It’s a hard decision to make. When do you take the car keys away from the senior in your life? While many things go into this decision, getting input from your loved one’s doctor, as well as any other caregivers, can make it a little easier. This way you won’t be making the choice alone.

Here are a few things to think about when considering the right time for your senior loved one to stop driving:

What is their physical capability? The skill of driving requires dexterity, fast response time, quick reflexes and the ability to multi-task. If they can still do all this, make sure they have strength in their feet for the pedals, as well as the ability to sit at the proper height.

Check their vision. It’s really important that you get a thorough eye exam for your senior. Check for glaucoma, cataracts or just blurred vision.

How is their physical endurance? Our bodies are always best when we are in motion. If your senior loved one has little mobility or doesn’t exercise, their bodies will not be as agile as they need to be.

Think about their medications. Many medicines cause side effects and a big one for driving is drowsiness. Be sure that their medications do not carry side effects that would have a negative impact on their cognitive ability.

Do they have diseases? The main thing you’re looking for here is mental impairment. If your senior loved one has been diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease, it may be time to take the keys. If they aren’t showing any signs of confusion, then they may be fine for a while. You should also check for diabetes, as this can have serious effects if not managed.

In addition to all of these things, consider the following points to help you make an informed decision:

• Near misses while driving, or even accidents
• Sudden changes in personality
• Chronic health problems such as diabetes
• Medication changes
• Alcohol intake
• Multiple traffic violations

Finally, be sure you understand your state laws concerning senior driving. There are restrictions, so take the time to understand them. Talk to their doctor and ask for help making this all-important decision. Remember—they are there to help!

If the time has come to take away the car keys, make sure you do it with love and empathy. Allow your senior’s dignity to remain intact by arranging another source of transportation when they need it. If they live alone, this may include a taxi or a bus pass.

It’s never an easy decision to take the keys because it’s such a symbol of freedom. Just think back to how nervous your parents must have been when you were learning to drive! Clear communication and empathy will go a long way in easing the tension around taking away the car keys. Your senior loved one’s safety is of utmost importance here! If possible, allow them to help make the decision. If they are a part of the process, things will most likely go a lot smoother.

It’s tough to remove any measure of control from our loved ones. While it’s never easy, it is important to consider not just their safety, but also the safety of others on the road. You may very well be avoiding a tragic accident by being willing to remove the keys when the time is right.

For more tips for seniors, visit our Home Helpers senior home care blog.

Home Helpers of Dallas is a locally-owned, trusted home health care agency and offers quality, compassionate senior in-home care services including home care assistance, personal care, companion care, respite care, Alzheimer’s & dementia care as well as homemaker services in Dallas, Richardson, Garland, Plano, Highland Park, University Park, Mesquite, Allen, Carrollton, Irving, Addison, Farmers Branch, Lake Highlands, Duncanville, Desoto, Fairview, Cedar Hill, and McKinney.

With dementia and other similar conditions on the rise, it’s becoming more and more of a problem for seniors who are living alone. Often, they experience isolation from the outside world, missing out on opportunities to socialize with friends and family.

A recent study has revealed that isolation and loneliness can shorten a person’s life, so let’s look at some of the dangers of seniors who are living alone and what we can do about it!

Living Alone Can Be Dangerous for Seniors

Many surveys, including AARP, tell us that nearly 95% of all senior citizens desire to live in their own homes for as long as they possibly can. Although the familiar environment of home benefits them emotionally, research has shown us that too many seniors are living alone when they should be receiving care through assisted living.

We realize that this is never an easy decision, but there are many aspects of assisted living that can bring security and peace of mind to seniors and their families alike. Among the many benefits of assisted living are medication management, general health monitoring, activities for social interaction, day trips, and the comfort of knowing meals and general care will be provided.

A report from The Administration of Aging states that nearly 30% of all senior adults, which is over 11 million, are living at home alone. However, over 5 million of them really need assisted living or long-term care on some level. Many of them need this assistance just to do the basic activities of their daily life.

Disturbingly, many low-income seniors or those living in poverty, need long-term care, but will stay home alone rather than transition to an assisted living situation. There are shocking numbers for those with Alzheimer’s and dementia—of the 70% of seniors in our communities who are living with these conditions, more than a quarter of them are living alone. This is a dangerous reality that needs to be changed!

When Is Living Alone Unsafe?

All of us want to see our loved ones remain healthy, safe and secure, but in order to ensure that happens, it’s important to make sure they are living in a home setting that suits their physical needs. This is especially true if there are any signs of memory loss or other cognitive impairments. Are they able to dress themselves with no problem? Can they bathe and cook on their own? These are important questions to ask yourself when assessing the need for assisted living.

Unfortunately, most accidents among seniors happen in their own homes due to various hazards around the house. These accidents can result in serious injuries and even death. Fall hazards are a serious threat to aging seniors with brittle bones. A broken hip for some senior citizens can often be fatal.

When evaluating whether your senior loved one should be living alone, be sure to ask these questions:

• Can they manage their medication schedule on their own with no problems?
• Is poor eyesight a problem?
• Do they get out and enjoy social activities with the desire to interact with family and friends?
• Can they keep up with general chores around the house?
• Are they eating well?
• Are the able to manage paying bills in a timely manner?

For more information on the dangers of living alone for seniors, please contact us today!

Home Helpers of Dallas is a locally-owned, trusted home health care agency and offers quality, compassionate senior in-home care services including home care assistance, personal care, companion care, respite care, Alzheimer’s & dementia care as well as homemaker services in Dallas, Richardson, Garland, Plano, Highland Park, University Park, Mesquite, Allen, Carrollton, Irving, Addison, Farmers Branch, Lake Highlands, Duncanville, Desoto, Fairview, Cedar Hill, and McKinney.

It’s a fact that seniors benefit both physically and mentally from spending time with loved ones during the holidays. Just like all of us, we feel young and happy when we’re with the people we love.

Spending time with your senior loved ones isn’t just good for them; it benefits us too! Benefits such as the joy from being together, the pleasure that comes from being reminded that we’re cared for and thought about, are just the beginning.

Did you know there are many studies that show the negative affects of isolation and loneliness on seniors? It’s well documented now that seniors who don’t interact with loved ones enough, especially during the holidays, show signs of memory problems, poor health, depression and even the mortality rate increases. These things can be true no matter how old someone is, but they are far more likely to have a negative impact on our seniors.

What Are the Benefits of Visiting Senior Loved Ones?

Frequent phone calls, visits and communication are super helpful in combatting the effects of loneliness and isolation. Here are some other wonderful benefits!

• Visiting your senior loved ones lets you evaluate their overall well-being.

This is among the best benefit of all—just connecting and making sure they are alright. Check to see if any major changes have happened since your previous visit. Are they still doing well with self-care and hygiene? What about medication management? These are all things that can be assessed during a visit. But the most important thing is to check on their happiness.

• Visits can clue you in to the possibility of elder abuse.

If your senior loved one lives on their own, it can be easy for them to neglect important aspects of their care. Sometimes this can be due to memory problems and other times it can really be from depression. Either way, it should be addressed. If they are in an assisted living facility, check to be sure they are getting the care they need in a timely fashion. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and use your common sense when it comes to the staff and medical team. If your loved one seems nervous answering questions, it could be a sign they are not telling you everything.

• Reminisce during your visits!

Most senior adults love to talk about days gone by, special memories that mean a lot to them, and even about loved ones who have gone on. Bring along photos and scrapbooks to help jar their memories and sing some favorite songs. Seniors who suffer with dementia can benefit greatly from trips down memory lane. It is often when they are at their happiest. It also gives you the chance to listen and learn from their lives!

• Visits are a simple reminder that they are loved.

For the vast majority of us, quality time spent together is our single biggest way to feel loved and connected. Seniors are no different. Your physical presence in the room brings enormous joy and comfort and contentment.

A Few More Tips
It can be hard to pull of personal visits to your senior loved one sometimes, but there are other things you can do that can be just as powerful as your presence. Try the following ideas and do them often!

• Send cards
• Send email if they have access to it.
• Write a letter the old-fashioned way—on pretty stationery!
• Send photos
• Send a care package with favorite goodies
• Call them

The bottom line here is that our senior loved ones always feel younger and happier when they are connected to friends and family. Take the time to reach out and go visit, even if for short times. Don’t let life get in the way of these moments. You will regret it later. Each moment spent with senior loved ones is precious for both parties!

For more caregiving tips for your loved ones, visit our senior home care blog.

Home Helpers of Dallas is a locally-owned, trusted home health care agency and offers quality, compassionate senior in-home care services including home care assistance, personal care, companion care, respite care, Alzheimer’s & dementia care as well as homemaker services in Dallas, Richardson, Garland, Plano, Highland Park, University Park, Mesquite, Allen, Carrollton, Irving, Addison, Farmers Branch, Lake Highlands, Duncanville, Desoto, Fairview, Cedar Hill, and McKinney.

A newborn’s homecoming is often preceded by a frenzy of childproofing. However, caregivers often do not see to seniorproofing the home until after a scare or injury occurs. Or they are not sure how to go about making the home a safe environment for aging loved ones, especially those who need care for disease or recuperative issues, or for decreased cognitive ability.

Below you will find some simple ways to make your home safer and more convenient for your aging loved ones.

Lighting
Light that is adequate for younger adults often is not adequate for older adults, many of whom have decreased vision due to aging or to health problems such as diabetes which affect the eyes. Be proactive about lighting and make sure that areas around entry doors, hallways, and stairways are well lit. Err on the bright side. Use higher wattage bulbs or add extra lights if needed. Touch lights are a great way to add light to an area not wired for regular lighting. Motion sensor lights let seniors move throughout the home without having to locate or reach for light switches. Glow-in-the-dark switch plates are another good alternative.

Use Hardware, Not Hard Wear
Seniors, particularly those with arthritis, who sometimes struggle to open doors or windows. If your current hardware is proving to be “hard wear” on your loved one, then a simple change might be needed. For instance, lever type door handles are easier to open than round handles which must be gripped more tightly in order to be turned. Crank style window openers can be impossible for some seniors to use.

Restricted Access
Seniors with a cognitive impairment or some form of Dementia must be protected from themselves. It is critical for caregivers to restrict access to dangerous areas without having to stand guard over these seniors 24/7. Childproofing tools such as special door locks or cabinet closures work well for this purpose. Any area containing dangerous items like cleaners, bleach, meds, chemicals, etc., should be secured from your loved one. Door alarms are available at little cost. When set, an alarm will sound if the door is opened.

Move It or Lose It
Seniors need to retain as much mobility as possible. In order to stay mobile indoors, they need to be able to move safely throughout the house. Get rid of tripping hazards like rugs and stair runners, rooms overly cluttered by furnishings, or items which constrict movement through the room. Place a trunk or basket in each shared space for quick storage of toys after play. Perhaps a toy-free zone can be enforced where your senior spends the most time. Alternatively, a senior-free zone can also be set so toys in the floor there are not a falling hazard.

Keep a bench or chair beside entry doors so your loved one can sit to don or remove boots or weather gear. Add a full-height barstool to the kitchen counter area to make it easier for a senior to prep and cook food. If your senior completes grooming in a bedroom, make sure there is a chair or sturdy stool to sit on while drying hair or putting on makeup, etc.

A chair in the bathroom enables a senior to sit to finish drying off without having to bend over and risk overbalancing. Walk-in tubs and showers are safer and easier to use for seniors. Add handrails in the shower, bath, and toilet areas. If you need a bath mat, then purchase one designed to grip the floor. It will present a lesser chance of causing your senior to trip and fall.

Can We Hear Them Now?
The unavoidable truth is that no matter how many safety precautions we take, unexpected accidents do happen. When they happen to our seniors, it’s critical that they be able to call for immediate help. A few minutes of delay can be fatal. You can try a personal emergency response system. Your senior would wear a device as a pendent or bracelet which can be pushed if they need help. A call-assist program is similarly helpful.

If there is no such program in your area, then have your senior keep a cell-phone with him or her at all times. As a last resort, make sure there is a phone in arm’s reach of where your senior spends the most time (recliner, bed, computer desk, etc.).

If your senior enjoys the outdoors, but doesn’t speak fluent cell phone or push-for-help, then purchase a coach’s whistle. Tell your senior to wear it when outdoors and, if help is needed, to blow it and keep blowing it until someone responds. The odds are that the whistle will be heard more easily than a cry for help.

Where to Begin
Seniors fall most often in the bathroom where most surfaces are hard and/or sharp-edged. So, begin in the bathroom. It’s an excellent start toward a home that is not only welcoming, but also safe for your loved one.

For more tips on caring for seniors, visit our senior home care blog.

Home Helpers of Dallas is a locally-owned, trusted home health care agency and offers quality, compassionate senior in-home care services including home care assistance, personal care, companion care, respite care, Alzheimer’s & dementia care as well as homemaker services in Dallas, Richardson, Garland, Plano, Highland Park, University Park, Mesquite, Allen, Carrollton, Irving, Addison, Farmers Branch, Lake Highlands, Duncanville, Desoto, Fairview, Cedar Hill, and McKinney.

No one wants to talk about end of life issues. Especially if those issues involve a beloved aging senior who isn’t near the end of his life. But no matter how hesitant family members might be to broach the subject, either because they find the subject awkward or in poor taste, it’s crucial that a living will be discussed and legally documented while your senior is still able to make known his or her wishes for end of life care! If your loved one is already unable to state coherently his or her wishes, then talk with siblings or other family members. Make and document the decisions you choose together.

Seniors, caregivers, and family members benefit from having a living will in place. Older adults often are relieved to have their end of life wishes known. Many seniors do not want their families to be burdened with having to make these difficult decisions during a sudden health crisis. Also, the burden of worrying that their wishes won’t be followed is removed.

A living will is a legal document which clearly lists a person’s stated wishes for end of life care. It may also be called a healthcare directive or an advance directive. The terms of the living will influence doctors and family members when they must decide on medical treatment for patients unable to communicate or no longer able to decide for themselves.

A living will and a medical Power of Attorney often work together. Some states combine the two into one document. Your senior can choose someone legally to make medical decisions for them. Sometimes that person is called the health care agent. They might also be called the proxy for health care decisions.

A living will documents specifically what end of life treatments are acceptable to your older adult and which ones they refuse. Usually, a living will will include a senior’s preferences for treatments such as CPR, mechanical ventilation (breathing by machine), tube feeding, dialysis, antibiotics or antiviral meds, palliative care (keeping the patient as comfortable and pain-free as possible. A senior may refuse any invasive treatments or tests, or may choose to have their medical Power of Attorney make those decisions about tests, etc., on an as-needed basis.

In a living will, end of life care directives often include seniors’ wishes for after end of life. Many seniors want to donate organs and tissue for others awaiting transplants. They may also wish to donate their bodies for scientific study. These two issues may be perhaps the most difficult to broach with your senior, but it is important that you do so.

When considering a living will for your senior, be sure to read the “fine print.” Having a living will takes the guesswork out of the decision making of end of life care. It protects caregivers or family members from the stress of trying to honor wishes which were not made clear to them and it should prevent arguments about the patient’s end of life care among family members and caregivers.

If seniors want a non-family member or an unmarried partner to be in charge of their end of life care, they have to put in place both a living will and a medical Power of Attorney. Otherwise, HIPPA laws will prevent doctors from even speaking to them about your older adult’s care.

Different states have different laws for living wills. Some states may require only the living will whereas another may require both a living will and a medical Power of Attorney. Make sure to use the correct form for your state. You can find links on the website for The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. Choose the “Caring” section. That link refers to the living will as an Advance Directive.

For more helpful information, visit our website, click here.

Home Helpers of Dallas is a locally-owned, trusted home health care agency and offers quality, compassionate senior in-home care services including home care assistance, personal care, companion care, respite care, Alzheimer’s & dementia care as well as homemaker services in Dallas, Richardson, Garland, Plano, Highland Park, University Park, Mesquite, Allen, Carrollton, Irving, Addison, Farmers Branch, Lake Highlands, Duncanville, Desoto, Fairview, Cedar Hill, and McKinney.

It’s reasonable to keep your aging parents at home as long as you can do so without endangering yourself or them. Many caregivers run themselves ragged trying to keep loved ones, especially seniors, out of assisted living or nursing facilities. Caregiver burnout is common, as is the development of serious health issues among caregivers. There are, however, some ways to facilitate keeping your aging parents at home.

Safety is key! No matter what you promised your parents during better days, if you are unable to care for them properly and in a safe situation, then no amount of guilt avoidance is worth the risk. Pace yourself and take steps to keep yourself healthy, as well. Here are some tips to help you lower your stress, keep your sanity, and keep your elderly parents at home as long as you can.

Get the big picture
It’s difficult to see the big picture when the details of the little picture are overwhelming. It’s crucial, however, to understand how much care your parents really need and how much care you can provide without risking a decline in your own health.

Take time to list your parents’ routine and the tasks you do for them. Do this for a few days or a week. Then sit down and make a schedule. Do you need daytime, nighttime, or 24/7 help? Are you doing okay for your parents but barely have time to brush your teeth? Taking time to get the big picture might make the difference in how long you are able to keep your aging parents at home.

Get real
Once you understand clearly the needs of your parents, do the same exercise for yourself until you get the big picture of how much you can give without risking burnout and your health.

In the American South it’s considered polite to ask someone you meet, “Hello. How are you?” Never mind that they might have cancer, bunions, hangnails, dysentery, and back spasms. The polite response is, “Fine. And you?” Polite, but hardly realistic. Get ready and get real if you want to find the help you need.

Streamlining and recruitment
Once you determine how much and what type of help you want, start recruiting the helpers you need. Be clear and sincere about what you will need from them and when you will need it. And be patient. Good help is often hard to find but well worth the wait.

For professional and compassionate assistance caring for your loved one, please call Home Helpers or visit our website today.

Home Helpers of Dallas is a locally-owned, trusted home health care agency and offers quality, compassionate senior in-home care services including home care assistance, personal care, companion care, respite care, Alzheimer’s & dementia care as well as homemaker services in Dallas, Richardson, Garland, Plano, Highland Park, University Park, Mesquite, Allen, Carrollton, Irving, Addison, Farmers Branch, Lake Highlands, Duncanville, Desoto, Fairview, Cedar Hill, and McKinney.