For essentially the most part, our elders love their independence. Over time, their chronic health problems may leave them unable to do some things independently. Without a sudden event reminiscent of a fall, the slow decline in physical performance might not be obvious when the family visits their family members. And sooner or later, the activity your senior has at all times done alone becomes dangerous. But how can we tell after they reach that time?
The “activities of daily living” and safety
The medical community and residential care providers often discuss with an individual’s ability to operate at home by six activities called ADLs, or activities of each day living. This includes walking, bathing, dressing, using the bathroom, eating, and transferring from bed to chair and back again. There are many more things an individual does in a given day, but these six measures are sometimes used for various purposes in determining whether, with what, and in what amount an individual needs help. Here I’ll address just two of those six areas that pose quite common risks to aging family members.
Go
Some will use a stick, others will fight back
Older people often resist the thought of using tools to assist them walk safely. A cane, a walker or a wheelchair are symbols of a dependency that you do not need to face. My late mother-in-law illustrated this perfectly for us. She was 90 years old on the time. We visited her at a shared vacation spot. She was swaying and holding on to things as I watched her as we arrived. I gasped quietly! Shortly after we settled in, I suggested she consider a walker just to forestall her from falling. “I don’t want anyone to think I’m a cripple!” she said. Right. It was about her self-image, not safety. We rented a walker for her and it was amazing how significantly better she felt. Eventually she accepted this, but not and not using a long period of rejection. We were grateful that she didn’t fall throughout the time of stubborn refusal. We had to maintain track of her to get her to agree. Borrowing one to check out was a very good method to get the conversation going. We were there, showed her learn how to use it, and were in a position to show her the difference between how she looked walking and not using a walker and walking with it. That helped.
Bathe
Many, many falls by aging parents and other relations occur in the lavatory. Wet floors, slippery carpets, lack of grab bars, lack of balance when entering the bathtub or shower, arthritis and vision problems can all contribute to the chance of falls. In addition, the proximity of hard surfaces reminiscent of partitions, sinks, toilets, etc. to the places where the elderly person must go increases the danger. If you fall in the lavatory, you might hit something hard and break a bone or grow to be unconscious.
An illustration
As a nursing home nurse, I’m sometimes asked to assist families assess the protection of older adults at home. In a recent case, I watched a 77-year-old show me how she gets out and in of her tub day by day. The purpose was to assist her family members plan what would help her stay in her home. The danger was obvious. No grab bars, no railing on the bathtub, a slippery carpet and nobody to assist her. She was not wearing a private emergency device. She had arthritis in her hands and couldn’t hold anything. She was an accident waiting to occur!
This family was urged to take immediate motion to get help, upgrade the lavatory with safety devices reminiscent of bars and poles, and get them to conform to have a caregiver come day by day at bath time. Luckily she was ready. We also asked them to get a transportable device that might call for assist in the event of a fall. She agreed. There is now a big collection of devices, including smartwatches. She was open to the thought.
What family can do
With roughly 27% of individuals over 60 living alone within the United States in 2020, there may be a major safety risk. According to the Pew Research CenterThis number is anticipated to extend as boomers age. What does this mean for families? This may mean paying closer attention to how your aging parents and other family members are literally coping with their ADLs at home. We cannot afford to disregard the passage of time.
It’s not unusual for an aging parent to let you know they’re doing well even when they don’t seem to be. They don’t desire to fret you. They don’t desire to face their dwindling performance. They could also be embarrassed by the considered needing help. They secretly fear that you’ll “put them in a home.” The key to their safety may lie in communication and conducting your personal observations. We can only recommend personal commentary to get a transparent picture of how older people actually feel after they live alone and haven’t any help. Your words may not match what your eyes can let you know.
How are you able to assess safety yourself?
With a respectful request, you possibly can get your aging parents’ permission to look at them go to the lavatory, walk for you when you watch, dress, etc. Whatever your concern could also be, get to the purpose focus. If your aging loved one doesn’t have any chronic health problems, that is great. They are unusual. Most older people have multiple health problems and take medications. The medications can affect balance, which is an element of the overall need for close commentary to see for yourself if your beloved is secure at home alone.
If you do not feel like doing such a commentary yourself, you possibly can hire an expert care manager or a representative from a house care agency to do it for you. Their first purpose is to find out what the aging person needs and give you their services to fulfill them. They normally make a written proposal for what known as a care plan. Note that Medicare is not going to cover home care of this kind if an individual doesn’t require expert nursing care. The ADLs described above are considered a part of “custody care” and are usually not a Medicare-covered service because a certified, licensed person shouldn’t be required to help someone with these activities.
The takeaways
Family and friends might help prevent falls and hospitalizations by being proactive and arranging personal commentary of your aging parent. We cannot ignore that the autumn of an elder can trigger a downward spiral that doesn’t end well. We suggest:
- Learn about your aging parents’ diagnoses and medications and whether they seem like scuffling with any of their ADLs. You might have to ask them directly in the event that they experience an issue with any of the six points mentioned here.
- Watch them perform these ADLs yourself or hire someone to do it for you. Accept recommendations from professionals.
- Plan the way you pays for help at home whether it is to guard your aging parents or other family members there. Not everyone will accept the thought of moving into an assisted living facility. Try to respect your beloved’s wishes in a way that avoids danger, especially a fall.
