Why Are Falls So Scary for Seniors?

Posted in Elderly Care in Abbeville AL, Home Care Services in Abbeville AL |

January 5, 2021

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Falls can be absolutely terrifying for older adults for a great many reasons. Even a “small” fall can change much of your senior’s life as she currently knows it. Doing what you can as her family caregiver to help your elderly family member to avoid a fall is incredibly important.

 

Home Care Services in Abbeville AL: Why Are Falls So Scary

Home Care Services in Abbeville AL: Why Are Falls So Scary

 

Injuries and Long-term Effects of Injuries

Falls are a major cause of injuries in older adults, and often those injuries have long-term impacts. According to the CDC, one out of every five falls causes broken bones or an injury to the head. That can mean that even a seemingly small fall causes your elderly family member to have to spend time in the hospital or worse, have surgery. The recovery time from a fall can take a very long time and that can exacerbate other health issues your senior is already facing.

 

Anxiety and Fear

Whether your elderly family member has fallen already or not, she can have significant anxiety and fear around falling. For many older adults, the fear of falling alone is enough to cause your senior to avoid moving as much as she did in the past. This becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy as your elderly family member loses mobility and muscle tone, ironically making a fall more likely for her.

 

Social Isolation

If your elderly family member becomes fearful enough about her mobility and about falling, she may even start to avoid social interactions. As she spends more time at home, she may find that isolation starts to lead to other issues, like developing depression. Being able to interact with others is important for your elderly family member, so cutting off that contact has serious consequences for her.

 

Losing Independence

Your senior may worry that all of these reasons can cause her to be forced to move from her home or to lose her independence in a variety of ways. If your elderly family member’s main goal as she ages is to continue to do so on her own terms and in her own home, this can be a devastating fear for her. After an injury, your elderly family member may worry that her only option is a nursing home.

Hiring elderly care providers to be there with your senior can alleviate a lot of the fear she has around possibly falling. This can enable her to stay more active, offers her companionship, and shows her that she can still be independent, even with help.

 

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Home Care Services in Abbeville, AL, please contact the caring staff at Wiregrass HomeCare today. Call us at 334-539-5900.

What Desserts Can Diabetics Eat?

Posted in Elder Care in Abbeville AL, Elderly Care in Abbeville AL, Homecare in Abbeville AL |

January 8, 2020

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When diagnosed with diabetes, many older adults immediately assume that anything containing sugar is off-limits. This can leave them mourning the loss of beloved desserts. The truth is that having diabetes doesn’t have to be about restrictions. Instead, it can be about moderation. This means that desserts aren’t off the table. Instead, older adults with diabetes need to make smarter choices. There are many kinds of desserts that won’t interfere with maintaining a healthy blood sugar level. Below are some tips that can help seniors with diabetes continue to enjoy desserts.

 

Homecare in Abbeville AL: Desserts Diabetics Can Eat

Homecare in Abbeville AL: Desserts Diabetics Can Eat

 

Keep it Small

The larger the serving of dessert the older adult eats, the more sugar they eat, too. By keeping portion sizes small, the seniors can enjoy the sweet flavor without throwing off their entire meal plan. It can help to serve desserts in smaller dishes since it can trick the senior’s eyes into thinking they are getting more. For example, instead of serving a piece of cake on a dinner plate, use smaller dessert plates or a teacup saucer, which is even smaller.

 

Make Dessert in Small Amounts

Cut recipes in half or even smaller. This prevents tempting desserts from hanging around the house for days. You might even consider making desserts in single portion sizes whenever possible. Family caregivers may want to prepare the dessert at their house and bring just one piece over for the seniors to enjoy. Another idea is to make the dessert with the senior and then share it with friends or neighbors. The older adult gets to enjoy the dessert and also gets the joy of the smile and gratitude of the person they share it with.

 

Plan Ahead

It’s important to know the older adult will be having dessert later in the day so that carbs can be reduced in other meals. In other words, balance the carbs in the dessert with other foods the senior eats throughout the day.

 

Choose Sugar-Free Desserts

Consider making sugar-free desserts, like a sugar-free hot chocolate or gelatin. Fruit is also a good choice, like some berries topped with sugar-free whipped topping. You can also bake desserts using sugar substitutes.

If your older family member has diabetes and also a bit of a sweet tooth, a home care provider can help them to balance the two. Home care providers can assist with making healthy meals that allow the older adult to enjoy a dessert now and then. In fact, the home care provider can prepare the dessert, too. In addition, the home care provider can remind the older adult to check their blood sugar level, so they know how the foods they eat affect their blood sugar.

 

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Homecare in Abbeville, AL, please contact the caring staff at Wiregrass HomeCare today. Call us at 334-539-5900.

Sources

https://www.healthline.com/

https://www.verywellhealth.com/

https://www.webmd.com/

Four Strategies to Prevent Wandering

Posted in Elder Care in Abbeville AL, Elderly Care in Abbeville AL, Home Care in Abbeville AL |

February 19, 2019

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The first time that your senior wanders off, you might be terrified.
To prevent that, you might want to try some of these techniques that other caregivers for people with Alzheimer’s disease have found to be helpful. Every situation can be a little bit different, but the changes going on in your senior’s brain can make her feel insecure and a little bit lost. These techniques can help her to feel safe again.

 

Elderly Care in Abbeville AL: Strategies to Prevent Wandering

Elderly Care in Abbeville AL: Strategies to Prevent Wandering

 

Set up a Timed Daily Schedule

It might feel restrictive, but a timed daily schedule is a good idea for someone who tends to wander. The routine can be comforting for your elderly family member, especially if anxiety or discomfort are common triggers for her to wander. You might want to adjust the schedule as you learn more about what times work best for certain activities.

 

Track Activities and Symptoms

Keep track of what your aging family member does and how she responds to those activities. This can help you to narrow down whether or not the schedule you’ve developed is helping her or not. You might also spot areas in the routine where switching activities around or adding something like a walk after a meal can help your elderly family member deal with restlessness.

 

Make Sure You’re Meeting All Basic Needs

One of the most effective strategies you can use is to keep track of your elderly family member’s basic needs. Hunger, thirst, and bathroom needs can be some of the biggest reasons that your elderly family member might attempt to wander off. When you’re targeting those needs most effectively, you’re going to see a much bigger reduction in restlessness.

 

Use Plenty of Reassurance

Disorientation is extremely disturbing for someone with Alzheimer’s disease. If you can build reassurance into each day, that can go a long way toward helping her to feel comfortable. Try to avoid negative responses when possible and just let her know that she’s safe and that you’re there with her. Reassurance can sometimes be just what she needs to hear in order to stay calm and to remember that she’s secure.

You may not be able to prevent wandering every time, even if you use all of these strategies regularly. Elder care providers can help you to become more comfortable with what you’re learning and trying while also helping you keep an eye on your senior. Remember that you’re doing the best you can, so go easy on yourself.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Elder Care in Abbeville, AL, please contact the caring staff at Wiregrass HomeCare today. Call us at 334-539-5900.