Important Health Screenings for Seniors Over 75

If your elderly loved one is over 75, it’s important to make sure that they get regular screenings to identify potential health concerns that impact older adults. When it comes to caring for the elderly, prevention is an important way to ensure good physical and mental health. Common concerns to watch out for in elderly people include:

Balance disorders

Those who provide care for seniors should understand that balance concerns can lead to falls and fall-related injuries, which can be devastating for an older individual. If your elderly parent indicates that they feel off-balance or dizzy at any point, it’s important to get to the root of problem in order to protect them. Don’t wait until a serious fall happens to take action.

Memory issues

As your senior ages, it’s common to see some degree of cognitive decline. However, it’s necessary to monitor this kind of decline in order to take action before the problem becomes dramatic. If your senior sometimes forgets the name of a friend’s grandchild or a restaurant you went to together last month, this is perfectly acceptable. However, if they have begun to forget how to get to routine places such as the drug store or the grocery store, or they’ve begun to forget how to operate everyday items like the microwave, it’s time to seek help.

In many instances, a person’s memory can change quickly, so it’s important to keep a watchful eye to remain aware of significant decline. Even if you suspect that the kind of cognitive decline that your loved one is showing is normal for their age, it’s wise to take them in to a doctor who can assess the situation further and make necessary recommendations about how to proceed.

Poor nutrition

Many of the health problems an older individual experiences actually stem from poor nutrition. As your elderly loved one ages, their sense of taste and smell may dull, leaving food looking unappetizing. Learn about your senior’s daily eating habits and observe them at mealtime to ward off concerns associated with poor nutrition. Also take a look around their refrigerator and pantry. If it’s looking sparse or is stocked with potato chips and candy, it’s time to take action so that they can remain healthy and strong.

Keeping the Focus on Senior Nutrition

According to home care professionals, many seniors struggle to eat well as they age. Perhaps they don’t have the ability to get out and grocery shop for fresh fruits and veggies, or they simply may not have the energy to spend time preparing a healthy meal. As a result, they quickly begin to rely on fast food, frozen meals, and other unhealthy fare. Unfortunately, poor nutrition can lead to a lot of health concerns (both physical and mental), so it’s important to help your elderly loved one eat well. 

In order to make sure that your senior is enjoying proper nutrition, encourage them to incorporate the following elements into their daily diet:

• Fill up the plate at mealtime with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables
• Instead of relying on soda and other sugary, artificial drinks, make smoothies made with low-fat milk and fresh fruit to stay refreshed without added chemicals
• Enjoy low-fat dairy products, like skim or 2 percent milk instead of whole milk
• Eat plenty of lean meat and fish instead of red meat
• Munch on nuts, Greek yogurt, and other high-protein items when it’s time for a snack
• Substitute dark chocolate for milk or white chocolate
• Eat whole wheat bread instead of white bread
• Incorporate plenty of dark, leafy greens into meals daily

According to those who work in elder care services, Iowa families should make sure that their senior is able to take the steps necessary to eat nutritious meals each day. In many instances, the elderly individual is ashamed or unwilling to admit that they cannot get themselves healthy food items. If you constantly notice a lack of fresh produce and other nutritious fare when you visit your loved one, it’s time to have a conversation about what can be done to make sure that they’re eating better.

Additionally, it’s important to encourage your senior to drink plenty of water throughout the day. Diet coke or juices are full of sugar and just don’t hydrate as well as water. Encourage them to invest in a reusable water bottle and fill it up regularly as the day goes on. Many health ailments stem from dehydration, so this is an important part of keeping them safe. 

How to Devise a Comprehensive Senior Care Plan with Your Family

Caring for an elderly parent can be a full-time job, so it’s often helpful to get siblings involved in order to divide up the work. However, this issue can be a touchy subject among family members. One sibling may feel that they’re shouldering too much of the burden, while another may feel as if they’re excluded from the decision making process regarding their parent’s care. In order to keep everyone satisfied and ensure that caretaker burnout doesn’t happen, keep these tips in mind:

Have a formal meeting

While it may seem strange to call a formal meeting with members of your family, this is often the best way to establish a solid plan for caring for your aging parent. Instead of assuming that everyone is on the same page about caretaking responsibilities, get it all out in the open during this conversation. If you’re scattered throughout various parts of the country, schedule a conference call or a Google hangout. 

Be realistic about who can do what

While everyone wants to chip in to help care for your elderly loved one, it’s not always possible to ask all siblings to make an equal contribution. For example, if one person lives across the country and another is caring for a newborn baby, other siblings will need to carry more of the caregiving weight. There’s no need to feel shame or guilt about this, but it’s important to be honest. Don’t offer to make dinner for mom every night when that commitment simply isn’t realistic. When everyone is honest about what they can and can’t do, it prevents the senior from accidentally being neglected. 

According to professionals who work in at-home care, Cedar Valley families should consider mapping out the senior’s daily care schedule on a calendar. This calendar can then be typed up and distributed to all of the siblings, ensuring that everyone knows exactly when and what they need to be doing to assist their elderly parent.

Don’t be afraid to ask for additional help

Sometimes adult children feel guilty about bringing in someone from elder care services in order to care for their senior. Remember that there is no shame in asking for extra help from someone outside of the family. So long as the senior is properly cared for, that’s all that matters. 

The Home Modifications Necessary For Seniors Aging in Place

Many seniors prefer to age in place, which means that they want to enjoy their later years in the comfort of their own home. While aging in place can be great for a person’s mental health, it’s important to make necessary modifications to keep the residence safe as a person gets older. Some modifications that will help your elderly loved one to age in place successfully include:

Removing area rugs and other tripping hazards

Your elderly parent’s home can quickly become hazardous if the floor is littered with cords, clothing, and other items that they may end up tripping on. Additionally, the corners of area rugs can start to lift over time, creating another unsafe situation for your loved one. To prevent this from happening, make sure to pay close attention to the floor of your elderly loved one’s home. It should be clear of any potential hazards at all times. Even small items can create a disastrous situation. 

Replace any light bulbs that have burnt out

In order to keep your elderly loved one safe, their home must be well lit. This means quickly replacing light bulbs that have burnt out, thus preventing your senior from having to wander through their residence in the dark. When it comes to in-home care for elderly individuals, good visibility is essential.

Placing grab bars throughout the property

Getting off balance for even a few seconds can put your senior at serious risk of suffering from a devastating fall. Install grab bars throughout the home to make it easy for an elderly individual to quickly regain their balance should they start to get off-center. Place them in hallways, in the kitchen, and especially in the bathroom. In many instances, they can mean the difference between life and death.

Invest in a shower seat

According to professionals in home care, Iowa families should consider installing a shower seat in their senior’s bathtub. This enables them to enjoy a shower without having to worry about standing on their feet and maneuvering around for an extended period of time. Shower seats drastically reduce the risk of in-shower falls, and can enable your loved one to enjoy their bathing experience without worrying about having an accident. This and other minor modifications can make a huge difference when it comes to your senior’s safety as they relax at home.