Most have heard the 'frog in a pot of water' theory. If a frog is put in a pot of hot water, it will jump out. If it is put in room temperature water and then the pot is heated, it adjusts until it is too late. This same idea can apply to adult children adjusting their daily care of elderly parents with Alzheimer's disease. Cognitive and physical decline associated with the disease may improve for a time with currently available treatments and medications, but the progression curve follows a rate of decline. The next step in daily care of elderly parents is sometimes delayed because adult children providing the care are taking on extra tasks a little at a time, not noticing the risks of trying to do it all.
Typical adult children caregiver scenarios often begin with medical setbacks such as slips or falls. They begin to take over a few tasks to help. Often, only one parent is affected by Alzheimer's or another condition that leads to cognitive and physical impairments that worsen over time. The unaffected spouse may suddenly be overwhelmed with new care tasks that puts their own health and safety at risk. Care often begins in stages with tasks, such as making sure the home is kept clean, helping with budgeting and making sure bills are paid on time. Newly prescribed medications may also require daily reminders.
At some point driving skills of those with Alzheimer's degrades to the point where they are no longer safe drivers. This stage often results in significant conflict due to the desire to maintain the freedom that driving brings and the adult children knowing that safety of parents with Alzheimer's and others on the road takes precedence. Transportation tasks are then taken over by children who are providing elderly parent care. This may also be the time adult children of parents with Alzheimer's realize their elderly parents may need more care than they can adequately provide, and the parents then fear commitment to a nursing facility.
The progression of Alzheimer's at some point in the future may require nursing care. However, that could be quite a long time from when daily home care is a necessity. The disease advances in stages and so should the amount of care given to parents who have Alzheimer's. Daily home care from Visiting Angels in Las Vegas is the next logical step when caring for elderly parents becomes too much for the adult children, but a point where assisted living or nursing home care is needed has not been reached yet.
Visiting Angels can take over many of the daily tasks that need completed and also provide social interaction and assistance with memory loss care, assistance with walking or completion of exercise routines, meal preparation, light housekeeping, running errands, transportation to appointments and even overnight care where the caregiver stays awake to offer help as needed. Probably the greatest service is one of companionship where the elderly parent knows that someone is there for conversation and is also ready to help. Daily home care services provided by Visiting Angels in Las Vegas eases the burden and removes the stress of elderly parent care.
When the subject of elderly parents living with their adult children comes up, an idyllic scene of the old TV show "The Walton's" might come to mind where three generations lived in one big farmhouse. However, reality is quite different from a TV show. Today's average home is smaller, and adult children often have spouses, children and pets in homes where a parent or parents might be moving in. Regardless of whether the situation is temporary or permanent, caused by financial constraints or insurance coverage or just because of a debt of love, the change can be made much easier and safer by completing some simple home adaptations.
Common Needs In Senior Home Care
Compromised strength, range of motion and balance are the fundamentals considered when adapting homes for their care. Compromised cognitive abilities may also apply. The degree of severity differs for each person needing care, but typically adaptive needs are similar. The most dangerous room in homes for elders has always been the bathroom. Slips and falls that cause serious injury mostly occur there. Thresholds transitioning from one floor surface to another, from one room to another and from indoors to outdoors are another high hazard area. Burns while preparing food, navigating stairs and tripping over throw rugs, objects left on the floor and furniture edges are also common. Adaptive equipment minimizes injury potential.
Examples of Easy Home Adaptations to Enhance Senior Care
The first changes should be in the bathroom. Adding shower/tub chairs, elevated toilet seats and non-slip surfaces to floors, tubs and showers is a must. Most of these devices are available in practically any department store pharmacy at a low cost with no professional home renovations being required. Thresholds can be made safely navigable by walkers and wheelchairs by installing threshold ramps available at home supply centers. The rubber ones are available in different heights, and installation only involves placing them at the door like a door mat. Telescoping grab handles make it easier for seniors to retrieve light objects that have fallen onto the floor or are stored in overhead cabinets. Having favorite microwaveable foods always available helps to prevent burns and potential fires from stove cooking.
Caregiver Training Is Part of Home Adaptation
All of the best devices that aid with adult children providing care to elderly parents cannot compare to proper training. An example is patient lifts available in most care facilities. They are quite expensive but make it easy to lift the full weight of a person. However, there are proper lifting methods that make it much easier to do routine lifts of seniors who have difficulty standing. Knowledge of proper lifting procedures takes the strain off of caregivers and reduces the risk of injury for both seniors and caregivers. Training on methods such as this are available but may require asking medical professionals involved in senior care for advice on how to obtain it.
It would be nice if every home where seniors are cared for could be adapted using the latest technologies and equipment, but the reality is that families are most often under the strain of compromising on space and costs. Still, a little forethought and asking for help from available professionals can make the adaptation of a home to provide safe senior home care much easier, even on the tightest of budgets.
