When you first become a caregiver, one of the biggest issues you might worry about can be your senior’s risk of falling. There are plenty of good reasons to worry about that, too. Falls are a huge source of future health issues for aging adults and preventing them needs to be at the top of your list.
You Need to Talk to Her about Fall Risk
Often caregivers make the mistake of believing that talking about fall risk with their aging adult is going to make the situation worse. But you really do need to bring the topic up with your senior. Let her know that you’re concerned and that there are things you can both do to help prevent falls. She may let you know what she’s concerned about, too.
You Also Need to Talk to Her Doctor
Now that you and your senior have talked with each other, it’s time to talk to her doctor. Her doctor can help her to determine what her actual fall risk is. Factors such as her current health conditions and her overall prognosis can be a tremendous indicator of how likely she is to experience a fall. There may be solutions that you can put in place, such as physical therapy or other preventative treatments.
Assistive Devices Promote Independence
One reason that some aging adults worry about talking about falls can be the likelihood that at some point devices such as walkers or canes might come up. For some aging adults, these assistive devices are an indication that they’re getting older and that they’re dependent on others for everything now. In reality, that doesn’t have to be the case. Assistive devices help to ensure that your senior is actually more mobile and independent.
Vision, Medication, and Hearing All Factor In
So much can play a part in helping your senior to avoid taking a nasty fall. Checking both her vision and her hearing regularly can help to prevent issues. Also, make sure that you talk with her doctor periodically about the medications that your elderly family member is taking. Sometimes medications can create a situation that makes your aging adult more susceptible to falling.
The better your care plan is for preventing falls the less likely your senior will be to face one. Hiring senior care providers can give you a big leg up on maintaining those plans once you put them in place.
If You Or An Aging Loved One Are Considering Hiring Senior Care in Seminole, FL, Please Contact The Caring Staff At Assisting Hands Home Care Today! 727-748-4211.
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Becky Moultrie is Owner and Administrator of Assisting Hands Home Care Serving Pinellas. Guided by a motto to Do Good with Love, she’s well positioned to do just that at Assisting Hands. She has a passion for helping families keep seniors and those who are diabled happy and healthy at home. She serves on a number of boards in Pinellas County including the Pinellas Park Gateway Chamber and Better Living Seniors (BLS), leading the Membership Committee. Annually, she hosts a Silver Santa Party, collecting donations for nearly 100 low income seniors in the county. She attends Blessed Sacrament Church, Seminole where she is an Ascribed Member of the Rosminian Order. When not busy Doing Good in the community, Becky is at home with her husband David & their 4 children, tending to their beehives and digging in the garden.