Wednesday, 28 August 2019

The Dangers of Living Alone for the Elderly

According to recent research, about 90% of people who have reached 65 years of age want to stay at home and are not willing to live in an assisted living. Although they can completely lead an independent life, there are still some physical and mental conditions that can be hazardous when living alone.

It is of utmost importance to ensure that the environment in which your loved ones are living is safe and is capable of meeting their immense needs. The best that works in such a situation is moving to an assisted living community, wherein their health is properly monitored, medication managed and social activities included.

If you too are struggling to make your elderly loved one understand the importance of assisted living, then here are some dangers involved in living alone that they need to know:
  • The condition of the home like a cluttered and dirty house, loose carpets, steep stairs, and poor lighting affects the living conditions of your elderly because of difficulty in managing home.
  • Difficulty in managing their medication schedule on their own
  • Do they desire to interact with friends and family when loneliness strikes them often?
  • They may begin acting differently and might face problems in managing daily household chores like maintaining food quantities in the house, paying electricity bills, etc, which shows that they are the early signs of Alzheimer's disease.
  • Poor eyesight
  • Changes in their social interactions, appearance and loved one's hygiene.
  • Deteriorating health, recurring strokes, physical impairments, and the diseases like Parkinson's may require professional help and care.
It is time to watch for these signs and take a wise decision because it may be hard to admit but caring for your loved one becomes much easier when you have professional help by your side. If you too are looking for some professional help, whether it's in-home care or assisted living for your elder care assistance in Contra Costa County, then look no further than Always Best Care. We are the experts in elderly care and work dedicatedly in exceeding your expectations. Call us on (925) 210-0323 or visit our website https://www.alwaysbestcare.com/ca/walnut-creek/ for more information.

Tips for Successfully Communicating with an Alzheimer’s Patient

Dementia and Alzheimer's disease slowly diminishes a person's ability to communicate and they are often are found struggling with concepts and language. In situations like these, it becomes even more vital to learn the art of communicating with your elderly loved one effectively and lovingly. Patients with dementia require love hence; it requires a great amount of patience, and good listening skills to understand the person better.

With constant behavioral changes, it becomes vital to understand some tips that can help to have better communications. Some of these are:
  • Alzheimer's or dementia patients require excessive care, and it becomes vital to deal them with compassion and patience for having a smooth communication. If you allow your loved one to take their time in answering or speaking or find them struggling with the language, and sentences; act calmly and observe their behavior. Listening patiently is the key!
  • Not everything has to be spoken to understand well because about 93% communication is non-verbal. Smiling often can help to lighten your mood and at the same time reduce the stress that helps in bringing the patient and the caregiver closer.
  • Dementia patients tend to live in their world, with time. Your friendship is important for your loved one in this difficult situation, hence adopting a calm attitude will work wonders for them. Avoid engaging in an argument, try asking open-ended questions to eliminate confusion.
  • Maintain eye contact with the patient so that they remain focused upon what you're saying and try speaking slowly and clearly and avoid giving too many instructions at one time, as this may confuse them.
Always remember that communication doesn't stop if your loved one has been diagnosed with Dementia. Memory changes impact their communication abilities and your support and love are what can ease their life. If you too have an Alzheimer's patient and are facing difficulties to communicate with them effectively, then experts in senior care are surely there to rescue you. Always Best Care has expert caregivers for both in-home care and assisted living that work well to serve your needs. Contact Always Best Care for geriatric care in Contra Costa County at (925)210-0323.