Most seniors take several medications and often have to take these several times during the day. Adding to that complication is the fact that some medications have to be taken before or after a meal, and others can be dangerous if taken together. Unfortunately, taking medications incorrectly can have serious side effects, or cause problems like stroke or symptoms of dementia. Families can help by supporting seniors with proper medication management. Here are some ideas of how families can help:
- Inventory Medication: Start by inventorying the medication in your loved one's home. Be sure to throw out expired or discontinued prescriptions so that these aren't taken by accident.
- Discuss Medications with Doctor: On the next doctor's appointment, take all of your senior family member's medications, both prescription and over-the-counter. Let the doctor review these and tell you how they should be used. Be sure to write down all the instructions. Throw away any over-the-counter drugs or supplements which aren't approved by the doctor.
- Use One Pharmacy: Many seniors go to several different doctors. The best way to make sure that the medicines prescribed do not cause bad reactions is to fill all of the prescriptions at the same pharmacy. That way, the pharmacist will be able to cross-check the medications before filling them. If your senior family member picks up their own prescriptions, you might want to discuss any concerns you have with the head pharmacist so they can be sure to double-check all prescriptions.
- Prepare a List of All Medications and Dosing: Having one list of all the medications and dosing information can prevent mistakes and be very helpful at doctor's visits and emergencies. Don't forget to update this after every doctor's visit when a new prescription is given. Moreover, it is a good idea to keep a copy for yourself as well as leaving one with your senior family member. Make sure your senior brings the list to all medical and dental appointments.
- Read the Patient Information Sheets on all Medications: All prescribed medications come with a patient sheet which clearly explains all medications and side effects. Read these each time your senior family member gets a new prescription, and keep track of any side effects they may be having so you can inform the doctor.
- Use Medicine Dosage Planner: When a person is taking a lot of different medications, they may have trouble remembering what they have taken that day. Help your senior family member remember what medications to take by buying a dosage planner. These come in different types, some of which allow you to put in doses that must be taken at different times during the day. Once a week, help your senior put their pills in the planner. That way, they won't have to remember what to take when, and if they aren't sure whether they have taken a medicine, they can just look to see if the pill is still in the container or not.
- Keep Other Medicines in Original Containers: Other than the pills in the planner, keep all other medicines in their original containers so that you can retrieve the information about them quickly in case of an emergency. Don't throw away containers until the refill has been obtained.
Supporting seniors with proper medication management can not only prevent serious side effects and overdosing, it can help seniors to have better emotional and physical health. Setting up a proper medication management system takes a little time, but will relieve your stress over your senior's medical care.
Forgetting things and being unable to do familiar tasks is frustrating to seniors and their caregivers. However, there are some simple ways for assisting seniors with memory loss. First of all, good health is an important part of retaining mental function. Caregivers need to be sure that seniors:
- Get a Good Diet with fruits, vegetables and enough calories
- Visit their Doctors regularly and get hearing and vision tested
- Have Plenty of Sleep.
- Exercise by walking and doing strength and balance exercises
- Socialize with friends and family
The most troubling aspect of memory loss for seniors is loss of independence. You can help them by:
- Organizing their living Environment by cleaning out things they don't use and putting things they need in a specific place. For more information, please see "Household Help for Seniors"
- Setting up Routines for dressing, eating, and other daily activities. Consider labeling important items or creating a list of instructions for certain tasks. Use pictures if the senior has trouble reading.
- Using Large Calendars and Notes to help remind them of important events, phone numbers and other information.
- Pill Organizers and Alarm Clocks can help seniors take their medicines on time.
Memories can be recalled and improved with many activities. Adults and children can work together to help seniors enjoy life more and remember better with:
- Scrapbooks and Pictures: Bring a laptop slideshow of recent family pictures, or bring pictures from the senior's past. Make a scrapbook of those pictures for the senior to look through on their own, or with other visitors. Frame and label pictures of favorite people and events and hang so the senior will see them.
- Questions: Seniors often remember earlier events in their lives more clearly than the present. Ask them about childhood memories, pets, friends and places. Record those memories to read back to them later.
- Read: Reminisce and Good Old Days publish articles about the past that you can read to seniors to help them remember.
- Slapstick Comedy: TheThree Stooges or Marx Brothers comedies have slapstick comedy that seniors can enjoy even if they can't follow plot lines very well. Moreover, laughter is great medicine for the brain and kids can enjoy watching these with their grandparents.
- Games: Seniors often enjoy simple games like tic-tac-toe, bingo, Memory, or the card game War. Furthermore, games are a wonderful way for kids to enjoy seniors. More alert seniors may even enjoy the Nintendo game Brain Age, developed to improve memories.
As we age, we get more aches and pains which makes it harder to exercise. Yet when seniors move less, they get weaker and more vulnerable to injury. Sometimes this happens so slowly, they don't even realize it until they find they can no longer get out of a chair easily or climb the stairs without pain.
Healthy exercising is essential for seniors to maintain their strength and health. Moreover, exercise also helps seniors have a more positive mental attitude. With all of these benefits in mind, how can families and caregivers assist Seniors in Healthy exercising?
Check with their Doctor: Before starting any exercise program it is important to check with a doctor to find out what is safe. The doctor might also be able to give instructions for exercises which are safe for that senior.
Encourage them to start: All of us need encouragement when we are contemplating starting exercising after a period of inactivity. Seniors may be afraid of falls or feel they can't exercise because of pain, previous injuries. You can help them understand how important this is to their health and also help them learn exercises they can do safely.
Tell them to Start Slowly: All seniors, but especially ones that have been inactive, need to start slowly on an exercise routine. Walking short distances on a level surface is a good way to start. If able, seniors can climb stars or lift very light weights a few times each day.
Help Them Plan an Exercise Program: Following the doctor's guidelines, assist the senior in devising an exercise plan that includes all of the following types of exercises, each of which contributes to healthy exercising:
1. Exercises that Increase Heart Rate: Exercises that make the whole body move help the heart to stay healthy. Examples of good cardio exercises for seniors are walking, water aerobics, swimming or exercise bicycling.
2. Exercises that Help with Balance: Balance exercises are essential for helping seniors to keep from falling. Most balance exercises seek to strengthen the muscles of the legs and give the body a chance to practice balancing. Examples of simple balance exercises are holding on to a counter and lifting one foot up and balancing. Another exercise is to sit on a chair and lift the legs up one by one and point the toe. By doing several repetitions each day, seniors will develop the muscles to walk more securely.
3. Exercises that Increase Flexibility: Flexibility exercises stretch the muscles and are an excellent way to reduce pain and stiffness. Increased flexibility also helps with balance. Many of these stretching exercises can be done while sitting to keep seniors safe. One exercise is to sit and just point the toe of one foot in different directions, slowly stretching the muscles. Similarly, seniors can stretch their trunk and arms by sitting and reaching up and out slowly. Many more simple flexibility exercises can be done by holding a towel and pulling.
4. Exercises that Increase Muscle Strength: Using small weights and doing lifts with arms can be very helpful for seniors. Generally, it helps to choose plastic coated weights that the senior can easily lift. Sitting while lifting weights also helps keep seniors safe.
Younger people enjoy exercising with others and seniors can enjoy that too. Another way to assist Seniors with healthy exercising is to investigate community resources for senior exercise programs at senior centers or organizations like the YMCA. With help, seniors can exercise into a healthier and happier life.
If your eldery parent is in bed or in a bedroom most or all of the time, you need to set up his or her room for days of dining and entertainment, as well as for safety. Below are steps to follow to assists seniors when they are in this situation.
* Make sure your parent is situated on the same floor as a bathroom that is close to his or her bedroom. If this is not possible, buy a commode for his or her room.
* It is best that your parent's bedroom has a good size window with a view, or bright pictures on the wall.
* Arrange the room so there is a sitting area for visitors, and for your parent if he or she is not bedbound. For instance, have a chair or two, a reading lamp, and a table near a window or in front of a television set.
* Place a table near the bed where he or she can store all the day's needs. For example, magazines or books, pills, a water glass and pitcher, a lamp, a telephone, a radio, writing paper, a clock, a calendar, remote controls, etc.
* Set up a television so your parent can watch it easily, and make sure he or she has a remote control.
* Buy a large pillow for sitting up comfortably in bed. Another option is finding a medical Supply store and purchasing some large triangular shaped foam cushions that are designed for propping people up. It would be good to supplement this with regular pillows.
* You can buy or rent all sorts of equipment to make bed rest more manageable. For example, you can get an electric or manual hospital bed, side rails for getting up or turning over, a trapeze above the bed to grab and pull up on, a hospital style table that slides over the bed, wheelchairs, and walkers. Medicare may cover some of the cost for these items.
* If the house is large, put a monitor by the bed so your parent can call for someone. Or buy a telephone with an intercom. If he or she lives alone, make sure there is a phone by the bed.
* Stock some nonperishable foods by the bed. You might even buy a miniature refrigerator for his or her room or load up a cooler with food each morning if you're away much of the day.
Source:
"How To Care For Aging Parents" By Virginia Morris
An eldery parent living alone who is dealing with bad eyesight, arthritis, poor balance, short term memory loss, confusion, and/or other health problems puts him or her at risk for accidents in the home. Below are some in home care safety tips to follow.
* Put a 911 reminder near the phone or designate one button for 911. keep a clearly written, large print list of other emergency phone numbers by every phone, or program them into the telephone's memory. It is also a good idea to alert local police and fire department that your parent is elderly and lives alone. Ask if there are any special precautions you should take.
* Make sure that chemicals, harsh cleaners, insecticides, medications, paints, ect. are all labled with big, clear letters. If your parent gets confused easly, put them out of sight completely.
* Check to see that smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors all work. Your parent's waning sense of smell makes a smoke detector that much more important. It is best to check all detectors every month, and they should be located on every floor of the house, and in bedrooms.
* Buy a small fire extinguisher that is easy to handle and put it in a clear visible place, preferably in the kitchen, where fires often start. Make sure your parent knows how to use the extinguisher.
* Have at least two flashlights, with working batteries, ready to use and easy to find if the lights go out. Put one by your parent's bed and one on the kitchen table. If there is a blackout, several large flashlights are safer than candles.
* Because of their thinner skin and slower reactions, elderly people are at risk for scalding. Set the hot water heater so the temperature of the water doesn't rise above 120 degrees F.
* An elderly parent living alone should have an emergency response system. The ERS provides your elderly parent a help button which can be worn as a pendant or a wrist band. At the response center your parent is identified by a code. If he or she falls, has chest pains, or needs help for any reason, he or she pushes the button which triggers his or her telephone to automatically dial a response center. The center will then send help immediately.
Source:
"How To Care For Aging Parents" by Virginia Morris
Starting home care services for elderly loved ones can be difficult if they are resistant to having help. Here are some helpful tips to get home care started.
1. Talk with your elderly loved one about the idea of doing a trial period with a home care agency. Explain to him or her that they are not obligated to use a specific agency or caregiver for a required period of time. Most agencies have a two hour minimum for each visit, and after that, it is up to the customer on the frequency of services. It can be for one day, a week, a month, or whatever they are comfortable with for a trial period. Home care agencies deal with this all the time so do not feel you are being difficult.
2. If you are someone (spouse, child, grandchild) who is already providing care to an elderly loved one, you can present it to him or her that you are the one that needs the help. For instance, you need someone to help you clean the home, prepare meals, and run errands. With this approach, you are eliminating the mind set of it being about them.
3. Let your elderly loved one be in the process of choosing the caregiver or home care provider. Set up interviews with various home care agencies. When you set up an interview with a home care agency, make sure the person who will be providing the care is attending the interview. This is important because it will allow you to ask them specific questions. It will also help you determine if the person is going to be a good fit based on their personality and how well they communicated with your elderly loved one. If the person interviewed well and your elderly loved one liked the person, then getting home care services started will be much easier.