How to Spot Malnutrition in Seniors and How You Can Help?

It’s estimated that around 16% of Americans aged 65 or older eat under 1000 calories a day. This also means that almost everyone in this category is at risk for malnutrition. 

Your body doesn’t require as many calories as it once did as you age. While this is true, it does require more B vitamins, calcium, and protein than it did in the past (along with other essential nutrients). Seniors are especially at risk of malnutrition because their dietary needs differ from younger adults. Unfortunately, many people aren’t aware of these differences – including their caregivers. 

There is some good news. Caregivers can take some practical steps to help ensure their senior loved one or patient does not become malnourished. 

Signs of Malnutrition in Seniors 

There are a few signs and indications that your senior loved one or patient may be struggling with malnourishment. These include:

• Unintentional weight loss

• Lower body weight

• Muscle weakness

• Clothes that no longer fit well

• Falls

• Lack of energy or depression

• Issues with chewing and swallowing

• Issues with memory

• Old or expired food in the home

• Dry, cracked skin

• Frequent illness

• Not remembering the last time they ate

If you notice these signs, it is time to act and help ensure your senior loved one or patient begins eating a healthy diet that will ensure they get the nutrients they need. 

How You Can Help

Some of the ways that you can help a senior who is malnourished or at risk of this can be found here. 

Prepare Food for the Senior

It’s a good idea to make sure the senior has food ready to eat at all times. You should try to focus on foods that will be easy for them to swallow, like smoothies, yogurt, soups, and other softer food items. 

Pick Up Groceries 

Pick up groceries each week for a senior or arrange to have them delivered to their home. If needed, help them put all the items away. You can also order a meal delivery program for them, which ensures they have everything they need for healthy meals three times a day. 

Ensure They Have Access to Snacks

You should make sure that seniors have access to healthy snacks for in-between meals. This should include things like seeds, nuts, vegetables, fruits, and protein. 

Encourage Friends and Family Members to Visit

If you provide a senior with senior care services, you should encourage family and friends to visit when you aren’t there. Not only will this help with making sure the senior is eating, but also ensure they don’t fall or experience some other type of accident while you are away. 

Making Sure a Senior Doesn’t Experience Malnourishment 

As a caregiver for a senior, it’s your job to help ensure the senior is happy and healthy. This includes making sure they eat enough to avoid malnourishment. Keep the tips above in mind to ensure a senior does not experience this problem.

Four Fall Prevention Safeguards For Seniors At Home

We get it-  mom and dad often want to stay at home, because it's what they know.

 In fact, there’s a broader trend these days for seniors to stay in their own homes, especially if they have some semblance of mobility later in life.

 To some extent, people's preservation of their range of motion indicates whether they can stay in a home or whether they need to skilled nursing care facility.

 In any case, here are three important fall prevention considerations for when an aging person is staying in their home.

 Ramp with Rail

 One key fall prevention method is replacing a traditional stairway with a ramp, and making sure that a secure handrail is available to guide seniors up and down.

 One of the best examples is a front door that is elevated from the ground.

 Typically speaking, there is a small set of stairs that people navigate in order to go in and out of the house.

 Many of the best ramps that are placed over the stairways are secure metal designs made with a standard for ADA compliance.

 These can be added to the property in order to protect seniors who are living there.

 Floor Grip Installations

 It's generally recommended that people who are protecting senior family members or others remove loose rugs and runners on the floor of a home (which is usually a one level house.)

 As an additional safeguard, you can install high grip surfaces that help seniors to gain traction as they move.

 ADA Bathroom

 Another of the most vulnerable parts of the house is the bathroom.

 Adding handrails and ADA shower facilities will also help to protect your elderly loved one from falling.

 Stair Climber Lifts

 Stair climbing chairs are a must for multilevel buildings. One of the greatest forests is a full flight of stairs, which unfortunately contains its own significant hazards for anyone with decreased mobility.

 When getting someone to a one level building is impossible, these stair lifts are a workable way to move a senior individual around a building. Some other types of lifts often also have ceiling mounted designs that are useful.

 Ow do you make mom or dad safe at home? Talk to Like Home Care Arizona for help in the state of AZ with senior living plans. Having a plan now can help you to rest easy later, while your elderly loved one stays securely in his or her home. 

Great Tips For Senior Citizens Trying to Keep Their Minds Sharp

As you get older, the number of physical and mental changes you experience will grow. If you have chosen to age in place, then you need to work on staying one step ahead of health problems. Not only do you need to focus on things like diet and exercise to stay healthy, you also need to figure out how to keep your mind sharp. 

Cognitive decline is a problem that affects nearly 13% of the senior citizens in the United States. Luckily, there are a number of things you can do to slow this decline and keep your mind firing on all cylinders. If you are trying to keep your mind sharp as you age, consider the great tips in this article.  

Realize the Importance of Sleep

Your mind and body need a few basic things to thrive. One of the main things the human mind needs to stay sharp is the right amount of rest. Ideally, you want to get between seven to nine hours of sleep every night. Not only is sleep great for your brain health, it can also help you increase your energy levels during the day. 

If you are struggling to sleep at night, then you need to develop a routine to follow. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day can be beneficial. You also need to eliminate any distractions that could prohibit you from sleeping things. Loud televisions and smartphones are just a few of the things that can keep you up at night. Removing these distractions can help you wind down and get to sleep. If you have tried these suggestions with no success, reach out to your primary care physician for some help. 

Assess Your Daily Diet

Did you realize that healthy foods can delay the onset of certain memory diseases? If you are currently consuming a steady diet of junk food and sugar, you need to stop immediately. Instead of choosing unhealthy options, you need to consume more nuts, whole grains, fish and berries. If you are unable to cook meals due to physical limitations, then hiring a home care provider to assist you is a good idea. 

The team at Like Family Home Care can provide you with things like cooking, cleaning, transportation and personal care. With the right help, you can consume healthy meals and give your brainpower a boost. 

Let Your Creative Side Shine Through

Having a hobby or passion you can spend time performing is also important when trying to keep your mind sharp. Creative pursuits like pottery, painting and knitting allow you to give your mind a workout. Letting your creative side shine through can also help you control stress levels. If you don’t currently have a creative outlet, then you need to learn a new skill. There are tons of classes you can attend and online videos you can watch to learn a new creative skill. 

If you are serious about keeping your mind sharp, you need to implement the tips in this article.

Tackle Potential Home Hazards For Elderly Sooner Rather Than Later

Experiencing physical limitations is a natural part of the aging process. Aging can negatively impact a person’s sensory organs affecting smell, taste, hearing, touch, and vision. When any of these sensory changes begin to happen to older adults, their homes can become hazardous to their health. 

We can undermine some of the negative consequences of aging on a loved one’s lifestyle by being proactive. Tackling specific challenges before they become issues will allow us to provide the best quality of living and safety for our elderly family and friends. One of the most helpful ways you can impact an aging loved one’s life is by addressing the possible hazards in their home early before they cause frustration or injury. 

Falls are the number one cause of an older adult’s injury that potentially leads to a diminished quality of life. You can help keep at-home falls and accidents at bay by implementing a few changes in your aging loved one’s home. 

Secure Or Remove Loose Rugs

Rugs are essential for warmth and comfort within a home as they provide a soft, insulated surface over cold, hard flooring. However, rugs are also potential hazards for aging people as they can easily slide and bunch up if not appropriately secured to the floor. Ensure all the rugs in the house are secured in place and remove any. You may consider replacing small flimsy rugs with more oversized heavy rugs to decrease the chances of slipping. 

Keep Stairs Clear From Clutter

It is easy to use stairs as waiting areas for items we need to take on our way or down. As we age, navigating stairs becomes trickier and, thus, more dangerous. To be safe, remove any items from stairways so that your loved one is less likely to be tripped up on their ascent and descent. This also means securing or removing stair runners to ensure sure footing. 

Rethink Kitchen Organization

While most aging people cook less and less at home, they spend ample time preparing meals and snacks for themselves in their kitchen. Many accidents happen in the kitchen due to overreaching, overextending, and becoming off-balance. Take time to reorganize the kitchen, remove unused items out of the way, and place most used items within easy reach. The less mess in the kitchen to maneuver around is better for the safety of your aging loved one. 

Start Home Care Services Earlier Rather Than Later

Many of us consider elderly home care services reserved for when a person can no longer safely live at home by themselves. However, you can extend the amount of time your aging loved one remains happily in their home by employing home care services earlier rather than later. Consult your professional home care services agency to see what services they offer and how these services can help your aging loved one thrive. 

Tips to Protect Your Senior Loved One from a Fall

It’s estimated that one in four Americans over the age of 65 fall each year. In fact, falls are the top cause of nonfatal and fatal injuries in seniors. 

Falls often cause head injuries, broken bones, hip fractures, and other issues. Also, falls without major injuries may cause an older adults to become depressed or fearful and prevent them from remaining active. 

While falls can be devastating for some seniors, there are some tips you can use to help protect your senior loved one from a fall. Keep reading to learn more. 

Find Out Their Concerns 

It’s a good idea to ask your senior loved one if they are worried about falling. Some older adults know falling is a risk, but they don’t think it will happen to them, or if it does, they don’t think they will be hurt – even if they have fallen before. 

If your senior loved one is worried about balance, dizziness, or falling, talk to their doctor. They can assess the risk and make suggestions on services that can help. 

Talk About Underlying Health Issues 

It’s important to find out if your senior loved one has any issues managing their health. For example, do they forget to take their medicine? Are they having side effects? Is it more becoming challenging for them to do the things they used to? 

You should also make sure they take advantage of the preventative benefits offered by Medicare, like Annual Wellness visits. Make sure they are comfortable speaking openly with their doctor about any issues or concerns they have. 

Find Out When Their Last Eye Checkup Was 

Does your older love one wear glasses? If so, be sure they have a current prescription and that they use their glasses as recommended by their eye doctor. It can be dangerous for them to use a tint-changing lens when going from outside to inside. Bifocals may also be problematic for use on stairs, which means it’s important to stay cautious. If your senior loved one is dealing with vision issues, it’s a good idea to consult with their eye doctor to see what options are available for them. 

Notice if They Have Trouble Walking

Have you noticed your senior loved one is holding onto walls, furniture, or someone else when they walk? Do they have trouble moving or getting up from a sitting position? 

If so, these are signs they may need to go to a physical therapist. With this medical service, your senior loved one can start to improve their gait, strength, and balance. 

Preventing Falls for Your Senior Loved One

If you want to make sure your senior loved one doesn’t fall or suffer an injury, be sure to keep the tips and information here in mind. Doing this will pay off and help ensure your family member stays as safe as possible. Be sure to keep the tips above in mind; they will pay off and provide you with peace of mind.

A Continuum Of Care In Senior Services

When we think about what it means to operate a truly caring senior support business like ours, we see it as a continuum of what families have had in place prior to looking around for a nursing home or facility. Most of them have put quite a lot of work into caring for their elderly family member!

Our mission is to maintain that continuum of care and not allow it to degrade or fall apart over time.

That works in some particular ways in terms of anticipating a person's needs and their overall situations. We like to advance that approach to make sure that we offer a quality of care that others have a hard time matching. 

Meal Prep

This is one of the aspects of care that we take very seriously. People have their preferences, and even food allergies and other issues that determine what their diet should be.

Specifically for seniors, they often have some dietary restrictions, either in regard to their medications, or previous health conditions or medical history.

So we keep that in mind, and build a profile so that we can treat the individual as an individual, and take care of them the right way.

Personal Care

Everybody needs some type of personal care routine, whether it's self-care or caregivers applying personal care to someone who can't do it all themselves.

There is a spectrum of services and again, there's a continuum from what a person was used to before, to what they get accustomed to when they enter a facility. We want to make that transition smooth for our seniors! Part of that is a good intake process, but it’s also, at the end of the day, a commitment level from our staff. So shout out to our people!

Transportation and Mobility

This is another aspect that we assess very carefully when we take in a new nursing home resident.

Mobility and transportation are key parts of a daily routine and overall care plan. Will the person be able to access the outdoors during temperate seasons? How will the person move from the facility to an away time with family or some other trip?

All of this has to be worked out in detail. It doesn't just happen by magic. Our administrators and our frontline caregiving staff know this, and that's why we've invested in the types of communications that support your senior family members as they stay with us. For more, plan a family meeting and sit down with us to get acquainted with our care model. 

How to Make Seniors Comfortable at Home

The aging process can take its toll on seniors and make them feel lonely, uncomfortable, and miserable. Seniors will experience various types of ups and downs they are unable to control. Some seniors might experience loss of mobility, joint stiffness and pains, loss of muscle strength, and several other health issues. For a senior to cope with age-related issues, you need to think of the best ways to make your loved one more comfortable. 

Read on to learn how you can make your home more senior-friendly.

Install a Ramp

Going up and down the stairs can be a challenging task for senior citizens that are suffering from aching joints or balance problems. Therefore, you should consider installing a ramp, which makes it easier for seniors to navigate the stairs. A wheelchair ramp is a cost-effective solution that can help to improve the life of an aging parent in your home with limited mobility. 

Proper Lighting

Some senior citizens develop poor eyesight, which becomes problematic if you don’t have quality lighting in your home. Poor lighting in your home makes a senior more susceptible to tripping, falling, and bumping into objects they can’t see. Poor lighting also makes it more difficult for a senior to move around during the night. Make sure you install quality lights in every room in your home to keep your space properly illuminated. Quality lighting reduces the likelihood for accidents to occur and helps a senior to maintain balance.

Bathroom Safety

Ensure the safety of your bathroom by installing grab bars, rubber mats to prevent slipping, and setting the thermostat to a comfortable temperature to avoid accidental burns. Installing a raised toilet seat with handlebars is also beneficial for a senior and makes it easier for them to sit or stand.

Create a Comfortable Environment for Your Aging Family Members

Make a list of the best ways you can help your loved one transition through the aging process. The changes that you implement in your home will do so much for an elderly family member. By keeping your home safe, you have the peace of mind that your environment will be less accidental and dangerous.

Do you have the interest to get special in-home care services for an aging parent? At Like Family Home Care, we provide convenient home care solutions that align with the needs of senior citizens. It is our pleasure to connect with you and to help enhance the life of your loved one.

Tips For Engaging Children With Elderly Family Members

Transitioning through the stages of life is a complicated and deeply personal process. As we age, we become less needed, less busy, and less active in family affairs, leading to a feeling of disconnection and isolation. As life seems to pass our elderly family members by, we strive to find ways to engage them in our day-to-day activities and, more importantly, in our children's lives. 

It can be easy for those fortunate enough to care for their elderly loved ones at home to lose sight of the difference between authentic engagement and daily routine obligations. Seniors who can remain at home with professional care are still subject to feelings of isolation and loneliness. 

Participation in the family encourages the feeling of being needed, wanted, and seen. This article will outline tips for engaging young family members with their elderly loved ones to build and strengthen bonds that benefit both parties. 

Create A Memory Book

Children of all ages can participate in creating a memory book with their elderly loved ones. Whether utilizing a traditional photo album, scrapbooking, or video graphics project, this activity connects children with their family member's history as well as the memories made together. 

In this way, the child and senior are given a platform to talk, listen, learn, and share their memories and favorite things. 

Build A Birdhouse Or Birdfeeder

Many seniors spend time in their rooms enjoying the view from their windows. Birdhouses and bird feeders offer the opportunity to invite feathered (and sometimes furry) friends to visit, creating a more interactive and enjoyable experience. Children and their elderly loved ones can build birdhouses and bird feeders together, getting as creative as they want to be, resulting in a perfect collaborative project. 

This type of interactive activity offers both the senior and the child an opportunity to learn from each other and build something they can both enjoy afterward together. 

Hopes And Dreams Vision Board

Many seniors dare to dream as they feel that they have already lived the best years of their lives. Children foster hope, and having them create hope and dreams vision boards with their senior loved ones is an inspirational and rewarding experience for them both. Seniors have vast knowledge, which they love to pass on to those coming up in the ranks. When children work with elderly loved ones on future ideas, plans, and dreams, the project creates lasting bonds and hope for the future.