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Home Care Aurora, IL: June Is Home Safety Month For Seniors

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Seniors are twice as likely to sustain injuries or death in their home. June is home safety month for seniors and a good time to make sure a home where a senior resides is as free from risks as possible. Falls at home may cause serious injuries to the elderly. While every fall or potential hazard cannot be prevented, there are some precautions that can be taken to make sure seniors at home are as safe as possible.Start With A Conversation Home safety for seniors starts with a simple conversation. Basic home care can help to make a home what it should be, a comfortable place to live and enjoy life. Adult children are generally the best ones to bring up the subject of home safety. Most seniors feel they can handle their own home care. While this may be true for the most part, people of all ages sometimes overlook things that help prevent a serious injury or worse. Unfortunately, as we age it is not as easy to recover from an injury or fall and seniors at home do face certain hazards. Some of these may be avoided. When having a conversation with seniors about safety in the home it is best to remain calm and explain that efforts to keep a home safe will be beneficial not only for them, but for those who love them as well. Have A Home Inspection Take a walk through the home and take note of any potential hazards. Everything does not need to be corrected at once, but it does help to be aware of potential risks in the home. Once potential risks are identified, sit down and discuss options to correct these issues and make the home a safer environment for all. Here are some main areas to look at when pinpointing potential safety issues at a senior's home. Fall Prevention
• Have handrails on both sides of stairs and steps • Place lights at the top and bottom of stairs • Tape rugs to the floor to preventing slipping or falling or don't use rugs if possible • Keep stairs clear of clutter • Use nightlights in the hallway, bedroom and bathroom
• Use non-slip mats in the tub/shower • Install grab bars in the shower/bath • Clean up spills immediately
Steps/Stairway Safety
• Have handrails on both sides and lights at the top/bottom • Keep stairs clear • Paint the bottom of a basement step to make it easier to see to avoid missing a step • Keep walkways/steps to the home free of snow and ice in the winter and check for lose bricks, stones or cement
 
 
Poison Prevention
• Keep household cleaners stored in a cool, dry place • Make sure household products or chemicals are in a secure container and clearly labeled • If poison is accidentally ingested, call the poison control center at 1-800-222-1222 or call 911
Carbon Monoxide
• Check fireplaces, heaters and stoves on a regular basis and replace filters, clean the chimney, etc. • Install carbon monoxide detectors
Fire Prevention Tips
• Always remain in the kitchen while cooking • Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen/dining area • Don't wear loose fitting clothing while cooking • Use oven mitts • If grilling, stay by the grill while cooking • Turn pot/pan handles inward so they can't be easily knocked over
Burn Prevention
• Use back burners when possible • Keep hot drinks away from the edge of tables/counters
Scald Prevention
• Use a thermometer to check the temperature of bath/tap water • Adjust the hot water tank so the water will not get to a level that is dangerously hot
Prescription ManagementPrescription medication can help a senior stay healthy and live a vital, active life. However, some precautions should be taken to make sure all medications are safely used and stored.
• Make sure all prescription medications are clearly labeled • Keep medications in the same general area • If having grandchildren over, make sure medications are in a place not easily accessed or in a location that can be temporarily locked • Check expiration dates on a regular basis, throw away old/unused medications
 

Home care counselors at Safe at Home Healthcare are available to talk with you about your in-home care needs including how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable care, including live-in care. We are an elder care agency providing Home Care in Naperville.

 

Senior Care Naperville, IL: Synthroid Risks for Seniors

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From Dr. Douglass

The drug is levothyroxine, aka Synthroid, a synthetic form of the thyroid hormone used to treat hypothyroidism. It’s just about the least effective means of battling an underactive thyroid gland — and now, researchers say in some seniors it may more than triple the odds of a bone break.

Researchers examined data on more than 200,000 elderly seniors — mostly women — who were given levothyroxine between April 2002 and March 2007, and found that those who were taking the drug or had recently taken it were up to 3.5 times more likely to suffer a hip fracture than those who had taken it long ago.

The researchers point out that seniors on medium and high doses are at the highest risks — so maybe Seniors should check with their doc to get their on lower doses when they can.

My wife and I have done our own research since she is hypothyroid and found that synthetic thyroid contains only one form of the thyroid hormone, called T4. When you take it, your body has to convert it to the active form, T3.

But here’s the catch: Most thyroid patients CAN’T convert T4 into T3.

Natural thyroid derived from pigs, on the other hand, contains both T3 and T4. My wife and sister (both still young) noticed a big difference when making the switch.

I hope Seniors don’t put their bones on the line for a drug that doesn’t work. I recommend they find a doc or educate their current healthcare practitioner who can help them make the switch to natural thyroid med.

Home care counselors at Safe at Home Healthcare are available to talk with you about your in-home care needs including how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable care, including live-in care. We are an elder care agency providing Home Care in Naperville.

Home Care Oswego, IL: Fall Prevention Information

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For people 65 years or older, the leading cause of death from injury is falls.

For an elderly person, the most common form of injury from a fall is a broken hip.

High or Low Blood Pressure can cause dizziness, especially when a person gets up from a bed or chair.

The most common place for falls resulting in serious injury is the stairs.

Emergency response systems are not appropriate for someone with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia because he or she may forget how to use the alarm.

An in-home caregiver is a great option to help in the prevention of falls. Especially for seniors with Alzheimers and Dementia who will not be able to use an Emergency Response System.

Kurt Hjelle, PT
Agency Manager
Safe at Home Healthcare, Inc.

Elder Care Oswego, IL: Mental Health Month May 2011

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Source: mentalhealthamerica.net

Mental Health America is proud to continue its tradition of celebrating “May is Mental Health Month,” which began in 1949 to raise awareness of mental health conditions and mental wellness for all.

This year, we are addressing these important issues through two themes:

Do More for 1 in 4 is a call to action to help the 1 in 4 American adults who live with a diagnosable, treatable mental health condition and the fact that they can go on to live full and productive lives.

The second theme, Live Well! It’s Essential for Your Potential, focuses on the importance of mental wellness and the steps everyone can take to improve their well-being and resiliency in the face of difficult times and challenges.

Mental Health America’s Live Your Life Well program offers ten science-based tools to manage stress and help you relax, grow and flourish.

read more: http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/go/may

Home care counselors at Safe at Home Healthcare are available to talk with you about your in-home care needs including how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable care, including live-in care. We are an elder care agency providing Home Care in Naperville.

Home Care Oswego, IL: National Nurses Week May 6-12 2011

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National Nurses Week

National Nurses Week May 6-12 2011 Nurses Trusted to Care

Often described as an art and a science, nursing is a profession that embraces dedicated people with varied interests, strengths and passions because of the many opportunities the profession offers. As nurses, we work in emergency rooms, school based clinics, and homeless shelters, to name a few. We have many roles – from staff nurse to educator to nurse practitioner and nurse researcher – and serve all of them with passion for the profession and with a strong commitment to patient safety.

Suggestions on How to Celebrate National Nurses Week

•    Hold a special celebration or reception to recognize a nurse or several nurses in your community. These nurses could be honored for heroic acts, years of service to the community, exemplary courage, or their commitment to the nursing profession over the years.
•    Promote a positive, realistic image of registered nurses by sponsoring health fairs, conducting preventive screenings in underserved areas, organizing a walk-a-thon, etc.
•    Place an article in your state or local newspaper(s) about National Nurses Week and the value of nurses.
•    Invite a politician — local, state or federal — to accompany a nurse or several nurses at their place of employment for a day or part of a day. Health care remains an issue of tremendous importance to voters. Politicians should be visible and accountable for their positions on health care. This is a win-win
situation and it offers good media coverage potential.
•    Ask every nurse in America to wear an “RN Pin” and/or nurse’s uniform during National Nurses Week. The official “RN Pin” is available by calling 1-800-445-0445 (credit card orders only).

Source: www.nursingworld.org & http://www.nursingworld.org/NationalNursesWeek

Home care counselors at Safe at Home Healthcare are available to talk with you about your in-home care needs including how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable care, including live-in care. We are an elder care agency providing Home Care in Naperville.