No matter what age, maintaining your health is critical. For seniors, staying healthy may take more effort than before. With the help of personal care at home, seniors can improve their health so they stay in tip-top shape to handle anything put in their path. Continue reading to learn more about healthy aging and how home care can help.

Seniors Need to Remain Active for Optimum Health

One of the most important things for seniors is to remain active. This can be difficult with mobility and health issues, but helping seniors navigate what active means as they age is a key component that loved ones and home care workers can address.

Seniors with mobility issues may feel that their ability to be active no longer exists. This isn’t true, as there are many things they can do. Many workouts are available for limited mobility, including chair yoga or working out with dumbbells.

If mobility isn’t an issue, seniors should strive to be active for at least 30 minutes daily. This might mean cleaning their house or walking in the mall with friends. They may join a workout group or complete workouts at home. Being active doesn’t mean running a marathon, but it does mean working hard enough to get their blood pumping. With personal care at home, loved ones know that seniors get the motivation they need to remain active. Home care providers can encourage seniors by being active with them, or introducing new ways to move when mobility becomes an issue.

Eat a Healthy Diet

In addition to being active, seniors should focus on a healthy diet. Changes in their bodies, health concerns, and medication affect a senior’s diet. Not to mention cognitive or mobility issues that may make it harder to ensure proper nutrition due to their decreased ability to cook.

Personal care at home can assist with meal planning, grocery shopping, and even cooking when seniors need assistance maintaining a healthy diet. Seniors will feel valued as they assist with meal planning or prep. These simple tasks help them feel a sense of control when everything changes around them.

Additionally, home care workers will stay on top of medication changes and the need for supplements or dietary changes. Working with loved ones, they ensure seniors receive the nutrition they need while in their care.

Decrease Stress and Frustration

Seniors often struggle with the changes that occur as they age. Elder care workers are trained to assist seniors when they become overwhelmed. They can suggest stress-relieving activities such as taking a walk, gardening or reading a book. If seniors need assistance with these tasks, personal care at home ensures they get the care they need.

Seniors are at risk for increased depression when changes to their daily routine threaten their way of life. Increased isolation and withdrawal from hobbies they once enjoyed are signs that home care workers can monitor.

Adding personal care at home is essential for seniors to maintain a healthy lifestyle as they age. In addition to the tasks listed above, home care workers can transport seniors to events and help them with light cleaning around the home. Home care adds the additional support that many seniors need as they age.

Source:
https://www.bannerhealth.com/healthcareblog/advise-me/for-seniors-a-checklist-for-good-health
https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/healthy-eating-physical-activity-for-life/health-tips-for-older-adults
https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/infographic/healthy-aging.htm

If you or an aging loved one is considering personal care at home in Minneapolis, MN, and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.

November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month. If you’re caring for a senior loved one with Alzheimer’s you may be overwhelmed by trying to process all the changes in your senior loved one. There’s a lot of information to learn and a lot of changes to process.

One of the toughest things for family caregivers is learning to pay attention to body language and other signs because your senior loved one may no longer be able to tell you when they are hungry, thirsty, or tired. If your senior loved one has a personal care at home provider, you can work with them to learn more about the small signals that your senior uses to let you know how they are feeling. Some of the things that your senior loved one may do that indicate they are tired or fatigues are:

Rubbing Their Eyes

Do you rub your eyes when you’re sleepy? Or does your child? Your senior loved one may do it too. Red, tired eyes are a very good indication that your senior loved one could use a nap or that it’s time for them to go to bed. If they are rubbing their eyes and don’t have any existing eye or vision problems then they are probably getting tired.

Becoming Irritable

Irritability is another sure sign of tiredness and fatigue. You may notice that your senior loved one with Alzheimer’s tends to get irritable in the late afternoon or early evening. That’s usually because they are tired. If you are at the doctor’s office or out doing something and your senior loved one starts to get irritable you may want to take a break, find somewhere quiet to sit, give them a snack and a drink, and let them regroup before continuing whatever activity you were doing.

Having Trouble Speaking Or Communicating

If your senior loved one normally is pretty communicative but you notice that they start to slur their words or have trouble completing a sentence they may just be tired. It can be very taxing for someone with dementia to try and function throughout the day. When they are tired they may find that they have trouble communicating as the energy they use to communicate gets diverted to other things like walking or staying awake.

Struggling With Coordination

Your senior parent with Alzheimer’s may also have trouble with coordination if they are tired. You could notice that they seem to be having trouble grasping a cup or a fork, or that they seem less coordinated than usual when they are walking. If you notice that they are shuffling or having trouble walking make sure that you remove any potential tripping hazards from their path. Then invite them to sit down or lie down and take a little rest. If they are struggling with coordination when you are out in public find a place where they can sit and rest for a moment.

If you or an aging loved one is considering personal care at home in Minneapolis, MN, and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.