Tips for Preventing Accidents in Your Senior’s Home

Even a small obstruction on the ground can pose a major accident risk for senior. Just a few seconds off balance can result in devastating injury. Because of this, it’s important to take time to accident-proof your elderly loved one’s home, making it a safe place for them to relax. There are a number of easy and quick ways to do this, including:

• Keep floors clean at all times: Grandkids’ toys, pet food bowls, shoes, clothing items, and upturned corners of rugs can all pose a major risk as your elderly parent moves about their home. To greatly reduce the chances of a fall, keep floors clean at all times. Find neat ways to organize toys, cords, and other items, and get rid of all unnecessary area rugs.
• Keep floors dry: Not only should floors be clear of clutter, those who work in elder care services explain that they should also be kept clean and dry. Greasy food spills make it easy for a senior to lose their balance and fall. Make sure any wax used on floors is non-slip, and help your loved one mop up spills as soon as they happen.
• Install proper lighting: If rooms are poorly lit, your elderly parent may get off balance and end up slipping on their way to the kitchen or bathroom. Make sure that all light bulbs are replaced quickly, and that the wattage is bright enough to make a difference.
• Install a grab bar in the shower: It is common for elderly individuals to find showering challenging, explain home care professionals, as they have to be on their feet maneuvering around for an extended period of time. To make showering safe, install a grab bar in the tub. This allows your loved one to quickly regain their balance if they get unstable for a moment. It can also make entering and exiting the tub much easier.
• Place benches throughout the home: Much like a grab bar in the shower, placing benches in your senior’s home makes it easy to take a rest and catch their breath should they feel slightly off balance for a moment. Put benches throughout the house to allow them to sit down safely when they need to rest.

Do not neglect the outside of your elderly parent’s home either. Make sure that walkways are cleared and salted during snowy months, and that paths are illuminated by bright outdoor lighting. 

Tasty, Healthy Meals Your Senior Will Love

As seniors age, their sense of smell and taste can become dull, which often makes food unappealing. However, good nutrition is a major part of senior health, so it’s important to ensure that your elderly loved one is eating well-balanced and complete meals each day. Those who work in elder care services suggest trying out the following recipes. They’ll taste great and provide your elderly parent with the nutrition they need to feel healthy and strong.

Warm oatmeal and berries

Oatmeal is easy to eat, yet still full of nutrients. To kick it up a notch, add fresh or frozen berries, a small amount of butter, a serving of old-fashioned oats, and water into the Crockpot. Cover and cook on low for several hours (or overnight, if this is easier). When the meal is finished, it’ll have the consistency of bread putting. If you don’t have a Crockpot, simply add berries to warm oatmeal. The meal is soothing and filling, and not so rich that it’s hard to digest.

A hard-boiled egg

For a quick meal that’s full of protein, make some hard-boiled eggs. Serve them alongside fruit or toast. Even if your elderly loved one doesn’t feel particularly hungry, this meal will give them the nutrition they need to get through the day. It’s easy to eat and perfect for any time of year.

Yogurt parfait

For a sweet breakfast that’s also healthy, combine yogurt, nuts, and fruit. It’ll leave your senior feeling hydrated, and also provides a dose of healthy fat and vitamin C. Mix in any kind of fruit your loved one enjoys, including blueberries, pineapple, raspberries, and strawberries. 

Baked salmon

For a lunch or dinner that your elderly parent will love, homecare professionals suggest creating a flavorful salmon dish. Top the fish with tomatoes, herbs, olive oil, and lemon juice. Wrap it up in aluminum foil and bake it at 300 degrees. If the fish is already thawed, it should go in for about 15 minutes. Ideally, it’ll be flaky but still moist. Salmon is full of omega-3s and protein, making it the perfect meal choice. 

Shrimp and pasta

For a meal that’s flavorful yet still nutritious, heat up butter and olive oil in a saucepan, adding in herbs, garlic, and shrimp. Cook until the shrimp are done and then place over pasta. 

Recognizing the Warning Signs of Depression in the Elderly

Depression is an issue that eldercare professionals in Chapel Hill address regularly, as it is a condition that many seniors develop. Whether you are personally providing homecare to your loved one or you have called upon the services of an eldercare professional, it is crucial that you understand the warning signs associated with depression so that you can help your senior seek treatment if necessary. This is important, as it is essential that you take care of your elderly loved one's wellbeing—particularly if they have need for dementia care and other forms of specialized support. Below are some of the warning signs of depression, according to HelpGuide.org.1 

• Sadness
• Fatigue
• Lack of interest in previously loved hobbies and activities
• Social isolation
• Social withdrawal
• Weight loss
• Loss of appetite
• Sleep troubles, including insomnia, oversleeping, and difficulty staying awake during the day
• Feelings of worthlessness
• Surge in alcohol or drug use
• Suicidal thoughts

In addition to these symptoms, depression is also characterized by a few less common warning signs. These, HelpGuide.org explains, may include inexplicable aches, pain, hopelessness, helplessness, anxiety, memory loss, lack of motivation, slowed movement, slowed speech, irritability, and the tendency to skip meals, neglect personal hygiene, and overlook other self care activities.

The eldercare professionals in Chapel Hill know that it can be difficult to determine which changes in your senior are attributed to the natural aging process and which indicate a more serious concern, such as depression. To help you ensure that your loved one gets the care they need, the homecare professionals in the area encourage you to keep a close eye on their health and schedule an appointment with their doctor whenever you believe that they may need assistance.

If you are providing care for your senior, it is crucial that you are aware of the warning signs associated with depression so that you can best provide the support that your elderly loved one needs. If you believe that your senior may be suffering from depression, you are encouraged to schedule an appointment with their doctor as soon as possible.
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1 http://www.helpguide.org/mental/depression_elderly.htm

Keeping Your Senior Safe from the Summer Heat

Summer is a favorite season for many individuals, as it often provides a much-needed reprieve from the colder temperatures of winter. But the truth is that warmer weather can cause a wide range of problems, from dehydration to heat stroke. Eldercare in Chapel Hill is an activity that focuses on keeping seniors safe no matter what the weather, and the homecare professionals in this city encourage you to understand what, exactly, you can do to keep your loved one in the best of health this summer. Below are some tips from these eldercare professionals.

1. Make sure that your loved one drinks plenty of water. During the summer, individuals can find that they become easily dehydrated—particularly if they are spending any time outside in hot temperatures.  Buy a portable water bottle for your senior so that they have access to drinking water no matter where they are. Additionally, invest in a pitcher filter that they can put in the refrigerator so that they can have cold, delicious drinking water on hand.
   
2. When temperatures soar too high, encourage your loved one to stay indoors. If staying home isn't an option, or if they do not want to stay at their house for an extended period of time, take them to the mall or another indoor setting where they can enjoy being out and about without suffering from overexposure to the heat.
   
3. Talk to your senior's doctor about their health and learn whether or not they are particularly vulnerable to higher temperatures. Some medical conditions can make it dangerous for elderly individuals to stay in the heat for too long, so make sure you know what to look out for when your loved one is outside this summer.
   
4. If your senior insists on going outside, try to get them to do so during the early morning hours to avoid the heat of the day. For instance, they could get up and do their gardening prior to 10:00 am to stay out of the direct heat and benefit from cooler temperatures. 

The eldercare professionals of Chapel Hill encourage you to keep these tips in mind as you care for your senior this summer.

5 Ways to Prevent Falls for Elderly Individuals

Since June is National Safety Month, now is a wonderful time to discuss one of the most important aspects of care for elderly individuals: fall prevention. Homecare professionals understand that falling is one of the most dangerous risks that seniors face, as it can result in a long list of injuries that range from mild to fatal. Below are some of the ways in which today's eldercare professionals encourage you to help protect your loved one against this risk.

1. Maintain a clean living space. Whether your senior lives with you or in their own home, it is essential that you make certain that they have a clean living environment that is free of clutter. When items are left on the floor and are not put away properly, seniors are more likely to trip over them and suffer from the injuries of their fall. Try dedicating one day per week to helping your loved one clean their living space and put away any items that are left out and about.
   
   
2. Fix any uneven flooring, including chipped tiles, warped hardwoods, and snagged carpets. In many cases, seniors who fall do so because they trip. If the flooring in your loved one's home is not even and well-maintained it can pose a high degree of threat to your senior's wellbeing.
   
   
3. Move any electrical cords that may obstruct the walkway. In many cases, individuals have to get creative when it comes to running electrical cords from televisions, DVD players, and other items. Having wires that cross walkways, though, is a major problem for seniors. If necessary, rearrange the furniture to ensure that your loved one can walk through their home with ease.
   
   
4. Improve safety by replacing worn rugs, installing non-slip backing, and fixing upturned edges of carpeting. Rugs are wonderful for keeping a space warm and comfortable, but when they become worn, start to slide, or their edges begin to turn up they can prove dangerous to your loved one.
   
   
5. Install slip-resistant materials in the bathroom. Adding slip-resistant mats and other products to the area in front of the toilet and the area in front of the bathtub—as well as the bottom of the tub—can help keep your loved one safe. 

With these five tips, you can better safeguard your senior against a fall.