Parents Living Alone: Signs to Watch For

Aged parent

Aging can affect the physical and mental abilities of anyone no matter how independent seniors have been throughout their life. One serious accident can set senior’s physical abilities back and returning to their previous daily life can be quite daunting.

But, how do you know when it is the right time to help your parents move to a safer environment? There are particular indicators that show when your parents require assistance on a daily basis and those signs are mentioned below:

Forgetfulness and Decreased Mental Ability

As we age, it is natural to lose the ability to remember several details. But, if you notice signs in your parents like confusion, forgetting where they are, losing the ability to concentrate, restlessness and even forgetting the names of friends or family. This could be signs of a rapid decline of memory or even early stages of dementia.

Difficulty with Personal Upkeep

From vacuuming the house to preparing meal 3 times a day there is a lot of upkeep required for their home and self. When visiting them, keep an eye on their ability to conduct these tasks. If you find them struggling then a different environment and support system could be quite beneficial to them.

Challenges with Finance Management

Keeping up with bills can be difficult for many people, however, if you notice that your parents are beginning to forget making payments then it could be a stressful situation for them. It is important to consider their financial health, but do not ignore the physical and mental health of your aging parents.

Receiving a Chronic Illness Diagnosis

If your parent receives a diagnosis of a disease like a kidney failure then it important @ to know what kind of care will be required before it gets too late. Diagnoses like these require medication and sometimes monitoring along with round the clock care. Knowing that your parent might face problems with reading the labels on their medication can be the biggest cause of worry.

If your parent is dealing with these early signs, it is highly recommended to choose a community that offers care and keep your parents on the path of wellness and happiness.

Importance of Proper Medication Management for seniors

For aging adults, managing medication is one of the most complex tasks. There are more than 4 billion prescriptions filled at pharmacies in the US excluding over the counter drugs.

With such high volume of medicines, a greater need for medication management arises. This is especially important for those who have to take a larger number of medications to address chronic illnesses, which seems to be more prevalent among seniors. To understand why medication management is vital for seniors, check out the list below:

• The More Prescriptions Required, The More Difficult They Are To Keep Track Of: With the high volume of prescription medicines and over the counter medicines used, the likelihood of potential mistakes increases. It’s important to take the appropriate medicines on a routine and timely basis.
• A Big Percentage Of Seniors Are Taking Multiple Prescription Drugs: As per the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists, seniors that fall between the age group of 65-69 years old take 14 prescriptions every year on an average. Whereas individuals that are aged 80-84 take an average of 18 prescriptions every year.
• Improper Medication Management Leads To Hospitalizations And Adverse Reactions: Non-compliance and poor drug reactions are liable for 28% of elderly hospitalizations while 36% of all reported adverse drug reactions involve a senior individual. The risk of not following the appropriate medication routine after chronic pain or surgery can lead to serious complications, rehospitalization and a greater physical and financial cost.
• Schedule Frequent Doctor Assessments: Needs for health care change frequently and it’s possible that your symptoms have changed and you no longer require taking a certain medication. It is possible that the prescribed medicine may not work for you and you will have to find an alternate solution. As one ages, it becomes important to visit your doctor frequently to address any issues you may be facing.
• Seniors Must Watch For Side Effects: When you start to take a new medication or make some changes in the medicine regimen, pay attention to the signs of loss of sleep, feeling of weakness, upset stomach, pain, signs of doziness. Consult your medical professional quickly if you feel ill and make sure you inform them of the medications you are taking.

We hope this article has opened your eyes to the importance of medication management. Try a virtual tour of your nearest assisted living facility in Detroit. Assisted living can help you find the ideal medication regimen to allow you to live stress-free.

  

Meeting The Spiritual Needs of Seniors

When we think about seniors we often think of their emotional, physical and spiritual needs and devise a number of ways to meet them. Some seniors may have a strong sense of their spiritual identity.

Many people have gone to worship services, taken hikes to feel connected to nature or meditated. Being disconnected from spiritual routines can have a negative impact on their emotional and physical wellness. These are the key elements of spirituality as mentioned below:

• Embracing everyone and inclusive
• Inner peace and calmness
• Not formal, organized or structured
• Understanding a provider and source of finding meaning and purpose in life
• An exhaustible source of faith
• The deep feeling of interconnectedness
• The awe we feel in the presence of transcendent 

The spiritual needs of seniors are highly personal and at times could be difficult to communicate. There are some ways a caregiver can meet their spiritual needs:

• You can create a sense of peace in their body and mind by laying emphasis on positive family dynamics and giving them shield from petty conflicts within the family or outside of it.
• You can arrange for a spiritual leader to meet your senior loved one. Many of the care facilities and houses of worship have visitation chaplains whose primary responsibility is giving spiritual support to anyone. The spiritual support includes the members of your loved one’s spiritual community like friends from a yoga class or Bible study.
• In order for spiritual healing to occur, encourage your senior loved one to confess something they have been longing to confess to a spiritual leader. You can also give them an option to express their regret or anything they want to communicate in writing to someone who was aggrieved.
• You can also discuss with them how they can cement a positive legacy after they passes away. Knowing that they have a purpose outside their own life is an essential spiritual need which they can easily meet by planting trees, creating a scholarship, making a video explaining life’s lessons for future generations of the family or creating a biographical page.

Older adults when focus on spiritual issues may yearn for solitude, recognize the need for a greater sense of community, take their own time to reflect on the meaning of events, seek to communicate unspoken love to others, struggle to understand why so many good people suffer and long to make peace with the beliefs about death.

As people age their losses accumulate and so many seniors need the strength that only comes from spiritual connection to deal with sickness, poverty, isolation or the death of a loved one. As a caregiver it is important to take care of the spiritual needs of your senior loved one so that they possess the courage to overcome life struggles while enjoying their life to fullest.

Assisted Living Sterling Heights MI Check List: What To Look For

Visiting the premises, meeting the staff and facility members, you will get a first-hand look at what a facility has to offer. If you have decided to explore assisted living in Sterling Heights MI, you will want to take a time to learn more about the assisted living communities in the region.

It is important to locate a facility that feels right to you and your family. When you visit, you should ask some questions to yourself and to other people who live and work there. The checklist given below will help you know what to look for so you can make the most informed decision.

Check List for Assisted Living Sterling Heights MI

ENVIRONMENT:

Happy Senior Living Environment

Welcoming and Inviting Environment: This is the place where your loved ones will spend most of their time. When you see the facility, it should feel like a place you’d want to live, where you could come and visit often. The staff should be friendly and inviting.

Accessible Space: 

All areas should be easily accessible to persons with canes, wheelchairs, and walkers. All spaces should be clear, open or easy to move around in and no area should seem crowded. The floor plan should not be a cause for concern.

Outdoor Area: 

A breath of fresh air always has a powerful effect on people’s health of all ages. An assisted living community should have a garden or outdoor area where people can have morning or evening walks, can sit, or just be outside.

Decoration: 

The decoration Should Be Attractive And Have A Home Like Feel. The assisted living community should feel as if you or your loved one belongs there.

Lifestyle at an Assisted Living

THEIR LIFESTYLE:

Availability of Food Whenever Residents Want It: 

Some residents may want a midnight snack or eat later than others and can get hungry earlier. Food should always be available for the residents as and when they want.

Residents Should Appear Clean And Well-Groomed: 

It’s kind of a little thing to look for but it shows a high level of professionalism and most important the kind of service its staff renders.

Residents Are Social With One Another: 

It is a good thing to see residents chatting with each other. Ideally, they should seem interested and engaged in the activities available.

Staff at an Assisted Living

THEIR STAFF:

Staff Should Be Open And Helpful To Families: 

The staff is not just there for residents, they must be there for you as well. Staff should be able to answer your question about your relatives or be proactive in keeping you informed, and also help prepare you for the transition.

Individual Attention Given By The Staff To All The Residents: 

You should see staff interacting with individuals, not just groups and calling residents by their name. Staff should have conversations with residents and be able to help them with any questions they have.

Hopefully, this checklist will help you find the right senior living center in Sterling Heights for your loved one.

What All You Should Be Aware About Assisted Living?

Are you in need of more personal care services than you get at home? Then, certainly an assisted living facility makes an excellent choice for you. Be it day or night, help is just a call away.

A reputable facility in your area will devise a customized plan that meets your preferences and accommodates your disabilities while giving you full liberty to do whatever you want to do for yourself. 

Services at Assisted Living Facilities

At a typical assisted living facility, you will come across services such as: access to health and medical solutions, round the clock security, social and recreational activities, exercise and wellness programs, housekeeping services, laundry services, medication management, emergency call systems, transportation, 3 meals a day, help with eating, bathing, dressing, walking and many more.

Assisted Living Facility

So, before you proceed towards choosing an assisted living facility, ask yourself a few questions so that you end up making the right decision for your life.

Ask Yourself Following Questions

Is your loved one able to provide the kind of care you need? If you have a strict medication schedule along with planned meals then a family caregiver might  find it impossible to adhere to your schedule.

Do you feel isolated when your son or daughter is unable to make a visit? This is another thing you must take into consideration.

Are you independent but sometimes showing signs of forgetfulness? If so, then you might want to consider supervision since it is helpful for your mental wellness.

Do you need persistent help moving around the home even with a walker? If yes, then you might need to consider joining an assisted living facility.

 

These questions will help you and your family caregiver ascertain the level of service required and whether assisted living meets your requirements. When an assisted living community is perfect for you it will naturally fit into your lifestyle and healthcare requirements. It’s best to familiarize yourself with the diverse services offered in various communities and talk to a senior care representative to help you find the ideal fit.

As you begin your search for an assisted living facility, do not get overwhelmed by all of the options available. Remember it is the people that make the ideal assisted living facility not the state of the art amenities. You can actually tell a lot about the facility by knowing the people who live there. 

You should look for a facility with an active social atmosphere where the staff is friendly and caring. To ensure that you feel the facility is a place to build and cultivate new relationships. After all, you are making a life-changing decision for the rest of your life. And, yes it’s a hefty investment too so take your time to develop a budget and prioritize your needs which will certainly pay off in the long run. Narrow down your options and select the most reliable assisted living facility that enhances your emotional, physical, and spiritual well being.