Archives for Care Giving Tips

The thought of taking on the project of making your home safer for seniors living with you may seem overwhelming. But tackling it in small room-by-room steps may be easier than you think. Bathroom: Install grab bars in the bathtub/shower and around the toilet. Also add traction to the tub with non-stick decals at the bottom. Add a raised toilet seat if the current one is too low. Lay a bathmat down that doesn’t move when stepped on. Turn the water heater down to 120 degrees or below to avoid accidental burns. Add nightlights for nightly visits to the bathroom.
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Modern medicine has accomplished some amazing things. A century ago, people wouldn’t have dreamed that life-extending procedures like organ transplants would ever be possible. Other procedures, like hip replacements, eliminate pain and improve the quality of life. Increased mobility results in greater independence and an increased sense of self-sufficiency.  Despite many positive contributions, such as penicillin, home remedies for common ailments associated with aging, such as joint pain, are still often superior to modern pharmaceuticals. One reason for this is that many of them have potentially harmful side effects, and another is the potential for negative drug interactions with other
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Although it’s possible for someone with Alzheimer’s to continue living in a residential home, it takes some problem-solving and creativity to ensure safety. As the disease progresses, a person’s abilities transform. Moreover, symptoms vary from person to person. Here are some tips for how to protect your home when you’re caring for someone with Alzheimer’s. Slips and falls Falls are the number one unintentional safety hazard for elderly people in general. Those with Alzheimer’s are at an even greater risk due to their decreased ability to accurately judge space and distance. To reduce the likelihood of your loved one having
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The worst thing you can do for someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia is allow them to spend too much idle time alone. It’s important to learn how to communicate with someone suffering from dementia and to include them in your daily life as much as possible. If you maintain open and frequent communication with their medical care providers, you will find that your loved one can enjoy many of the events that give meaning to your life. Continuance & Familiar Objects Try to talk to your loved one about items in their home that have sentimental meaning. It’s best to
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Dementia is often a frustrating condition, and those who care for people with dementia may sometimes find themselves at a loss, despite their best efforts. Odd behaviors may keep cropping up with no clear solution to the problem. Here’s a look into why these behaviors might be occurring and what you can do to deal with them. Refusing to Bathe This is one of the most common and frustrating problems you’ll come across. A variety of issues could be contributing to their refusal to bathe. They might be embarrassed to be seen naked, or they may have had previous negative
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