SENIORS AND CARE

  Can seniors remain independent with some kind of support or care? Many seniors associate any type of support or care with the loss of their independence. This anticipation of losing their independence can, in many ways, impact their life style and attitude. Seniors have lived very long lives taking care of themselves, children and in many cases others as well. These seniors still feel they are capable of doing many things they consider indicators of independence. Many seniors are faced though with living alone, medical and mobility problems as well as physical, social, psychological and/or neurological issues. Adult children and relatives of seniors worry that their health and safety may be compromised in some way. And, for those adult children who are not in the same geographical area as their senior parents, the health and safety of their parents becomes even more stressful and worrisome. What seniors do not realize is that their independence can be extended with some kind of support or care.

In order to determine the amount of independence a senior can handle, it is imperative that adult children look for certain signs of changes associated with senior behavior and their living environment. Some important factors pointing to the need for intervention are:

Weight Loss - Weight loss can be associated with illness, disease, cancer, depression or neurological conditions. It can also be a contributing factor of malnutrition and dehydration. Some seniors may find it hard to cook either because the process is too difficult, it takes too much time or they seem to forget how to prepare a meal. Another contributing factor of weight loss in seniors is not having groceries in the house. And not having the right kind of groceries that can provide the nutritional intake for a senior can also ignite weight loss.  Seniors may have problems reading labels on food items and directions for preparing certain foods.  Taking inventory of the food in the kitchen is a way to gauge whether or not a senior is eating. Asking seniors what they had for a meal and looking around to see if plates/pots/pans are visible is another way of checking whether or not seniors are eating.  If you see that seniors are experiencing any issues with preparing and eating meals, it may be more advantageous to have meals delivered to them.  Many organizations and companies deliver delicious meals to seniors.  These meals are nutritious and taste good.  They provide seniors with meal choices and the freedom to eat without having to prepare the meal.   There is a charge for this service and it sometimes can be expensive.  Eating nutritious meals, drinking plenty of water and routine doctor visits are key to maintaining weight and health in seniors.  It is very important to monitor the eating habits of seniors and intervene if their well-being and health are being compromised.

Mood - Happiness, laughter, activities, conversations, communication with people are indicators of happy seniors with a positive attitude. Keeping busy doing crafts or participating in games stimulates and provokes the brain to interact with the body. Having family and friends visit seniors regularly impacts their mood as well. Children, for the most part, have a strange way of making seniors laugh and feel good. Their spontaneous, interactive responses and free spirit bring excitement to seniors.  Sometimes medicine has a direct effect on the mood or attitude of seniors. The side effects of some meds increase mood swings and depression to a great extent thus making it very difficult for seniors to be in a positive, alert and energetic mood.  Depression, directly related to mood, is frequent in seniors and can be a detriment to their well-being. It directly impacts behavior and routines as do certain senior illnesses. It directly impacts conversations and communication as do certain senior illnesses. It is very important to monitor the mood of seniors and intervene if their well-being and health are being compromised.

Personal Care - Personal hygiene is a big gauge of independence retention or possible care for seniors. It becomes quite evident that seniors are unable to attend to personal hygiene when their clothes are soiled or their hair is never combed. This may be due to the fact that seniors find washing clothes difficult or merely because they do not recognize that their clothes are soiled. If the hair is not combed, then could they also have forgotten to brush their teeth?   Are they bathing, cleaning themselves, shaving and dressing appropriately? Confusion, level of difficulty of the tasks, illness or dementia could be deterring seniors from attending to personal hygiene routines.  It is very important to monitor the personal care of seniors and intervene if their well-being and health are being compromised.

Living Quarters - Adult children need to observe the living conditions of their senior parents or seniors they frequently visit. Is the house in disarray? Are their bills stacked up on the counter? Is the heat and electricity functioning properly in the house? Can seniors move around freely being able to get to a bathroom and other areas? Is the house set up with stairs that could become a major issue? Is the outside of the house still being maintained or is it now overgrown with weeds? Confusion, dementia, depression, physical impairments and other issues can hinder simple household tasks. Hip and knee injuries/surgeries and arthritis can affect simple movements impacting certain chores inside and outside of the house as well.   It is very important to monitor the living conditions of seniors and intervene if their well-being, health and safety are being compromised.

Safety - Stairs are major obstacles for seniors as they sometimes are for anyone. A senior with questionable balance and deteriorating eyesight can find going up and down stairs fearful and tedious. Seniors are more susceptible to falls that can happen anytime. These falls can result in serious injuries, major surgeries and possible permanent disability.  There are alert systems seniors can wear to notify emergency authorities of a fall or accident. Getting a senior to commit to wearing such a device is sometimes very difficult and challenging.  Senior safety and independence depends on their reflexes, time responses and thought processing to certain situations. If a fire occurs, will the senior be able to evacuate the house or premise in time?  Will the senior be able to dial 911 in an emergency? Are appliances being used properly and are they stable? Do you see evidence of parched pans indicating that food has been left on too long?  Do you smell gas when you walk into the house indicating that the stove has not been properly turned off?  Opening the door to strangers is another concern for adult children with senior parents living alone. There are many predators out here waiting for the opportunity to violate seniors in whatever way they can.  Seniors putting numerous chains on the door preventing an adult child or relative with a key from entering the house is another safety concern.  If something happens in the house, you have no other choice but to break the door down or call the fire department to gain entry.  It is very important to monitor the safety conditions surrounding seniors and intervene if their well-being, health and safety are being compromised.

Medication - Medications and seniors do not always sit well together. Seniors sometimes find it hard to maintain a schedule and keep up with the correct dosage for each medication. Even with a pill box, taking meds can be a daunting task for seniors. Not taking medications on schedule and/or the right dosages can be a major risk factor for seniors as well.  Overdosing is very common with seniors who are responsible for taking medication without someone overseeing the disbursement and time management of the medication.  On the other hand, without assistance, many seniors end up not taking the recommended dosage or the meds at all by the doctor thus hindering their quality of life.   It is very important to monitor medications taken by seniors and intervene if their well-being and health is being compromised.

Who are seniors? Seniors are people who want to hold on to their independence for as long as they can. We need to help them understand that they can hold on to their independence much longer if they agree to some help, support or care in areas of need.

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