Fall Prevention: How Can You Prevent Your Senior From Taking a Tumble in Greenville?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 out of every 3 seniors over the age of 65 will fall each year. Because they are so common and can result in a vast array of injuries, ranging from mild to deadly, falls are cited as the leading cause of injury death among the elderly population. The senior care professionals at Always Best Care of Greenville, serving Greenville, Greer, Simpsonville, Taylors, Fountain Inn, and Mauldin, know that, because of the damage that a tumble could cause, fall prevention is a primary responsibility of caregivers. 

Accidents are not always avoidable and, despite your best efforts, your senior may still suffer from a fall; however, you have the ability to minimize the risk that such an accident will take place. These tips will assist you in creating a living space that encourages your elderly loved one to maintain their mobility while ensuring their health. 

1. Keep your loved one's home free of clutter. Shoes that are left by the front door, objects strewn through the hallway, and other misplaced items can all cause your senior to trip. A daily cleaning effort will keep this issue under control. 

2. Fix any damage to the walking surfaces of your senior's home, both inside and out. From cracked sidewalks to warped hardwoods, a variety of damaged surfaces can spark a stumble. Protect your loved one by repairing or replacing flooring and other surfaces that pose a threat to their wellbeing. Remove any throw rugs that don't lay flat and put slip-resistant backings on those that do. 

3. Ensure that your senior has access to necessary safety devices. From rails placed in the hallway to handlebars in the bathroom, these devices will assist them in remaining upright. Ensuring that such devices are properly installed is of particular importance in the bathroom, where grab bars should be securely anchored into the studs in the wall. Additionally, non-slip pads in the shower, elevated toilet seats, and shower/tub seats will also help your loved one stay safe in the bathroom. 

4. Reinforce the importance of proper lighting. Make sure that all of the lights in your senior's home work and that they are used. By better seeing the walkway, elderly individuals can more effectively avoid a fall. 

5. Install a stair lift if your loved one cannot walk up the stairs on their own. The addition of a second railing, which is anchored into the wall, will also improve the safety with which elderly individuals can make their way up to other levels of their home. 

6. Remember to lock wheelchairs when transferring your senior into or out of them. This will enhance the safety of such a transfer and keep the wheelchair from rolling away while helping your loved one get situated. 

The senior care professionals at Always Best Care of Greenville know just how dangerous a fall can be. As such, they encourage you and your senior to work together to identify and address the factors that create the greatest risk for an accident. By following these tips and asking your senior if there are any other ways in which you can help them prevent a fall, you can minimize the odds that your loved one will take a tumble. 

Alzheimer's Care Greenville: Basics of Alzheimer's Disease

By Bruce Meyer

When dealing with Alzheimer's Care in Greenville, chances are high that you know someone who has already had an experience with Alzheimer’s disease. Maybe an elderly parent has the disease, or perhaps they had a grandparent who had the condition. Unfortunately, many people have had some sort of experience with this illness. If you have an elderly loved one in your life, the professionals at Always Best Care, which serves Greenville, Greer, Simpsonville, Taylors, Fountain Inn, and Mauldin, encourage you to educate yourself on the basics of this condition.

The Alzheimer’s Association explains that Alzheimer’s disease is an issue with the brain that leads to problems with thinking, behavior, and memory. It’s more common to see cases of Alzheimer’s among elderly individuals, but this disease is not just a routine part of aging. Just because your loved one is getting older does not mean that they will get the condition, which is degenerative and worsens over time.  

Each elderly individual with Alzheimer’s disease experiences different symptoms; however, many people note that forgetfulness is a telltale sign of this condition. While forgetfulness is often a common sign of the aging process, the forgetfulness shown with Alzheimer’s disease is strong enough to impact a senior’s daily life. That elderly individual is no longer able to participate in hobbies, and they have a hard time functioning at work or at home. 

Alzheimer’s causes seniors to become easily confused and disoriented. Your loved one may feel lost even if they’re in a familiar place. People with Alzheimer’s disease frequently misplace things, and may struggle with words and speaking. 

Other major symptoms of this condition include: the inability to make good decisions, trouble managing money, poor conversation skills, and a loss of interest in socializing. The senior may also misplace their belongings frequently. 

There is not currently a known cure for this condition, but there are several drugs that can help control and manage symptoms of the disease. Your loved one’s treatment plan will vary depending on the severity of their condition and their medical history. 

It’s important to note differences between Alzheimer’s disease and normal aging. Sometimes the symptoms are similar, and you may feel confused about whether your elderly loved one is displaying signs of aging or a more serious problem. A typical sign of aging is when a person forgets the day of the week but later remembers. An indicator of Alzheimer’s disease is when a senior frequently loses sense of the passage of time. Though the differences are subtle, they’re important. 

Families with elderly individuals should know some basic information about Alzheimer’s disease so they’re able to identify early signs and symptoms of this condition. As you learn about indicators of Alzheimer’s, it’s important to remember that there are normal signs of aging that don’t necessarily indicate that your senior may have Alzheimer’s. The professionals at Always Best Care of Greenville encourage you to learn the subtle differences so you’re able to take note of any changes in your elderly loved one. 

Senior Care Greenville SC: When to Hire Professional Home Care Services

By Bruce Meyer

When dealing with senior care Greenville SC, you may say "what's going on!?" about their living situation. You want your senior to feel independent and like they have their own space, but you may worry about their quality of life if they live completely on their own. If you’re debating about whether you should provide your senior with professional home care, the people at Always Best Care, which serves Greenville, Greer, Simpsonville, Taylors, Fountain Inn, and Mauldin, encourage you to consider a couple things about your elderly loved one’s current situation.

What is your senior’s home like?

If you visit your elderly loved one and frequently find garbage strewn about the house, dust covering surfaces in the home, and old mail on the table, it may indicate that your senior needs help performing daily home maintenance tasks. If you open your senior’s refrigerator and find old food, or no food at all, the elderly individual may not have the ability or energy to do weekly grocery shopping trips. Your senior may need help with food preparation, and having assistance with daily household chores like cooking and cleaning can benefit your elderly loved one tremendously.

What’s your senior’s mobility like?

If your senior struggles to answer the ringing phone or get up to go to the bathroom, these signs can act as indicators that your elderly loved one might benefit from an extra set of hands in the home. A senior care professional can assist the elderly individual during baths and trips to the toilet. This individual can also help with reaching things from cabinets or lifting heavy objects. 

The assistance of a professional home care service is often beneficial to many seniors. They’re able to maintain their independence and live in the comfort of their own homes, but they have someone to assist with projects that they simply may not have the strength or ability to complete on a regular basis.

The professionals of Always Best Care of Greenville  encourage you to have a conversation with your senior so you can find out what their level of comfort is when it comes to living on their own and having help around the house. You want your elderly loved one to feel good about the use of a professional home care service; you want them to understand that the person is there to enhance their freedom and mobility. An honest dialogue will put you and your senior on the same page about elder care needs and expectations.  

For a free e-book on senior care issues, please click here to have one sent to you free of charge.

For more information, please contact +Bruce Meyer at  (864) 527-0464.