malnutrition.

Malnutrition can lead to underweight, or, if an older person eats too many calories, to overweight. These problems can lead to other problems, such as weakness and falls, and bone disorders.

What you should do: Your healthcare provider should weigh you when you visit and check for weight gain or loss. Tell your healthcare provider if you’re feeling tired or weak or achy, since this may be a sign that you’re not getting the nutrients you need. Your provider can investigate possible causes and recommend remedies.

Sleep problems lower quality of life and can contribute to falls, injuries and other health problems. Stress, anxiety, depression, delirium, dementia, certain drugs, alcohol, and medical problems such as painful arthritis, nerve problems, breathing difficulty, heartburn, and frequent urination at night can cause sleep problems.

What you should do: If you have trouble sleeping or feel sleepy during the day, tell your healthcare provider. He or she will ask you questions that can help identify the type of sleep problem you have. If you often snore or your partner says you stop breathing while asleep (a sign of a sleep disorder called “sleep apnea”), or that you often move your legs and arms while sleeping (a sign of a problem called “periodic limb movements during sleep”) your healthcare provider may recommend tests at a sleep lab.

Many things can cause bladder control problems, or “urinary incontinence,” including an overactive bladder muscle, a weak bladder sphincter, urinary tract infection, constipation, delirium, heart disease, diabetes, dementia, medication side effects, and difficulty getting to the toilet. Often, a number of these contribute. Urinary incontinence can lead to problems such as falls, depression, and isolation.

What you should do: In most cases, incontinence can be cured or greatly improved with treatment, so tell your healthcare provider if you have bladder control problems. The treatment your healthcare provider recommends will depend on the underlying causes.

Tip Sheet Helps Seniors and Caregiver Understand Geriatric Syndromes - Home Instead Senior Care Dallas call us 972-239-3934.

Even though Americans are living longer and healthier lives, many older adults will eventually develop one or more of a group of related medical problems known as “geriatric syndromes.” A comprehensive and easy-to-understand tip sheet is available to help seniors and their caregivers understand these symptoms and how they affect older adults’ health and quality of life.

The American Geriatrics Society Foundation for Health in Aging has published a two-part tip sheet, “The AGS Foundation for Health in Aging Guide to Geriatric Syndromes.” It describes 14 commonly diagnosed geriatric symptoms, including vision and hearing problems, osteoporosis, difficulty swallowing, bladder problems and falls. Geriatric syndromes typically have more than one cause, involve several different body systems, and one syndrome can often contribute to another.

“Although geriatric symptoms are very common among older people, most older adults and their caregivers aren’t familiar with this concept,” said Sharon A. Brangman, M.D., professor of medicine, chief of the division of geriatrics, at the State University of New York Upstate Medical University in Syracuse. “This is unfortunate because there are strategies for preventing syndromes such as osteoporosis and pressure ulcers, and effective treatment for vision and hearing problems and urinary incontinence, among others.”

Some tips:

Difficulty swallowing - Age related physical changes, medication side effects, dementia and certain other illnesses can make swallowing more difficult. This can contribute to malnutrition and related problems, and to choking and aspiration (the inhalation of food or liquid into the lungs, where it can cause pneumonia).

What you should do: If you have difficulty swallowing, tell your healthcare provider. Treatment varies with the underlying cause or causes of the swallowing problem.

We will post more tips on Monday but till then read Aging and Geriatric Tips.

It’s obvious: certain issues do pose problems that become difficult for seniors and their loved ones to discuss. So, what are some ways to surmount those obstacles?

1) Be aware of simple techniques and treatments

The most obvious is hearing aids. Older adults need to know about developments in hearing-aid technology. They may be reluctant to consider these devices because they remember their parents’ or grandparents’ bulky and unreliable hearing aids, but this technology has moved on considerably.

Similarly, it’s important for younger people to be aware of simple tools they can use with an aging parent whose hearing is impaired. Face the senior when talking; avoid situations with lots of background noise; don’t shout, and don’t talk while eating.

2) Seek medical attention, if necessary

There are specific strategies for communication that can be very helpful with people who have Alzheimer’s disease, for instance, but they are fairly specific based on the disorder. If someone is faced with this kind of situation, professional help is essential.

3) Be aware of assumptions

For younger people, that means simply being cognizant of the need to treat older adults as people and not as stereotypes. Double check that what you’re saying and doing is tailored to the specifics of the situation, not to some notion of what’s appropriate with a 70-year-old.

Home Instead Senior Care’s research has revealed that “living” issues, such as the senior parent not being able to remain at home any longer, lead the list as the most difficult topics to discuss for Baby Boomer children. That’s not surprising, since bigger issues are more difficult to discuss and they don’t get any bigger than this one.

Jake Harwood (jharwood@u.arizona.edu) is professor of communication and former director of the Graduate Program in Gerontology at the University of Arizona. His research focuses on communication and aging. Harwood, who has published more than 50 articles in various professional journals, is the author of Understanding Communication and Aging (Sage Publications, 2007) and co-editor of Intergroup Communication: Multiple Perspectives (Peter Lang, 2005).

If your aging parent lives in Dallas and needs home care help, please call 972-239-3934.