Senior Health
Why Senior Bruising Is So Prevalent, and How to Help
Of the many changes that occur in aging, increased bruising is one that can be frightening for family members to notice in their senior loved ones. While it’s important to check with the senior’s doctor whenever there’s a concern with his or her health, it’s also helpful to know that bruising in older adults is quite common, resulting from the thinning of the skin and reduction in fat experienced in aging. Even a slight bump or scrape can lead to much more extensive bruising than in younger skin.
Hired Hands Homecare offers the following tips to help reduce the chances for bruising, and to help heal bruising when it occurs:
Prevention:
Perform a safety assessment of the home, ensuring there are clear, wide walking paths with stumbling/tripping/bumping hazards removed. Hired Hands Homecare can help evaluate the senior’s home for safety hazards as well.
Encourage … Read More »
Diabetes Skin Care: Watch for These Warning Signs
For those with diabetes, each day is filled with a variety of tasks to ensure the disease remains under control: Checking blood sugar levels. Balancing meals. Managing medications. And it’s equally important for diabetics to protect against skin-related issues that can occur, particularly on the feet, which can be impacted by:
Nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy)
Poor circulation
Infection
Wound healing problems
And more
Hired Hands Homecare’s skilled in-home care team shares information on the following foot issues to watch for in your senior loved ones with diabetes:
Foot ulcers. Foot ulcers are common in diabetics as a result of sores that can’t be felt due to peripheral neuropathy, and they can quickly worsen and spread infection. Poor circulation can also make it difficult for foot sores to heal.
Bunions, corns or calluses. These can develop from an abnormal gait, improperly fitting shoes, or foot alignment issues.
Infections. Toenail infections … Read More »
Relieving the Pressure of Bed Sores
Impacting as many as one out of every ten older adults, and even more prevalent in those who smoke, suffer from chronic conditions such as diabetes, or whose skin is more fragile, bed sores (also known as pressure sores or pressure injuries) are not just extremely painful – they can quickly progress to infections that can spread to the bloodstream and even become life-threatening.
For those with limited mobility or who are bed- or wheelchair-bound, and those who care for them, the battle against bed sores can seem endless. Resulting from a lack of blood flow when remaining in one position for too long, it’s imperative for those caring for a senior loved one to educate themselves about pressure sore prevention. Try some of these tips to help protect your loved one’s vulnerable skin from these dangerous sores:
Frequent Position Changes
Hourly if … Read More »
Reduce Dry Skin in Seniors with These Tips
As we grow older, our skin becomes drier and more fragile. According to Medscape, as many as 75% of older adults live with dry, flaky skin, which is not only easily damaged (bruised, scratched, or cut), but also often results in uncomfortable itching. This is why senior skin care is so important.
The most prevalent areas for dry skin in older adults are the elbows, lower legs, and forearms. For seniors who are less mobile than they used to be, dry skin may also have a role in the development of pressure sores from remaining in one position too long in either the bed or a chair.
Dry skin can also result from the loss of oil and sweat glands. If your senior loved one is experiencing the discomfort of overly dry skin, Hired Hands Homecare can help! Try these tips to … Read More »
Did You Know About These Payment Options for Adaptive Devices?
Could your senior loved one benefit from more stability in the shower or tub? Does he or she require a walker or rollator to move around? Then it’s very likely that you’ll soon be looking to buy in-home adaptive devices. It’s also likely that you’re wondering how to pay for these assistive products, and if any of them may be included under Medicare or insurance.
Like in-home care services, there are various different options when it comes to buying home care supplies and equipment. The following are some of the possibilities available to assist you or a loved one in purchasing home medical products:
Medicare
If a person has Medicare Part A and qualifies for the Home Health Benefit, then Medicare will pay for 80 percent of the allowable cost for medically required durable medical equipment. If a person is covered by Medicare … Read More »
Looking for the Best Home Care Adaptive Equipment? Hired Hands Homecare Can Help.
Throughout aging, assistive home care tools can make daily life around the home simpler and safer. There are a plethora of adaptive equipment options for home care on the market today that can make seniors’ lives less hazardous and more comfortable. At Hired Hands Homecare, we wish to supply you with some insider tips for buying and using some of the most widely used pieces of home care equipment.
Commodes
A commode can be used in place of both an elevated toilet seat and a toilet safety framework and also has the added benefit of being mobile, so can be utilized separately at a bedside as well.
Tips for purchase:
Look for one that has non-removable armrests and rubber tips on the legs in place of wheels, and check for sturdiness.
Look for a commode that includes both a pail (with lid) and a sleeve … Read More »
Uncover the Myths and Truths Surrounding Seniors and Exercise
The positive factors of remaining physically active are extensive and apply to everyone, young and old alike. Very often when we hear professionals make suggestions for people to become more physically active, we incorrectly think that they are encouraging us to become athletes, runners, or body builders. We may also erroneously think that we need to hire a personal trainer, join a gym, or sign up for a 5K. Instead, what experts are motivating people to do is really quite simple – get your body in action and keep it moving as much as you can. This applies to seniors and exercise just as much as it is to their younger counterparts. As a matter of fact, seniors may even benefit more than younger adults from staying active.
If you think about it, moving can consist of a very wide range … Read More »
6 Ways the Great Outdoors Can Impact Senior Health
During our lives, we mark time by the change of seasons, and with each new season comes a bevy of outdoor experiences that spark our senses. In the spring, we can smell flowers or rain in the atmosphere. Summer is filled with sunlight that warms our skin and causes our eyes to squint. In the fall, we take pleasure in the cooler air that provides relief from summer’s heat.
According to one study, spending time outdoors makes us feel more alive. For the elderly who have limited access to transportation or diminished mobility, being exposed to the natural environment is even more crucial. Nature Deficit Disorder is a label that originally applied to children who stay indoors too much, watching TV and playing video games instead of playing outside. The term also can apply to older adults who are confined to … Read More »
The Tremendous Effects of Senior Socialization
It’s intuitive to most of us that socializing with others improves wellbeing by keeping one connected to other people’s experiences, beliefs, struggles, humor, viewpoints, and a number of other human occurrences. Now, however, scientific research is proving that socializing with others, and in particular senior socialization, actually may enhance the wellness of both brain and body.
The results point clearly to the benefits of friendship and social engagement for older adults. A study executed by Rush University Medical Center showed that someone who reported a high level of senior socialization was nearly twice as likely to remain free of a disability involving activities of daily living than somebody with a low level of social activity, and nearly 1.5 times as likely to remain free of disability involving instrumental activities of daily living or mobility. Very social older persons had a 70% … Read More »
If Your Loved One Has Parkinson’s Disease, Be Sure You Know the Heimlich Maneuver
If your senior loved one has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, you’ve likely become familiar with the most common symptoms: Tremors. Unsteady gait and balance. Slower movements. But you may not have realized another serious concern: difficulty with eating that can lead to choking.
Chewing and swallowing issues are, unfortunately, all too common in those with Parkinson’s disease, especially in the later stages of the disease. Since Parkinson’s patients are at a heightened risk of choking, everyone involved in the senior’s care should learn how to correctly perform the Heimlich maneuver in the event of an emergency.
Someone who is choking may gasp or cough, but will be unable to speak or breathe and needs immediate assistance. To perform the Heimlich maneuver on the person exhibiting signs of choking, follow these steps:
Standing behind the person, wrap your arms around his or her … Read More »
