Pabitra Biswa is our March Employee of the Month. We want to thank Pabi for being caring, dedicated, and there for our clients. We also want to say thanks for her hard work and the fantastic job she does on her documentation. Pabi, we are so grateful to have you with us, and we want to show our appreciation by naming you employee of the month. Congratulations!
Month: February 2019
Why Does a Senior with Alzheimer’s Disease Wander?
Wandering is one of the more disturbing behaviors that people with Alzheimer’s disease can develop. It’s upsetting for you as her caregiver because she can go missing so easily. These are some of the big reasons why your elderly family member might wander.
She’s Following Old Habits
Recent memories and experiences are more difficult for your elderly family member to process and to remember with Alzheimer’s disease. This is often why your elderly family member mentions the past a lot or tries to follow old habit patterns, such as trying to get ready for work when it’s been a few decades since she went to work regularly. Those old habits feel more comfortable than her life now does.
She’s Afraid or Upset
When something happens that your elderly family member isn’t expecting or that upsets her, she may want to simply leave that situation. It’s a coping mechanism that people experience before Alzheimer’s disease, but they don’t necessarily act on it. This is a way for your elderly family member to try to protect herself from something she doesn’t want to be around.
She’s Confused
Confusion is extremely common for people with Alzheimer’s disease. Your senior’s brain just doesn’t work the same way that it used to so things just don’t make as much sense as they once did. Your elderly family member may experience greater degrees of confusion at different times of day, so it can help for you to track what’s confusing her and what’s going on around that period of confusion.
She’s Restless or Bored
When your elderly family member has excess energy or is bored, that can manifest as a need to wander. You might want to try experimenting with an exercise plan that her doctor recommends. Another idea is to find activities that are challenging but not too difficult for her. This allows her to stave off boredom more readily.
She Has a Basic Need that Isn’t Being Met
One really big reason that your elderly family member might seem to wander more often is that it’s more difficult for her to meet basic needs on her own. If she’s hungry or if she needs the bathroom, she might forget where to go to meet that need. Labeling rooms can help, but it can also help to have a fairly tight schedule that includes bathroom breaks, snack times, and other important events. That way it’s easier to narrow down what your senior might need.
Getting to the reasons behind your senior’s wandering can help you to curtail it. Working with elder care providers can help you to get there faster. They can help you and your senior find new routines that help to prevent these and other potential causes for wandering and other Alzheimer’s disease habits.
IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING IN-HOME ELDER CARE IN WAUKEE, IA, FOR AN ELDERLY LOVED ONE, CONTACT GOLDEN HEART SENIOR CARE OF DES MOINES, IA AT 515-631-5033. OUR CARING STAFF CAN ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS!
Why Seniors Need Help After Fracturing a Bone
Besides common age-related diseases like cancer, liver disease and strokes, elderly adults can sustain broken bones via slip and fall accidents. While a broken bone may not seem that impactful, it can make a big difference in a senior’s health and wellness. Because aging adults don’t heal as fast as younger adults, they can be looking at weeks and months of recovery.
Many elderly adults live independently in their own home and need little help from others. However, once they break a bone, they could be facing a long road back toward independence. In the meantime, they will struggle to care for themselves. Family caregivers that worry about how their elderly loved ones will get along while recovering from a broken bone should consider hiring a senior care provider.
Facts About Fractured Bones and Seniors
Broken bones can be devastating to aging adults because of the long-term recovery process. Because bones in the elderly are often weakened due to arthritis, cancer or osteoporosis, they break more easily and heal more slowly. The trauma associated with a broken bone can also lead to soft tissue and circulation damage, chronic pain and infection. Most seniors experience a reduction in mobility and independence.
Often, at least during the months of recovery, elderly adults are not able to carry out the daily functions of living. This means that they can’t do things like shower, dress, prepare meals or do laundry. When seniors can’t take care of their home or themselves, family caregivers need to take over and get them the help they need. Many hire senior care providers to come to the aging adult’s home and assist them as they recover from their broken bone.
How Senior Care Providers Help Elderly Adults with Fractures
Aging adults are most likely to suffer from fractures in the wrist, hip, pelvis, ribs, or leg. These are serious injuries that can take months to heal. Often, seniors don’t fully recover and may need in-home care for the rest of their lives. Other conditions can lead to more health complications, both physical and mental. Whether it’s for months or years, senior care providers can give aging adults the help they need to maintain the lifestyle they enjoy at home.
Senior care providers can take over many of the daily tasks that cause elderly adults stress, such as light housekeeping, laundry and meal preparation. They can also help with self-care duties. In other words, senior care providers can assist with showering or bathing, getting dressed, grooming and all hygiene matters. Senior care providers are also good companions for seniors who might otherwise spend too much time alone. There’s really no downside for family caregivers to hire a senior care provider for their elderly relative as they recover from a broken bone.
IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING IN-HOME SENIOR CARE IN INDIANOLA, IA, FOR AN ELDERLY LOVED ONE, CONTACT GOLDEN HEART SENIOR CARE OF DES MOINES, IA AT 515-631-5033. OUR CARING STAFF CAN ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS!