When Does Your Senior Parent Need More Assistance?

When a parent prefers to age in place, there are many things you can do to help support them and make living at home as easy as possible. One of those things is to look for signs that they may need additional assistance or in-home care. As parents age and live on their own, they may begin to face new mobility and medical issues that make it more difficult to perform daily activities. 

But there are some easy-to-spot signs that can help you identify their changing needs. When it comes to home care, Asheville families can start by looking for these common signals, so they can act fast and offer support to help their parents in any way they need. Here are some signs that your parents might benefit from additional assistance around their house.

The home is more cluttered than usual. If your parents tend to keep a clean home but suddenly it has become more disorganized, this might be a warning sign. They could begin to lose interest in keeping up a neat house, which is an especially important signal if your parent has always been orderly.

Missing appointments. Not being able to access proper transportation, or being unable to drive might lead an elderly loved one to miss important appointments. They may need assistance in getting to and from medical visits, social gatherings, or other meet-ups that are important to them and their health.

Reduced hygiene. Unkempt hair, long finger nails, poor dental care, body odor, or wearing the same clothes without washing could be signs that your loved one is having difficulty maintaining their hygiene. They could be afraid of falling in a tub or shower, or painful joints might make it difficult to open soap bottles. 

Bills or mail is piling up. The act of opening or filing mail might become too overwhelming, or paying bills on time has become difficult. Over time, managing a bank account could also become too much for an elderly loved one to handle. Take note if mail seems unusually disorganized.

Food in the home is spoiled or left uneaten. Cooking, cleaning, or shopping could become difficult to do. Painful joints, impaired driving, or weakened vision could all make it more challenging to do these tasks. Food could be forgotten about, not taken care of properly, or uneaten food might signal a poor appetite. 

Scorched pans or pots. Short-term memory loss could make it easy to forget about food on the stove. This could be a warning sign that your loved one is having difficulty remembering things; it could also be a dangerous fire hazard. 

Unusual behavior. Consider if neighbors have noticed anything unusual about your loved one. For example, he or she might be dressing inappropriately for the seasonal weather. Uncharacteristic behavior might signal confusion and that your parent could benefit from some extra help around the house. 

Not addressing home maintenance needs. A parent might not recognize the need to fix a problem, like a leaky pipe or a broken door. Even if they acknowledge the problem, they may not call to schedule repairs. Look for unkempt lawns, old trash piling up, or piled up mail outside the home. 

If any of these signs are present, consider if your parent would enjoy having some extra help around the home. When providing elder care, Asheville families should start by heeding these signals and finding ways to help their parents get around more easily and safely by offering more comprehensive assistance. 

Heat Related Illnesses in Elderly

Hot summer days can increase anyone’s risk of dehydration or heat illness. But summer poses even more risks for seniors, who may not closely monitor their body temperatures. Elderly adults may not adjust as well as younger people during sudden temperature changes, and they are more likely to have medical conditions that change body responses to heat. All things considered, older adults are more at risk for heat illnesses, especially in the middle of the summer season. Both heat stroke and exhaustion pose dangers for your loved ones.

 Look for these signs that your family member or friend may need medical attention for a heat stroke:

-High body temperature and red, dry skin that is not sweating

-Rapid, strong pulse

-Intense headache

-Nausea

-Dizziness

Heat exhaustion is a milder form of heat illnesses that could develop over time. Consider these symptoms that may indicate your loved one needs medical attention and a reprieve from the heat:

-Vomiting, nausea, or fainting

-Heavy sweating

-Dizziness

-Muscle cramping

-Headache

-Fast and shallow breathing

-Pale skin

-Fast, weakened pulse

Luckily, keeping your older loved ones safe from hot temperatures is manageable. Consider these important senior health steps to protect your elderly family members and friends this season. 

Drink Enough Fluids

One of the most effective ways to stay safe during the summer is to ensure that your loved one is drinking enough fluids to stave off dehydration. They should drink lots of water and eat foods with high water content. Fruits, like watermelon, are ideal. However, they should avoid coffee or alcohol, which could lead to dehydration instead of deliver the water they need to stay healthy.

Take Cool Showers or Baths

Taking regular cool showers or baths can help regulate body temperature and keep it from rising too much. Help your elderly relative or friend by ensuring that their tub has non-slip mats or safety bars to help prevent falls or accidents while cooling off.

Use a Home Health Aide

If your loved one is aging in place, he or she may appreciate having someone coming to visit and check on them regularly. Plus, an aide can provide companionship if the extreme heat is keeping your relative or friend hidden away indoors for long periods of time. 

Stay Inside During Peak Heat Hours

Between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., the summer sun will be its hottest. Remind your loved one to stay inside during these hours. If they need to go out, make sure they wear light-colored and loose fitting clothes, as well as a brimmed hat and sunglasses. Furthermore, make sure they always have fresh, cool water to bring along when they go out.

Look for Cool Places

When it comes to providing summer senior care, Asheville families should help their loved ones locate the nearest air-conditioned places. This is especially important if they do not have air conditioning in their home, or if the power goes out during the day. Put together a list of spots that are cool and low in humidity, like a library, movie theater, shopping mall, or senior center.

By knowing the warning signs and taking proper precaution, you can help your older loved ones stay safe during the summer. As an added bonus, you can make sure they are better able to enjoy some of the most beautiful days of the year. 

Benefits of Walking Aids for Seniors

Your older family member or friend may prefer to age in place or continue to retain their independence as they age. One great way to help them do so is to assist your loved one in finding a mobility aid that suits their individual needs. It can help them stay more mobile and continue to walk. This is important, as walking is one of the most basic and powerful ways to add healthy physical activity to any lifestyle. It is relaxing, low impact, and can be done virtually anywhere. Walking helps your loved one to control their blood sugar level, improve cardiovascular endurance, and even burn calories to assist in weight management. When providing care for elderly relatives or friends, consider these benefits of using a mobility aid to improve their quality of life. 

Back and Joint Health. Using aids, like a cane or walker, can help redistribute bodyweight. This prevents putting too much weight on the back, hips, or knees. It moves body mass from the back and lower body and supports it through the arms and the walking aid. In turn, pressure is relieved from joints and muscles, which is especially helpful if your loved one has back problems or arthritis. These aids can also help promote good posture, especially in the upper back. Using good posture can redistribute body mass more evenly, which can lower the risk of injury and facilitate better back health.

Enhanced Stability and Balance. Walking on uneven surfaces or navigating around obstacles can make it difficult for your elderly loved one to keep their balance. When going up hill, or walking on loose gravel or dirt, your family member or friend needs sufficient support for both balance and stability. A walker, cane, or other mobility aid can stabilize the body and reduce the risk of falling or slipping. Even more, it can help make walking on inclines much easier by providing balance. This is especially important if your loved one becomes fatigued and their muscle strength is reduced. 

Increased Mobility and Independence. Mobility aids can help increase your loved one’s own mobility and independence by making it easier to move around and conduct daily activities. It can improve their balance, reduce stress on the body, and alleviate joint pain. Many older adults use these devices to move around more freely and in turn, they enjoy increased confidence. By minimizing the weight put on legs, knees, the back, ankles, or the hips, your loved one will feel less tired and more energized in everyday activities, chores, and hobbies. 

Common Mobility Aid Choices

Depending on your loved one’s individual needs, they may need a walker, a quad cane, a single-point cane or other mobility aid. Consider their own personal lifestyle and talk with them and their doctor to help find the best choice for their personality, needs, and abilities. 

Single-Point Cane. This cane provides a low level of extra support and can alleviate discomfort. It lends support to the leg, but is not the best option when weight needs to be altogether removed from a leg, knee, hip, or ankle.

Quad Cane. A quad cane provides more stability than what a single-point cane could deliver. However, it is not the best choice for someone who needs more comprehensive support. It is a fairly mid-grade choice in terms of the level of support it offers.

Walker. This common mobility aid provides the most support, but it is more cumbersome than a traditional cane or quad cane. But, a walker is especially helpful for those with limited upper body strength or reduced balance.

When providing home care to your loved one, consider the ways that a mobility aid could improve their daily life. Senior care means taking your loved one’s individual needs and preferences into account, and working with them to discover the best solutions for their personal situations. In turn, you can work together to help your loved one maintain their independence, improve their confidence, and even enhance their quality of life.  

Fourth of July Activities for Homebound Seniors

Holidays like the Fourth of July are an ideal time to bond with your older loved ones. You shouldn’t have to decide between spending time with friends and spending time with an elderly relative. By offering up some great ideas that accommodate your older loved one, you can include a homebound relative in on the holiday celebrations in a way that everyone can enjoy.

Food

If you’re hosting a cookout, consider your loved one’s dietary restrictions. If the menu you’ve planned is fatty, spicy, or difficult to chew, make sure you include some foods that your loved one can eat and enjoy. 

Seating

Next, consider the seating you will be providing. If your elderly family member or friend uses a wheelchair, make sure that the seating areas accommodate his or her mobility devices. Ensure that pathways are wide enough and that guests can easily move from place to place. 

Another seating point to consider is whether or not your chairs will have back support. A picnic bench without a back can make it difficult for your relative or friend to sit comfortably. Make sure to include seating options that will allow your loved one to sit for longer periods without irritation. 

Lastly, make sure to provide umbrellas or shading at seating areas. Your older loved one will need extra protection from the sun, and as a host, you should ensure they have easy access to shade. 

Games

Hosting a senior-friendly Fourth of July celebration means including lots of activities that everyone can do without overexerting themselves on a hot day. Break out the board games, decks of cards, and other entertaining games that family and friends can play at a table under the shade. Other fun at-home game ideas might include:

Ring toss. This is a gentle tossing game that can be easily modified to suit individual mobility or physical limitations. One modification might be to toss rings onto a weighted down bottle, or any other upright object.

Bean bag toss. Another gentle tossing activity that involves lobbing a lightweight bag into a cutout hole or a ring on the ground. You can easily modify this to accommodate any vision challenges by painting a bigger ring or circle in the lawn as a target.

Patio or lawn bowling. Set up a miniature bowling lane on a flat surface or any area of lawn with short-cut grass. Use plastic bowling pins and a lightweight ball to make this game senior-friendly.

Music

If you have a guitar or an instrument, pull it out during the festivities. A friend or relative might have a hidden talent and be able to play. If anyone at the party is musically inclined, ask them to start a sing-a-long and play familiar tunes that everyone will recognize. 

Crafts

Put together a list of crafts that your older loved ones, adults, and children alike will all have fun doing together. 

Chocolate covered strawberries. Make an edible patriotic treat by dipping strawberries in white chocolate. Before the chocolate hardens, top them off with blue sprinkles for a red, white, and blue effect.

Painted clay pots. Clay pots are perfect for storing flowers in all year round. At your Fourth of July party, you can provide guests with basic clay pots, brushes, and red, white, and blue paints. Let them dig deep into their imagination and have fun decorating a memorable pot they can use later. 

Providing senior care starts with welcoming your older loved ones in on family activities to make sure they always feel included. Accommodating their needs on holidays, like the Fourth of July, is a fantastic way to include them in on the fun and show them how much you care, while still adhering to their home-care requirements.