Staying safe at home is something that family caregivers and seniors need to pay close attention to, especially if seniors want to age in place. Maintaining comfort and avoiding safety issues is a lot easier for aging adults to do with the right help, like what home care services can offer. Professional caregivers offer personalized support that allows seniors to avoid accidents and stay aware of possible health risks.
Home Safety and Seniors
Physical changes, health issues, and cognitive challenges all increase the risk of injuries and accidents for seniors over time. When seniors have more difficulty navigating their homes safely, that limits quality of life. Some seniors even stop moving around much at all, which can cause them to lose muscle tone and mobility even faster. Staying safe at home is paramount, and elder care services can do so much to keep seniors as safe as possible.
Help with Mobility and Transfers
One way that home care providers help with senior safety is by assisting them as they walk around their homes, get in and out of bed, and transfer to the bathtub. All of these tasks are ones that seniors might have handled safely on their own in the past, but find more challenging now. Caregivers can also help seniors learn how to safely use assistive tools, like canes.
Medication Safety
When seniors take multiple medications, it may not always be obvious to them when they’re experiencing increased side effects from those medications. Home care providers are not nurses, so they can’t administer medicines, but they can pay attention to how medications affect seniors. They can also remind seniors to take their medications as prescribed and at the correct times.
Fall Prevention
Falls are one of the biggest sources of injury for aging adults. Focusing on removing tripping hazards, correcting lighting issues, and performing safety assessments can help aging adults avoid the vast majority of fall risk factors. Home care assistance can stay on top of potential issues that could lead to a fall, helping seniors stay as safe as they can.
Monitoring Health Conditions
Having professional caregivers around more often gives seniors someone who can pay attention to new health issues or new symptoms related to existing health problems. Home care providers can also make sure seniors are hydrating properly, eating regular and balanced meals, and that they have immediate help if something changes.
Peace of Mind for the Entire Family
For family caregivers, knowing that there are experienced home care providers there with their aging adults can be a huge relief. Family caregivers may have a lot of other responsibilities to juggle, but that doesn’t mean they don’t worry about the seniors they love. Reducing caregiver stress allows them to focus on quality time with their aging family members.
Safety at home involves a variety of different issues, particularly for seniors. Home care providers offer essential support with so many of those concerns while also helping seniors hold onto as much of their independence as they can.
If you or an aging loved one are considering home care in Minneapolis, MN and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.
