There are many causes of urinary incontinence, a condition which tends to occur as the bladder muscle weakens and has more difficulty holding urine. Common physical changes resulting from the aging process, like reduced mobility, increase the time that it takes for your loved one to get to the bathroom, creating an additional challenge. Similarly, hospitalizations often increase incontinence due to the patient being restricted to bed.
Though hydration is important for healthy living at any age, seniors are at greater risk of dehydration due to physical and physiological changes that occur during the natural aging process. With potentially dangerous symptoms of dehydration like disorientation, constipation, and low blood pressure, it is important to keep your loved one hydrated.
We asked Brian Cooper, a Residential Home Health Occupational Therapist, to share some strategies that caregivers can use to help ensure their loved one regularly drinks water. Here are the tips that have helped many of his patients and their caregivers: (more…)
Residential in the Real WorldAt Residential Home Health, we ask ‘What’s your health challenge?’ because our care is far from one-size-fits-all. Each patient’s health status and history informs what kind of care is appropriate for the situation, whether that be nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, medical social work, speech therapy, or often some combination. And beyond these different services, Residential clinicians may have extra training and specialize in a particular area of expertise or proven treatment — for example, certification in the LSVT BIG and LOUD therapies for patients with Parkinson’s or other neurological disorders.
Another area of specialization is wound care; Residential employs nurses who take on extra courses of study and certification and have become experts at wound dressing and healing at home. For one Residential patient, ignoring an injury allowed her wounds to progress and worsen, and more than dressing changes was needed to repair them. Read on to learn how Residential nurse and case manager Jessica combined skilled attention and hands-on care with education and advocacy, easing her patient’s pain and restoring her outlook. (more…)
Coordinating healthy menu options that address the nuances around a loved one’s specific health concerns can be challenging for caregivers. While proper nutrition is vital for every age and gender, maintaining a healthy eating plan for individuals coping with one or multiple chronic conditions like COPD, CHF or diabetes can be especially complicated. Many seniors struggle to prepare meals from scratch themselves and rely on frozen entrees. As a care provider, only you will know what’s truly in the fridge, and only you can ensure your loved one’s access to a healthy menu.
Though seniors often understand when they need help meal planning, many struggle with this reality. Including them in the management of their diet can keep them feeling empowered and engaged.