Home Health Dallas enables seniors to live happy, healthy, and independent lives in their own homes.
Food safety is the most important part of preparing any meal. Seniors often enjoy cooking, but they must make sure that they are taking the proper precautions. Food poisoning can occur when food is not stored and prepared properly. The list provided below contains some useful tips for seniors about food safety. These tips will help seniors take the right steps to prepare safe meals.
1. Hand washing is essential. More than half of the potential cases of foodborne illness can be removed by properly washing your hands. Make sure to wash hands before, during and after all food preparation. Washing during preparation reduces the chances of cross-contamination.
2. Check refrigerator settings to make sure the food is being stored properly. The setting should be below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. After shopping, put perishables away quickly.
3. Clean the refrigerator often. Any lunch meat that has been open for more than 5 days should be discarded.
4. When thawing food, do not just leave them on a counter. Place them in the refrigerator overnight to thaw them properly. Foods can also be thawed by running them under cool water or placing them in the microwave, but both of these methods should only be used if the food will be prepared immediately.
5. Wash preparation surfaces often to prevent contamination. This is very important when preparing raw meats. It is suggested to have two separate cutting boards, one for raw meat, poultry and fish and the other for breads and vegetables.
6. Be aware of proper cooking temperatures. Always make sure food is thoroughly cooked.
Home Health Senior Care Dallas - Your elderly loved one prefers to live at home and our CAREGivers are trained to help them remain safe and healthy at home. Call us at 972-239-3934.
Home Health Dallas enables seniors to live happy, healthy, and independent lives in their own homes.
Seniors can have various food allergies that can be life-threatening. These allergies need to be a concern when meals are prepared. Food allergies can make things very difficult. It is hard to create a diet that revolves around an allergy, but it is essential that this is done. The list provided below contains some important facts about food allergies and seniors.
1. Food allergies are the most common types of allergies. These could include an allergy to fish and shellfish, eggs, milk, peanuts and tree nuts, soy and wheat. If a senior has an allergy to one of these foods, they need to know how to manage that allergy and how to deal with the possible reaction if they are exposed to it.
2. There are more than 160 foods that are known to cause allergic reactions. However, 90% of all food allergies are to the foods listed above.
3. Wheat, soy and milk allergies are the most difficult to deal with. This is because these ingredients are in almost everything we eat. Those with wheat allergies need to be on a gluten-free diet. Potato bread is a great substitute for other breads that contain wheat. Soy is in most processed foods, so this allergy is especially hard to manage.
4. No matter what the food allergy is, seniors should make sure that everyone is aware of the allergy. This is important when others are preparing food.
Home Health Senior Care Dallas - Your elderly loved one prefers to live at home and our CAREGivers are trained to help them remain safe and healthy at home. Call us at 972-239-3934.
Typing seems like a pretty safe activity to many seniors who take precautions when engaging in physical activities to avoid injury, but they need to do the same every time they sit down at their computer to type out an email or chat on a social network site because of the risks of carpal tunnel syndrome. Seniors are in a higher risk group for carpal tunnel syndrome, and as a result need to focus on putting their physical health first even in front of a computer.
1. Warm up before typing – this is especially important for people who find themselves working at a keyboard al day, so seniors who have not yet retired should focus on wrist exercises before they get started everyday to prevent injury
2. Use ergonomic computer accessories – ergonomic keyboards are designed to work with the natural positioning of the hands and fingers. If typing a lot, rather than using your laptop keyboard, purchase an external one because they tend to be the worst for causing carpal tunnel. You can also purchase a mouse that is more ergonomic and buy supportive cushioned wrist rests
3. Take breaks throughout the day – there are programs available that will remind you to take a break every hour and lead you through a series of exercises designed to help prevent carpal tunnel syndrome. Or, you can just do it yourself, taking a break for 5 or 10 minutes every hour. Get up, walk around, and shake out your arms to remove your hands from their repetitive position that could be damaging
Home Health Senior Care Dallas - Your elderly loved one prefers to live at home and our CAREGivers are trained to help them remain safe and healthy at home. Call us at 972-239-3934.
It’s not uncommon for Dallas seniors to take multiple prescriptions to help maintain their health in older adulthood. It’s called polypharmacy, and while it might in fact have benefits to longevity and overall well-being, it also increases the risk of drug interactions, particularly for seniors taking 5 or more medications consecutively. Here are 6 tips for preventing polypharmacy drug interactions:
1. Keep medications documented – carrying a list of all prescription and non-prescription medications taken (including vitamins and supplements) can help ensure none are forgotten about when speaking with doctors and pharmacists. The list should also include why they’re taken, the dosage and frequency
2. Mention even over-the-counter medications to medical professionals –you might not think they’re important, but even over-the-counter medications, vitamins and supplements can interact
3. Don’t assume – don’t assume that your doctor remembers what they’ve prescribed you in the past. Doctors are often busy and frazzled. When they prescribe a new medication, don’t hesitate to ask them about potential interactions as a reminder
4. Make sure all doctors are aware of your prescriptions – if you’re a senor who sees multiple doctors or specialists, don’t automatically expect that information regarding your prescriptions has been shared. This is where having a complete list can come in handy and avoid issues with polypharmacy
5. Check out new drugs – sticking with one pharmacy will allow your pharmacist to verify that there will be no drug interactions; they might catch something your doctor hasn’t. Otherwise, take the initiative to research any new drugs for interactions yourself
6. Be cautious of side effects – don’t assume any side effects are just that, talk to your doctor to ensure they aren’t the result of drug interactions
Image: osteoarthritis.about.com Home Health Senior Care Dallas - Your elderly loved one prefers to live at home and our CAREGivers are trained to help them remain safe and healthy at home. Call us at 972-239-3934.
I’m a caregiver in Dallas and one of the major reasons that families turn to me, is because they recognize that maybe their loved ones driving skills just aren’t what they used to be, and they worry that something serious could happen when they get behind the wheel of a car. This is something that I see regularly with the senior care recipients that I work with, and I am more than happy to step in and transport them on their errands or to appointments as needed. Many senses decline as we get older, and seniors and their families need to recognize what a serious impact this can have when these older adults get behind the wheel.
Caregivers and families, recognize when your senior’s senses are changing and when it might be time to step in before getting behind the wheel of a car puts your loved ones at risk.
• Sensing behind the wheel changes, with regards to vision and hearing. 85% to 90% of safe driving relies upon the eyes and the eyes change in a number of ways, including diminished light entering the eyes, declining focus, increased sensitivity to glare, difficulty perceiving color, diminished depth perception and narrowed peripheral vision. Hearing loss is one of the most common conditions affecting older adults, and it can affect a driver’s ability to take in their surroundings
• Deciding – once the senses take in information, the brain needs to process what to do with it. In older adults, it takes longer to process information, which can decrease the reaction time needed to respond to situations on the road
• Reacting – this can be affected by a few things. While seniors might know that they need to respond, their level of physical fitness or mobility or their medications might inhibit them from physically responding when behind the wheel of a car
Home Instead Senior Care Dallas - Your elderly loved one prefers to live at home and our CAREGivers are trained to help them remain safe and healthy at home. Call us at 972-239-3934.
Q – My mom and her caregiver have recently started going on day hiking trips in Dallas. My mom is in her 70s and her caregiver is in her late 50s, and while I think it’s a great activity for them to do together, I can honestly say that I do worry about their safety. Do you have any tips to help make sure that their experience is safer, so every time they go out I’m not holding my breath until they come back, because I’m worrying that something has happened?
A – Hiking is a great activity for your mom and her caregiver to do in Dallas. It’s a great cardiovascular exercise, it gets them into the fresh air, and it’s entertaining to look at different landscapes and wildlife in the areas that they hike. However, you are right to be concerned, while there are few risks that come with hiking, they do increase with older adulthood. Encourage your mom to implement the following safety tips when going out for a hike with her caregiver; even if she’s not worried for herself, you can let her know that it would help you feel more reassured.
• Never hike alone – hiking with a friend, family member or caregiver ensures that there is someone there to help in an emergency. A hiking buddy can also help a senior get up steep slopes, or provide support over uneven terrain
• Plan ahead – study maps of the hiking area, and if taking a longer trip, leave a copy of your route with someone not attending the hike. Also check to make sure that the weather conditions will be good. Even bad weather days before the hike, like rain, can cause danger as there is likely to be slippery rocks or mud that can cause falls
• Dress appropriately – seniors should have sturdy hiking shoes appropriate for gripping the terrain. The hiking shoes or boots should be properly fitted to ensure that they provide added support and stability to a senior. Dressing in layers will also help to ensure comfort, regardless of weather or temperatures
• Pack a bag – water should be packed, and drank regularly throughout a hike. Extra clothing, bug spray, sunscreen, a snack, and a first aid kit are recommended
Home Instead Senior Care Dallas - Your elderly loved one prefers to live at home and our CAREGivers are trained to help them remain safe and healthy at home. Call us at 972-239-3934.
It’s known that at least 5% to 10% of Dallas seniors suffer from elder abuse, but many choose to suffer in silence, especially when their abuser is a family caregiver. Some seniors may be reluctant to report the abuse because they fear the consequences, which for some might be loss of support from the family, loss of independence, or a move to an undesired residence like an assisted living facility. Since many seniors won’t speak up when they’re being victimized by elder abuse, it’s our responsibility to look for the signs and speak for seniors when it comes to elder abuse to give them a voice.
How to Detect Elder Abuse
• The senior is showing physical signs of injury, including bruising, sprains and cuts
• There are bedsores on the senior’s body, which may show signs of neglect
• The senior seems to be tense and argumentative around his or her caregiver
• The senior has withdrawn from many social activities that they once enjoyed
• The senior’s general attitude has changed
• The senior refuses to seek treatment for any issues with drugs, alcohol or depression
• The senior tries to avoid the topic of his/her care
• The senior appears to be losing excessive amounts of weight
• The senior’s caregiver seems “too good to be true”, if you get the impression, that may very well be the case. A good caregiver should be open and honest about their dealings with a senior.
Home Instead Senior Care Dallas - Your elderly loved one prefers to live at home and our CAREGivers are trained to help them remain safe and healthy at home. Call us at 972-239-3934.
Q – I suspect that my elderly grandfather, who has an elder care provider assisting him in his home in Dallas might be a victim of home care negligence. He doesn’t seem to get along with his caregiver and is reluctant to look her in the eyes. I don’t want to make a big deal out of nothing, so what are the signs I can look for to determine if he’s a victim of negligence?
A – If you believe that your father in Dallas might be a victim of negligence, or doesn’t get along with his caregiver. Don’t hesitate to talk to the caregiving agency about your suspicions and request another elder care expert to provide home care services. However, if you want to justify your concerns, there are other signs that could indicate your father is being neglected.
• Sudden changes in his behavior, such as becoming more withdrawn, depressed or angry
• Physical injuries like bruises, scrapes, cuts, or even broken bones
• The home care provider not allowing seniors to spend time alone with family members for fear something might be revealed
• Pressure sores or signs that restraints have been used
Home Instead Senior Care Dallas - Your elderly loved one prefers to live at home and our CAREGivers are trained to help them remain safe and healthy at home. Call us at 972-239-3934.
Home Instead Senior Care Dallas - Your elderly loved one prefers to live at home and our CAREGivers are trained to help them remain safe and healthy at home. Call us at 972-239-3934.
Today we are continuing our discussion about ways to organize a senior’s home if they have memory problems, dementia or Alzheimer’s. We last talked about easy changes to make around the bedroom and bathroom where a lot of confusion and accidents can take place - this post will focus on the kitchen.
Here are some great home safety ideas for the kitchen:
1)Store dangerous items in another room or put safety locks on drawers- anything that is sharp or could be confused as something to eat or drink that is toxic.
2)We often see medications spread out on the kitchen counter - these need to be put out of sight to avoid being taken mistakenly. Many people with memory problems over medicate because they have forgotten that they actually already took their dosage for the day.
3)Install a hidden on and off switch in a cabinet for an electric stove or remove handles and knobs.
4)Avoid the stove, oven, electric coffee pot or toaster - anything electrical-when they are in the kitchen.
Source: Home Instead Senior Care - Alzheimer’s CAREGiver Training Program.
Food safety is the most important part of preparing any meal. Seniors often enjoy cooking, but they must make sure that they are taking the proper precautions. Food poisoning can occur when food is not stored and prepared properly. The list provided below contains some useful tips for seniors about food safety. These tips will help seniors take the right steps to prepare safe meals.
