Overactive Bladder Care for Seniors
Overactive Bladder Care | Overactive bladders and the corresponding symptoms are common among seniors, especially women in Calgary, AB. There are many reasons why a senior might experience urinary incontinence due to an overactive bladder. Whatever the cause may be, there are ways in which it can be managed by elder care services to improve the daily life of the elderly person.
Reasons for urinary incontinence in seniors
For women, the pelvic floor muscles are what controls urinary flow. As we get older, the pelvic floor muscles weaken, which means urine can empty the bladder when certain pressures are applied from laughing, sneezing or certain movements.
Certain foods and drinks such as caffeine and alcohol consumption can affect the urinary flow as well. Foods with a high acid content can also be a trigger for urinary incontinence. Conditions such as diabetes, bladder stones, an enlarged prostate, and constipation can also affect bladder control, leading to urinary incontinence. Elder care services from Comfort Keepers in Calgary, AB can help your senior loved one manage daily symptoms.
Calgary, AB elder care services and care for seniors with overactive bladder
Urinary incontinence and other overactive bladder symptoms can cause embarrassment for seniors, understandably. It can cause them to feel a loss of dignity and control. By keeping this in mind, you can cater your interactions with them to restore their dignity and pride, by letting them know it is completely normal, and nothing to be embarrassed about. Creating a safe environment in which seniors feel comfortable to talk about their problems is very crucial.
Women with an overactive bladder and urinary incontinence can really benefit from elder care services and activities like practicing Kegel exercises. This is when the pelvic muscles are contracted and then released, to strengthen them and provide better urinary control. Let them know that these exercises are practiced by women of all ages and can really help with bladder-related problems.
Make a note of when urinary incontinence occurs. You may find that there is a pattern related to certain foods, for example tomatoes, citrus or caffeine may greatly affect bladder control. Take note of what time of day the problems are most likely to occur, and suggest a regular toilet routine based on the troublesome times. As with most people, drinking a lot of fluid before bed is not a good idea, so make sure to suggest a no-liquid plan for at least 2 hours before bed time.
There are products designed especially for urinary incontinence in seniors. Pads and inserts are a great idea for those who want to maintain a certain lifestyle but want to feel protected. Consult the doctor as well, as medication or devices could be a viable option for your senior loved one.
Comfort Keepers® Calgary Can Help with Overactive Bladder Care for Seniors
If you are concerned about the safety of your aging loved ones, especially in regard to fire, we can help. While it’s important to rely on the expertise of licensed professionals for certain precautions, we can provide home safety assessments and ensure your loved ones’ environment is safe.
Contact the Comfort Keepers Calgary office to learn more about how we can help maintain safety, comfort, and happiness in the home.
Care Services Help Seniors Maintain Mental Health
Help Seniors Maintain Mental Health
Maintain Senior Mental Health | Depression and loneliness can have a dramatic impact on seniors who live alone. Maybe they struggle to complete the tasks required for maintaining a safe and clean household, or they can no longer bath and dress independently. A Comfort Keeper in home caregiver can help provide personalized care services.
Depression Rates In Seniors Are Higher Than Ever
The rates of depression among seniors is staggering. Even though there is evidence that seniors who remain in their own homes tend to be physically healthier than their peers residing in a nursing home or assisted living facility, living alone can contribute to depression. Other factors like chronic illness, isolation, and loneliness can also make depression worse for seniors. Most experts say that half or more of all seniors are at risk for developing depression.
Care services from an experienced caregiver can help eliminate the symptoms of depression. Having an in home caregiver available to help with personal care services, light housekeeping and transportation will keep your senior loved one connected to the world. Seniors are much more likely to eat a healthy meal when they have a caregiver to help them cook and share their meal. No one likes eating alone day after day. Many seniors don’t eat adequate meals because they don’t want to cook for solely for themselves. A caregiver will make cooking and mealtimes fun.
Other Ways That Care Services Can Help
Eating healthy meals is a good way to combat depression, but your senior loved one also needs to participate in social events and get out into the community in order to help fight depression. A home health aide can make that easier. Home health aides can provide and arrange for safe transportation for seniors so they can go visit with friends, attend local events or just go shopping and run errands. If your senior loved one has trouble getting around because of arthritis or an illness, a dedicated caregiver can also assist them so that they can comfortably and safely leave the house for activities.
Exercise is also a great way to fight the symptoms of depression, but often seniors don’t want to exercise alone. Caregivers can encourage your senior loved one to be more active by going on walks with them, or arranging for them to get to the pool for swimming classes. Even getting into the yard for some gardening can help. Talk with one of our senior care staff members today to find out how care services can help your loved one fight depression.
Comfort Keepers® Calgary Can Help with How to Maintain Senior Mental Health
If you are concerned about the safety of your aging loved ones, especially in regard to fire, we can help. While it’s important to rely on the expertise of licensed professionals for certain precautions, we can provide home safety assessments and ensure your loved ones’ environment is safe.
Contact the Comfort Keepers Calgary office to learn more about how we can help maintain safety, comfort, and happiness in the home.
What Is Palliative Care?
Palliative Care for Seniors
Palliative Care Services | If you have a senior loved one in Calgary, AB or in the surrounding areas that needs palliative care, our caregivers can provide holistic palliative care to make this time easier for your loved one and your family.
Individual Focused Palliative Care
Palliative care is end of life care for your senior loved one that will keep them as comfortable as possible and allow them to spend time with loved ones. End of life care can be difficult for family members to provide. As they process their own grief and emotions, it can be challenging for the family to focus on the care that their loved one needs. An in home caregiver can provide professional personal care services and assist with medication management.
A home health aide can also handle miscellaneous household tasks like cleaning, cooking, shopping, running errands for your senior loved one’s last requests to be honored. They can do laundry, clean the house, and even help with coordinating visits from family members. An in home caregiver is focused on ensuring your loved one is comfortable by providing holistic end of life care that will allow you and your senior loved one to take advantage of this time together, without having to worry about household tasks.
End Of Life Care is Helpful For Families
Having a home caregiver provide palliative care can be a big help for families. During this emotional time tensions can run high and disagreements can frequently occur. Having a home health aide available to handle the daily tasks like preparing food, running errands, shopping, cleaning, and arranging or providing transportation can be a big comfort to families who are struggling to cope the situation.
To learn more, contact us or call 587-315-5388 to discuss an individualized palliative care plan that is focused on keeping your loved one comfortable through this difficult time.
Comfort Keepers® Calgary Can Help with Palliative Care Services
If you are concerned about the safety of your aging loved ones, especially in regard to fire, we can help. While it’s important to rely on the expertise of licensed professionals for certain precautions, we can provide home safety assessments and ensure your loved ones’ environment is safe.
Contact the Comfort Keepers Calgary office to learn more about how we can help maintain safety, comfort, and happiness in the home.
Care Services for Calgary, AB and the surrounding areas of: Airdrie, Aldersyde, Banff, Black Diamond, Calgary, Chestermere, Cochrane, Crossfield, High River, Okotoks, Redwood Meadows and Sherwood, AB
Care Services and Mental Health
Care Services and Mental Health for Seniors
Senior Care Services | According to the World Health Organization, mental health is one of the two primary components of an individual’s holistic state, with the other component being a person’s physical health. The reason the WHO makes such a big deal about the importance of mental health is that it is often not treated with the same urgency as physical health issues, but it should be.
One in five seniors over 55 suffer from mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and cognitive impairment. Too often, these mental health disorders lead to chronic or debilitating physical health problems and/or suicide. These numbers grow significantly as seniors age, with seniors over the age of 85 having the highest rate of suicide of any age group.
In addition to the very serious mental health problems of debilitation and suicide, mental distress often interferes with a senior’s performance of one or more activity of daily living. For example, seniors who are anxious or distressed may forget to take their medication, may not pay attention to their personal hygiene, or may let the housekeeping, laundry, or dishes go for an extended length of time. Others may stop eating or gorge themselves on unhealthy foods. Additionally, researchers found that seniors who suffer from frequent mental health issues are significantly more likely to smoke, drink excessively, and fail to exercise.
Senior Care Services in Calgary, AB
When seniors have a mental health disorder, in home senior care can help them maintain their freedom, independence, and quality of life. Not only can in home care services increase a senior’s sense of self-worth and dignity, but in doing so it reduces the risks of suicide and other related problems.
The success of senior care services is not secret or mysterious. Instead, it is based on the premise that seniors require the same sense of love, respect, and support that we all do. Sadly, life circumstances have taken some of these away from many seniors. In home care helps to restore these basic foundations of humanity. From simple help with daily tasks to companionship, help with personal care and socialization, senior caregivers meet the senior where they are at – emotionally and physically. The Centers for Disease Control reports that nearly a quarter of seniors over the age of 65 feel as if they “rarely” or “never” get the mental or emotional support they need. In home care services helps change that perception.
In short, many seniors suffer from mental health problems, and too many suffer silently. Thankfully, with Comfort Keepers care services, this does not have to be the case for your senior loved one.
Comfort Keepers® Calgary Can Help with Senior Care Services
If you are concerned about the safety of your aging loved ones, especially in regard to fire, we can help. While it’s important to rely on the expertise of licensed professionals for certain precautions, we can provide home safety assessments and ensure your loved ones’ environment is safe.
Contact the Comfort Keepers Calgary office to learn more about how we can help maintain safety, comfort, and happiness in the home.
Care Services for Calgary, AB and the surrounding areas of: Airdrie, Aldersyde, Banff, Black Diamond, Calgary, Chestermere, Cochrane, Crossfield, High River, Okotoks, Redwood Meadows and Sherwood, AB.
Nutrition and Calgary Home Care Services
Home Care Services Offer Balanced Nutrition for Seniors
Nutrition for Seniors | We often hear about eating a healthy and nutritious diet, but many times it is unclear exactly what “nutrition” is. After all, the definition of a healthy meal has changed considerably over the last decade, let alone the past 30 or 40 years.
In simplest terms, nutrition refers to an individual’s consumption of proper nutrients, where nutrients are sources of nourishment for the body. These nutrients come in various forms: protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, minerals, water, and fiber. Some nutrients are required in large quantities, and some are needed in much smaller amounts. At times, nutrients must be consumed together in proper combinations in order to be useful to the body. For example, calcium is an essential nutrient required to form strong bones and teeth. However, the body cannot absorb and use calcium without the proper amount of vitamin D. Therefore, a person who consumes vast amounts of calcium but has a vitamin D deficiency may still have problems with osteoporosis, weak teeth, and other conditions associated with low levels of calcium.
In addition to making the body stronger, proper nutrition can also help seniors live longer. According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, seniors who “ate their “five-a-day” portions of fruit-and-veggies tended to live longer than those who did not.” Surprisingly, the Swedish study this information was based off found that seniors who went “all in” and gorged themselves on fruits and vegetables did not have any additional health benefits. In other words, nutrition implies more than simply eating fruits and vegetables. Good nutrition entails eating the proper number of calories and the proper ratio of nutrients.
In order to better improve the chances of proper nutrition, food should be consumed in several meals a day, with large amounts of nutrients being consumed early in the day. Researchers in Tel Aviv, Israel, found that “When we eat our food has a considerable impact on how our bodies process food…a large breakfast – containing 700 calories – promotes weight loss and lowers the person’s risk of developing heart disease, high cholesterol, and diabetes.”
The Benefits of Home Care Services
Sadly, many seniors with mobility issues or chronic pain have difficulty preparing nutritious meals. In these circumstances, home care services can make a significant difference. For example, Comfort Keepers home care services provide meal preparation support, shopping assistance, and coordination with doctors and professional nutritionists and dietitians.
The goal of home care services is not just to perform tasks for the senior but to improve their quality of life and increase overall independence. By helping seniors understand their changing nutritional requirements, supporting their access to healthy foods, and increasing the likelihood that nutritional meals will be prepared and eaten in optimal meal situations, home care services personnel can give your senior loved one a better chance of maximizing their health and welfare.
Comfort Keepers® Calgary Can Help with Nutrition for Seniors
If you are concerned about the safety of your aging loved ones, especially in regard to fire, we can help. While it’s important to rely on the expertise of licensed professionals for certain precautions, we can provide home safety assessments and ensure your loved ones’ environment is safe.
Contact the Comfort Keepers Calgary office to learn more about how we can help maintain safety, comfort, and happiness in the home.
Memory Problems and Calgary Senior Care
Senior Care and Memory Problems
Memory Problems in Seniors | The first time a senior forgets where they put their purse, wallet, car keys, remote control, or other important object, they may wonder if they are starting to forget things. Others will simply write it off as a “senior moment”. If this sort of activity happens several other times, however, words like “dementia” and “Alzheimer’s disease” start to enter the senior’s mind. These can be very scary times.
While a certain percentage of memory problems are related to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, these are not the only reasons that seniors have memory problems. In fact, according to the National Institute on Aging, “Memory loss can happen at any age and for a number of reasons.” The good news is that, unlike dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, many of the reasons for memory loss are actually treatable and reversible.
In Home Care Services Support Memory Problems in Seniors
One of the main reasons seniors have trouble with their memory is related to medication. The average senior over the age of 65 takes between 8 and ten medications. Many of these drugs have side effects that impact memory, and the mix of the medications further complicates matters. Often, seniors who have a medication-based brain fog can see the reversal of this condition with an adjustment to their medications. The key, however, is early identification and good communication with the physicians. If your senior loved one receives senior care in Calgary, Comfort Keepers caregivers can help them with a medication management regimen that includes keeping a close watch on the memory.
Another reason many seniors face memory issues is a lack of sleep. Simply put, the brain does not function as well when it is tired as when it is rested. A common reason for sleep problems in seniors is sleep apnea. According to researchers at Johns Hopkins, sleep apnea does not just lead to fatigue and daytime naps, “It is linked to memory loss and dementia”.
Sleep apnea is diagnosed through a sleep test. Comfort Keepers senior care in Calgary can help your senior loved one arrange a test, or – if they are unable to go to a sleep clinic – may be able to help with a home testing kit. If sleep apnea is discovered, caregivers can help with a bedtime routine that includes a CPAP device.
For many seniors, memory is challenged because of stress. There is simply too many things going on in the brain to keep them all straight. Stress-related memory problems are even more severe when linked with a lack of sleep. Finding ways to reduce stress is not just good for the memory, but it is also highly beneficial for a senior’s overall health.
In short, memory problems are not uncommon in seniors. Thankfully, there are many reasons for these issues other than chronic or irreversible illnesses and diseases.In many cases, a simple lifestyle modification or change in medication may be all that it takes to bring the memory back to normal. If your senior loved one has a memory problem, Comfort Keepers senior care can help.
Comfort Keepers® Calgary Can Help with Memory Problems in Seniors
If you are concerned about the safety of your aging loved ones, especially in regard to fire, we can help. While it’s important to rely on the expertise of licensed professionals for certain precautions, we can provide home safety assessments and ensure your loved ones’ environment is safe.
Contact the Comfort Keepers Calgary office to learn more about how we can help maintain safety, comfort, and happiness in the home.
In Home Care for Calgary, AB and the surrounding areas of: Airdrie, Aldersyde, Banff, Black Diamond, Calgary, Chestermere, Cochrane, Crossfield, High River, Okotoks, Redwood Meadows and Sherwood, AB.
Personality Changes & Senior Caregivers
What To Do When Your Aging Loved One’s Personality Changes
Personality Changes in Seniors | There are many reasons a senior’s personality may change. As we age, people experience numerous physical, emotional, and psychological challenges, and each person handles these experiences differently. One of the common results of various stressors in a person’s life is a change in personality. For example, a person who was always calm and reserved may become angry and outspoken, or a person who was always gregarious may become withdrawn.
Personality changes are not always negative or bad, but they do typically indicate that something has changed in a senior’s life. Therefore, it is important that a senior caregiver take note of any personality changes in case there is an underlying medical condition causing it.
Three of the more common reasons behind personality changes in seniors:
- The death of a spouse or significant other. Many seniors have spent the majority of their life with a person who “completed” them. When their other half passes on, many seniors do not know how to function or cope with the world in which they are now left alone. Many seniors will require the help of a senior caregiver if their loved one who passed supported them in daily living activities or took care of many of life’s tasks. In addition to requiring this physical support, they may also need help coping with their emotions. Emotions range from anger, resentment, and hostility to depression, sadness, and isolation. There seems to be little connection between a person’s personality prior to such a significant loss and the emotions displayed after. In loss, personality changes are often profound.
- Medication. Most seniors over the age of 65 are on at least five to ten different medications. Many times these medications can impact a person’s hormones, chemical balance, and brain functions. It is no wonder that changes in personality are common side effects of many common medications. Senior caregivers should watch for sudden personality changes after new medications are added and when medications are stopped. Should a personality change occur unexpectedly, checking to see if the senior has been taking all of their medication as prescribed is a good place to start. For example, a senior may have run out of a medication and not had it refilled.
- Dementia, Alzheimer’s, TBI, and other brain-related diseases or injuries. Any sickness, injury, or disease can cause significant changes in a senior’s personality, but those ailments that directly impact the brain are known for causing such shifts. As different areas of the brain die, the controls and filters that were there are gone as well. This means that if a brain center that blocked hostility is damaged or lost, a person may find themselves getting frequently angry. Without impulse control, a person may become quite aggressive, sexual, hyper-emotional, and so forth.
Comfort Keepers® Calgary Can Help with In Home Care for Seniors
If you are concerned about the safety of your aging loved ones, especially in regard to fire, we can help. While it’s important to rely on the expertise of licensed professionals for certain precautions, we can provide home safety assessments and ensure your loved ones’ environment is safe.
Contact the Comfort Keepers Calgary office to learn more about how we can help maintain safety, comfort, and happiness in the home.
In Home Care for Calgary, AB and the surrounding areas of: Airdrie, Aldersyde, Banff, Black Diamond, Calgary, Chestermere, Cochrane, Crossfield, High River, Okotoks, Redwood Meadows and Sherwood, AB.
Home Health Aide Suggestions For Managing Stress
Suggestions For Managing Stress in Seniors
Managing Stress in Seniors | When people think about stress, they may consider deadlines at work, screaming children, caring for a loved one who is sick, changes in relationships, or even their own health. The truth of the matter is that all of these could or could not be stressors, as each person responds to internal and external demands differently. What may cause one person to “become stressed” may not cause another person a moment’s pause or care. This is why it is important for each person to know their own stress triggers and for a home health aide to know the stress triggers of the senior for whom they are caring.
How Can A Calgary Home Health Aide Help Managing Stress in Seniors?
When a person becomes stressed, the body releases chemicals called cortisol, adrenaline, and norepinephrine into the bloodstream. These chemicals, and the way the body reacts to them, determine the way a person responds to various incidents of stress. This means that it is not just important for the home health aide to understand a senior’s stressors, but they must also understand the way or ways in which they respond to their stress triggers.
The reason it is so important to understand stress is that it is associated with a plethora of negative health issues. These issues tend to become magnified with age. For example, WebMD notes, “Stress seems to worsen or increase the risk of conditions like obesity, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, depression, gastrointestinal problems, and asthma.” Stress has also been linked to “age-related atherosclerosis, osteoporosis, arthritis, Type 2 diabetes, cancers and dementia, according to the National Institute of Stress.
A home care aide should not just understand what causes a senior’s stress, but they should know what helps to de-escalate stressful situations as well. For some seniors, soothing music may help them relax, while others may find the sounds of a harp or flute irritating. Studies have found that chronic senior stress can be reduced through pet therapy. In fact, just petting a dog typically lower the release of cortisol, increase the release of serotonin (the “feel-good” hormone), and lower blood pressure. Of course is the senior is allergic to the dog, this sort of pet therapy may not be the answer.
Comfort Keepers® Calgary Can Help
If you are concerned about the safety of your aging loved ones, especially in regard to fire, we can help. While it’s important to rely on the expertise of licensed professionals for certain precautions, we can provide home safety assessments and ensure your loved ones’ environment is safe.