Blogs

One of the biggest concerns that many people have, when it comes to the safety of the elderly, is their ability to drive. The statistics are not necessarily in favor of older drivers behind the wheel, as the National Safety Council recently reported that the number of elderly drivers is looking to increase by nearly 70% over the next 20 years. The Council foresees that this could result in over 100,000 driver-related deaths among the elderly.

If you're thinking of ways to make an elderly home care patient's life warmer this winter, consider the advantages inherent with pet ownership. While many home care patients might not be up for the challenge of caring for a dog or cat, many are---and there are good reasons why having a furry friend might be the ticket for making life healthier and happier.

Many seniors would prefer to live in their own homes as they age. Being ill or injured is distressing enough without moving on top of it—the majority of individuals would prefer to live independently as long as they can. However, the reality of old age often is that there are physical limitations that come along with it. If your loved one has come to a point where he or she needs assistance to conduct the business of everyday life, it might be a good idea to consider the advantages inherent in home care.

You might be wondering whether or not home care is the right decision for you and your loved ones. In many cases, home care can be a great way to help an elderly loved one or client retain higher levels of dignity and comfort than they would have if moved to a nursing home or hospice. However, there are certain circumstances that make home care more or less feasible, based on qualifying factors.

Preventing the common cold is the equal to humanity's Rubik's Cube. Nobody's quite figured out how to do it, but if you'd like to stay healthy this winter, there are a number of things that can be done to help lessen the instance of the common cold. Particularly for those who are in home care situations, staying healthy and avoiding the common illnesses of the colder months is of the utmost importance.

The arrival of Hurricane Irene this past week has created unforeseen issues, including most notably power outages, with people all over the east coast. Certain clients of Independence Home Care are no exception. Luckily, we have dedicated caregivers willing to go above and beyond in their time of need.

Everyone ages differently, so there is no arbitrary cutoff as to when someone should stop driving. However, older adults are more likely to receive traffic citations and get into accidents than younger drivers. In fact, fatal crash rates rise significantly after a driver has reached the age of 65 and worsen after age 75. What causes this increase? As we age, factors such as decreased vision, impaired hearing, or slowed motor reflexes may become a problem.

The elderly are more likely to experience the effects of hot weather than younger adults. Physically, the elderly cannot adjust to significant changes in temperature as well as younger adults can. That combined with the effects of prescription drugs; which also reduce the body’s ability to adjust to temperature changes, may exacerbate the side affects they may experience. Many medications the elderly take may cause dehydration or affect the ability of their heart, blood vessels or sweat glands. This in turn would affect their overall ability to respond to high temperatures.

The Administration on Aging (http://tinyurl.com/3z8lbhc) has deemed May as Older Americans Month. Every year is a different theme and this year’s theme is; Connecting the Community. What a wonderful way to celebrate our aging population and how they bring inspiration and vitality to our communities. It also makes us aware of all the new technology that is helping older Americans live longer, healthier and more productive lives.

The National Council on Aging (www.ncoa.com) and the Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org) have just recently announced they are changing the guidelines for diagnosing Alzheimer’ Disease in the hopes that the disease can be caught early. This is the first time in 27 years that these guidelines have been changed, which is a result of all the research that is being done for this terrible disease.