According to the AAA 85% to 90% of safe driving relies upon the eyes and the eyes change in a number of ways with age which can compromise a senior’s ability to remain safe behind the wheel. With age there is diminished light entering the eyes, declining focus, increases sensitivity to glare, difficulty perceiving color, diminished depth perception and narrowed peripheral vision. Seniors who struggle with their eyesight, but still have clearance to drive from the driver’s licensing office in Phoenix don’t need to hang up their keys, but in order to remain safe they do need to consider the following tips to ensure they aren’t a hazard to themselves or others when they drive their car.

• Get eye exams at least every 2 years – with detection many common eye issues can be slowed or treated before the affect vision too seriously
• Drive during the day – seniors who have issues with night driving or glare should limit their driving to daytime
• Turn your head frequently – this can help expand more limited peripheral vision when driving
• Keep car clean – the windshield, wipers and mirrors should all be kept clean so they don’t further obstruct vision
• Install a larger rearview mirror – for seniors with more limited visibility, a larger mirror will increase where and how they can see
• Adjust mirrors properly – adjusting mirrors properly will improve range of vision

Sources:

1. AAASeniors

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Greater Phoenix Senior Living & Central Phoenix Senior Living provides home care for elders and seniors . Call us! 623-583-5868, 480-991-3959 or 602-265-8228

Many people in Phoenix who become family caregivers believe that they are doing their loved one a favor, because rather than hiring a professional home caregiver which can make seniors feel like they’re losing independence; receiving care from a family member can make seniors feel like they’re just spending quality time with someone they love. Of course, this is not the reality; but beyond the illusion that sometimes comes with family care, there are also potential safety implications. Very few family caregivers receive training in proper safety techniques for senior caregiving; methods to identify hazards in the home, recognizing signs or symptoms of serious illness, or even basic CPR. As a result of this lack of training, family caregivers are putting their loved ones at risk since they are ill-equipped to respond to medical emergencies, and may inadvertently cause harm to the seniors they care for.

While family caregivers feel that they’re doing their loved one a favor by saving them from the indignity of losing independence by accepting help from someone who isn’t family, they might really be doing them a disservice. Instead of choosing a family caregiver for a senior, consider hiring Home Instead Senior Care in Phoenix to provide home care services. Professional caregivers are trained in the following:

• First aid

• Safe caregiving techniques

• Identifying signs and symptoms of potential illness

• Specific Alzheimer’s care

Sources:

1. Seniors Daily
2. Home Instead Senior Care

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Greater Phoenix Senior Living & Central Phoenix Senior Living provides home care for elders and seniors . Call us! 623-583-5868, 480-991-3959 or 602-265-8228.

Q – My mother in Phoenix has a dog and cat that have been with her since my father passed away, she would never dream of giving them up and I wouldn’t want to put her in that situation because I can see how happy they make her. However, she does suffer from Alzheimer’s, and I worry that her safety might become an issue when she leaves the house to walk the dog, and I’m not certain if they’re receiving proper care as a result of her memory. I’ve been looking at home care agencies to help her around the house, but can they provide assistance for pets too?

A – While not all home care agencies for seniors provide pet services, Home Instead Senior Care in Phoenix can provide services to assist both the more traditional elements of home care as well as well as those that relate to the pets. Home Instead Senior Care can assist your mother by feeding the dog and cat, taking the dog for a walk, ensuring that they receive meals, and even by running errands for pet supplies. Through these home care services you can rest assured that both your mother and her best friends are well cared for, so giving them up never has to become a contending factor.

Sources:

1. Suite 101

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Greater Phoenix Senior Living & Central Phoenix Senior Living provides home care for elders and seniors . Call us! 623-583-5868, 480-991-3959 or 602-265-8228.

As a geriatric care specialist, I often receive questions from my Phoenix clients; seniors and their families, about what would happen if their loved one had an accident in the home when no one was around. Family members worry that their senior, living alone, might have an accident or fall and remain unattended and without help for hours until someone discovers that something just isn’t right. My recommendation to these individuals is to invest in a Personal Emergency Response System, because while accidents may happen in even the safest home, at least with such a technology someone can be notified once an incident occurs, providing the senior the help they need in response.

Personal Emergency Response Systems allow seniors to press a button once they’ve had a fall or accident to contact a monitoring service that notifies a family member or emergency response. These services can also help remind seniors to take their medication and allow them to communicate directly with someone when an emergency occurs. While I do provide my clients with a number of tips that may help them reduce the likelihood of accidents in the home, unfortunately, they still can happen, but by taking advantage of today’s technology there is an added element of safety so if something does occur, the senior’s needs can be attended to.

Greater Phoenix Senior Living & Central Phoenix Senior Living provides home care for elders and seniors . Call us! 623-583-5868, 480-991-3959 or 602-265-8228.

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Q – Does stress make the body vulnerable to diseases and illnesses? Is it possible that stress is to blame for my diabetes?

A – There is a chance that stress could be responsible for your diabetes, as there is a direct correlation that can put Phoenix seniors at risk for the disease. Naturally, when you are stressed, your blood sugar levels rise. While in most cases, people who do not have diabetes have mechanisms to get blood sugar levels back under control, those who are diabetic may not which can cause the onset of diabetes symptoms. While stress is unlikely to directly cause diabetes, it can cause the illness to be discovered. Stress can also have serious health effects for someone suffering from diabetes since blood sugar levels rise which can result in symptoms like dizziness, fatigue, confusion, problems forming words.

Prolonged elevated blood pressure can also result in heart disease. Particularly during times of extreme stress, seniors should be aware of these family conditions which can be further aggravated by stress and have their risk assessed by a doctor.

Sources:

1. Medical News Today

2. Medicine Online

3. The American Institute of Stress

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Greater Phoenix Senior Living & Central Phoenix Senior Living provides home care for elders and seniors . Call us! 623-583-5868, 480-991-3959 or 602-265-8228.

As adults, we see the slow progression into older adulthood that our parents and other relatives undergo, and while that doesn’t necessarily diminish the grief we feel as their independence is compromised, they struggle with illness, and face their mortality; it does increase our knowledge and awareness. A senior’s young grandchildren, on the other hand, may lack awareness regarding the aging process their grandparent has undergone, so when a serious illness or even death occurs, they may be caught off guard.

While parents and grandparents may feel the need to protect grandchildren, arming them with information and encouraging them to communicate about aging and the struggles faced by their grandparents, will better prepare them emotionally should a medical emergency or death occur. As the grandparent faces issues with aging explain, in terms and detail appropriate to the child’s age, what aging issues the grandparent is facing and allow them to ask questions and talk about how they feel. If the grandparent passes away, remember to keep positive memories in the child’s life to help with the grief process; have them share fond memories of being with their grandparent, have them draw pictures to represent their feelings; while still remembering that everyone deals with grief in their own way. Just because a grandchild is young doesn’t mean that they won’t become angry, depressed, or resentful due to the loss of their beloved grandparent; but do enlist professional help if the grandchild seems to be struggling to appropriately cope with the loss.

Sources:
1.   Associated Content
2.   AARP

Greater Phoenix Senior Living & Central Phoenix Senior Living provides home care for elders and seniors . Call us! 623-583-5868, 480-991-3959 or 602-265-8228.