Helping Edmonton Seniors Keep Their Eyes Healthy as They Age
How to Keep Aging Eyes Healthy | With age, comes vision changes, and the need for an annual vision test. Seniors are encouraged to follow the doctor’s treatment plans and vision health. To maintain eye health and prevent their vision from getting impaired, seniors should include the following things into their routines.
Here Are 8 Tips to Keep Aging Eyes Healthy:
Tip #1. A Healthy Diet:
Good nutrition is important for a senior’s overall well-being. However, some groceries can help them maintain eye health. Kale, carrots, eggs, sweet potatoes, oranges, almonds, and salmon are great sources of nutrients and vitamins that can boost eye health.
Tip #2 – Exercise:
Exercising several times a week is beneficial to overall health but also for the eyes. When we work out, blood circulation is increased which leads to the removal of toxins and increased oxygen levels in the eyes.
Tip #3 Avoid Eye Trauma:
Seniors who want to maintain their eye health should avoid eye trauma by wearing protective eyewear or goggles, using caution around chemicals and sharp objects, and reducing the risk of falls in their homes.
Tip #4 Smart Computer Use:
Seniors who spend time in front of a computer can suffer from headaches, eye strain, vision blur or seeing double. Older adults who use computers regularly should ensure their workspace has good lighting, regularly scheduled breaks, and corrective eyewear as prescribed.
Tip #5 Consider Other Health Issues:
Many health problems can affect vision health. Speak with a professional to inquire how medical conditions and medications can impact the eyes.
Tip #6 Sunglasses:
Seniors need to get into the habit of always wearing sunglasses outside.
Tip #7 Sleep:
A good night’s sleep benefits one’s overall health, well-being, and quality of life. It is also an important factor for eye health as well.
Tip #8 Vision Screenings:
Since vision changes can happen rapidly for seniors, they should get their vision tested once a year.
Comfort Keepers® Edmonton is Proud to Offer a Wide Range of Home Senior Care Services
Our trained caregivers will ensure your loved one is comfortable, independent and safe in their home. On top of that, we will also aim to enhance their overall health, quality of life and general happiness.
Top-Notch Home Healthcare for Seniors in Edmonton, Alberta
Comfort Keepers of Edmonton offers a wider range of senior care services. We offer retirement care, respite care, senior care, companionship care, end-of-life care, post-surgery care, palliative care, personal care, and senior living transition services. If you are concerned about the health and well-being of your aging loved ones we can help with 24-hour care and more!
Helping Seniors Age-in-Place with Companionship Care and Interactive Caregiving™
Empathetic care starts in the heart and allows us to meet our client’s needs. Our trained caregivers are selected with one specific quality in mind, empathy. We strive to stimulate our clients emotionally, mentally and socially, thus enhancing their overall quality of life.
Our Interactive Caregiving™ provides a system of care that addresses companionship, safety, nutrition, mind, body, and activities of daily living (ADLs). The system increases seniors’ sense of well-being, independence and companionship by focusing on Senior Mind, Senior Body, Senior Nutrition, and Senior Safety.
Affordable and Client-Directed Homecare is Available for Qualifying Albertans
Comfort Keepers® Edmonton is an Approved Service Provider for the Client Directed Homecare Invoicing (CDHCI) Program Offered by Alberta Health Services.
What is the Client Directed Home Care Invoicing Program (CDHCI)?
CDHCI is a great program provided by Alberta Health Services (AHS), allowing clients to choose an approved agency like, Comfort Keepers Edmonton for Personal Care, Respite Care and Homemaking needs. The chosen agency can then bill AHS directly for services rendered for approved hours through Alberta Blue Cross. Read more about the program HERE.
Accredited Home Care Edmonton
Comfort Keepers® Edmonton was awarded the “Accredited with Exemplary Standing” seal by Accreditation Canada. This honour demonstrates Comfort Keepers’ commitment to offering safe, high-quality home care to its senior clients in Edmonton, AB.
To learn more about senior in-home care in Edmonton, contact the Comfort Keepers® office. Our service territory includes Edmonton, Devon, Sherwood Park, Stony Plain and surrounding areas, contact the Comfort Keepers Edmonton office at 780-465-4665.
What Seniors Need to Know About Healthy Eye Care and Nutrition
Healthy Eye Care and Nutrition for Seniors in Edmonton, AB
Healthy eye care and nutrition are important especially when rapid changes in vision and eye health can occur in older individuals. Seniors should undergo an annual vision test and adhere to their doctor’s advice regarding treatment plans and maintaining good eyesight.
One in three seniors has some form of vision-reducing eye disease by age 65.
Changes to vision and concerns about eye health can happen rapidly for older adults. Seniors should get a vision test once a year and should always follow a doctor’s recommendations on treatment plans and vision health.
Here are eight tips for seniors to maintain eye health:
Tip #1 Diet:
Seniors can maintain their eye health by indulging in tasty food options that offer an array of vitamins and nutrients. Some excellent sources include kale, carrots, eggs, sweet potatoes, oranges, almonds, and salmon.
Tip#2 Exercise:
Following a physician’s exercise regimen can not only contribute to overall well-being but also offer advantages for the eyes. Enhancing blood flow aids in eliminating harmful substances while boosting oxygen levels within the eyes.
Tip #3 Avoid Eye Trauma:
Long-term eye and vision health can be greatly affected by injuries, and taking preventative measures is key to avoiding accidental eye trauma. Being mindful of wearing suitable protective eyewear or goggles, handling chemicals and sharp objects with care, and removing trip hazards are among the strategies that help prevent accidents.
Tip #4 Smart Computer Use:
The use of computers regularly can cause eye strain and discomfort regardless of age. However, as we get older, computer screens have the potential to be even more damaging to our eyes, resulting in headaches, eye irritation, blurriness, or double vision. Seniors who frequently utilize computers, especially for extended periods, should ensure their workspace is properly illuminated, take frequent breaks and consistently wear corrective eyewear.
Tip #5 Consider Other Health Issues:
Older individuals must discuss with a healthcare provider the potential impact of physical ailments and medications on their vision. Certain health conditions and medicines can significantly affect eye health in older adults.
Tip #6 Sunglasses:
As we grow older, the significance of protective eyewear intensifies, making it vital for seniors to develop the practice of consistently wearing sunglasses while outdoors.
Tip #7 Sleep:
Sleep is not only advantageous for overall health, well-being, and quality of life but also plays a vital role in maintaining good eye health.
Tip #8 Vision Screenings:
Rapid changes in vision and eye health can occur in older individuals. It is recommended that senior citizens undergo an annual vision test and faithfully adhere to a doctor’s advice regarding treatment plans and overall well-being.
Comfort Keepers® Edmonton is Proud to Offer a Wide Range of Home Senior Care Services
Our trained caregivers will ensure your loved one is comfortable, independent and safe in their home. On top of that, we will also aim to enhance their overall health, quality of life and general happiness.
Top-Notch Home Healthcare for Seniors in Edmonton, Alberta
Comfort Keepers of Edmonton offers a wider range of senior care services. We offer retirement care, respite care, senior care, companionship care, end-of-life care, post-surgery care, palliative care, personal care, and senior living transition services. If you are concerned about the health and well-being of your aging loved ones we can help with 24-hour care and more!
Helping Seniors Age-in-Place with Companionship Care and Interactive Caregiving™
Empathetic care starts in the heart and allows us to meet our client’s needs. Our trained caregivers are selected with one specific quality in mind, empathy. We strive to stimulate our clients emotionally, mentally and socially, thus enhancing their overall quality of life.
Our Interactive Caregiving™ provides a system of care that addresses companionship, safety, nutrition, mind, body, and activities of daily living (ADLs). The system increases seniors’ sense of well-being, independence and companionship by focusing on Senior Mind, Senior Body, Senior Nutrition, and Senior Safety.
Affordable and Client-Directed Homecare is Available for Qualifying Albertans
Comfort Keepers® Edmonton is an Approved Service Provider for the Client Directed Homecare Invoicing (CDHCI) Program Offered by Alberta Health Services.
What is the Client Directed Home Care Invoicing Program (CDHCI)?
CDHCI is a great program provided by Alberta Health Services (AHS), allowing clients to choose an approved agency like, Comfort Keepers Edmonton for Personal Care, Respite Care and Homemaking needs. The chosen agency can then bill AHS directly for services rendered for approved hours through Alberta Blue Cross. Read more about the program HERE.
Accredited Home Care Edmonton
Comfort Keepers® Edmonton was awarded the “Accredited with Exemplary Standing” seal by Accreditation Canada. This honour demonstrates Comfort Keepers’ commitment to offering safe, high-quality home care to its senior clients in Edmonton, AB.
To learn more about senior in-home care in Edmonton, contact the Comfort Keepers® office. Our service territory includes Edmonton, Devon, Sherwood Park, Stony Plain and surrounding areas, contact the Comfort Keepers Edmonton office at 780-465-4665.
References
ClearCare. “3 Easy Tips for Seniors to Maintain Healthy Eyes & Improve Vision.” Web. 2016.
American Academy of Ophthalmology. “Tips for Eye Health in Adults Over 60.” Web. 2014.
All About Vision. “Boost your diet to protect aging eyes.” Web. 2019.
Bausch + Lomb. “60+ Eye Health.” Web.
Seniors and Cataracts: Detection and Support
Cataracts: Getting Seniors the Help They Need in Edmonton, AB
Seniors and Cataracts | There are preventive measures seniors can take that may deter cataracts from developing.
Cataracts most commonly affect seniors, especially those over the age of 80. Cataracts occur when the eye’s lens becomes cloudy, affecting the retina’s ability to interpret and transmit light. When the brain receives a cloudy signal, vision becomes blurred.
Edmonton Seniors and Cataracts: Who is at risk?
The causes of cataracts can vary. As mentioned above, some can be present at birth. In adults, some cataracts are caused by ultraviolet light exposure, and some are due to an eye injury. Cataracts can also form after eye surgery or as a result of diabetes. Some reports link smoking, alcohol consumption, sustained exposure to sunlight, and steroid usage to cataracts.
When cataracts develop due to aging, as most do, they are most commonly a result of the proteins in the eye’s lens, which distorts vision. Cataracts can affect one or both eyes. Sometimes small cataracts only affect partial vision. However, cataracts continue to grow over time, causing multiple vision problems.
Signs of cataracts developing in Seniors:
- Blurred vision
- Difficulty reading
- Poor vision at night
- Halos around lights and sensitivity to bright lights
- Discolouration of the eye’s lens – usually yellow/brown
- Brown tinge to things you can see and colours seem dull
- Inability to tell the difference between blue, purple, and black colours (in advanced stages)
Cataract Diagnosis and Treatment and Prevention
Physicians recommend comprehensive eye exams every two years for adults 60 and older. Annual eye exams can detect early signs of cataracts, and other diseases that affect the eyes (e.g., glaucoma, macular degeneration). For cataracts in the early stages, prescription glasses may help alleviate some of the early symptoms. In other cases, surgery is needed to replace the old lens with an artificial lens.
While many cataracts are caused by the simple wear and tear on the eye’s lens as people age, there are preventative measures one can take that may deter cataracts from developing. These include:
- Refrain from smoking, drinking, and steroid use (unless steroids are deemed necessary by your doctor to treat a medical condition)
- Wear sunglasses that protect your eyes from harmful ultraviolet light when outdoors
- Make sure your diet contains green, leafy vegetables and other foods that have high levels of antioxidants
Comfort Keepers® Edmonton is Proud to Offer a Wide Range of Home Senior Care Services
Our trained caregivers will ensure your loved one is comfortable, independent and safe in their home. On top of that, we will also aim to enhance their overall health, quality of life and general happiness.
Top-Notch Home Healthcare for Seniors in Edmonton, Alberta
Comfort Keepers of Edmonton offers a wider range of senior care services. We offer retirement care, respite care, senior care, companionship care, end-of-life care, post-surgery care, palliative care, personal care, and senior living transition services. If you are concerned about the health and well-being of your aging loved ones we can help with 24-hour care and more!
Helping Seniors Age-in-Place with Companionship Care and Interactive Caregiving™
Empathetic care starts in the heart and allows us to meet our client’s needs. Our trained caregivers are selected with one specific quality in mind, empathy. We strive to stimulate our clients emotionally, mentally and socially, thus enhancing their overall quality of life.
Our Interactive Caregiving™ provides a system of care that addresses companionship, safety, nutrition, mind, body, and activities of daily living (ADLs). The system increases seniors’ sense of well-being, independence and companionship by focusing on Senior Mind, Senior Body, Senior Nutrition, and Senior Safety.
Affordable and Client-Directed Homecare is Available for Qualifying Albertans
Comfort Keepers® Edmonton is an Approved Service Provider for the Client Directed Homecare Invoicing (CDHCI) Program Offered by Alberta Health Services.
What is the Client Directed Home Care Invoicing Program (CDHCI)?
CDHCI is a great program provided by Alberta Health Services (AHS), allowing clients to choose an approved agency like, Comfort Keepers Edmonton for Personal Care, Respite Care and Homemaking needs. The chosen agency can then bill AHS directly for services rendered for approved hours through Alberta Blue Cross. Read more about the program HERE.
Accredited Home Care Edmonton
Comfort Keepers® Edmonton was awarded the “Accredited with Exemplary Standing” seal by Accreditation Canada. This honour demonstrates Comfort Keepers’ commitment to offering safe, high-quality home care to its senior clients in Edmonton, AB.
To learn more about senior in-home care in Edmonton, contact the Comfort Keepers® office. Our service territory includes Edmonton, Devon, Sherwood Park, Stony Plain and surrounding areas, contact the Comfort Keepers Edmonton office at 780-465-4665.
References
The National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health. Cataracts: signs, symptoms, and diagnosis. Retrieved on July 5, 2012, from agingcare.com/Articles/
What-is-a-Cataract-age-related-eye-diseases-108282.htm
In-Home Care for Edmonton’s Seniors with Vision Problems
What Every Senior in Edmonton, AB, Needs to Know About Vision Problems and Eye Health
Seniors with Vision Problems | Your eyes change as you age. Some problems become more common as we age, although they can affect anyone anytime. In-home health care can help seniors better cope with vision issues.
Seniors with Vision Problems May Experience:
#1. Dry eyes:
When tear glands can’t make enough tears or produce low-quality tears resulting in eyes that might itch, burn, or turn red.
Vision loss could occur if not taken care of, but it is rare. The eye doctor may suggest a humidifier in your home or special eye drops that simulate tears. Doctors treat severe cases with tear duct plugs, prescription eye drops, or surgery.
#2. Cataracts:
Cloudy areas that cover all or part of the lens of your eye. In a healthy eye, the lens is clear like a camera lens; light passes through it and hits tissue at the back of your eye. That’s the retina, and it processes images.
Cataracts block the lens and make it hard for you to see. They often form slowly, without pain, redness, or tearing. Some stay small and don’t affect your sight. If they cause problems, your doctor can remove them with surgery and replace your lens with an artificial version. An in-home health care provider can help seniors maintain daily living when coping with cataracts.
#3. Eyelid problems:
Protect the eyes, spread out tears, and limit the light that gets in. Pain, itching, and tearing are common symptoms. Eyelids can also droop or twitch. The outer edges near the eyelashes can get inflamed. Medication and surgery can help.
#4. Temporal arteritis:
When arteries in the temple get blocked or inflamed. It can start with a severe headache, jaw pain, and tenderness in the temple. There might be vision loss in one eye, followed quickly by the second.
Other symptoms include joint pain, weight loss, and a low-grade fever. Doctors think a damaged immune system causes it. Early diagnosis and treatment with medication can help prevent vision loss. If you suddenly can’t see, get to the doctor. Always make your in-home health care provider aware of issues with your vision.
Seniors need to maintain regular eye appointments to prevent any severe vision issues from occurring or manage senior eye health. Early detection leads to early treatment and reduces the probability of excessive damage to the site or eyes.
Comfort Keepers® Edmonton is Proud to Offer a Wide Range of Home Senior Care Services
Our trained caregivers will ensure your loved one is comfortable, independent and safe in their home. On top of that, we will also aim to enhance their overall health, quality of life and general happiness.
Top-Notch Home Healthcare for Seniors in Edmonton, Alberta
Comfort Keepers of Edmonton offers a broader range of senior care services. We offer retirement care, respite care, senior care, companionship care, end-of-life care, post-surgery care, palliative care, personal care, and senior living transition services. If you are concerned about the health and well-being of your aging loved ones, we can provide 24-hour care and more!
Helping Seniors Age-in-Place with Companionship Care and Interactive Caregiving™
Empathetic care starts in the heart and allows us to meet our client’s needs. Our trained caregivers are selected with one specific quality in mind, empathy. We strive to stimulate our clients emotionally, mentally and socially, thus enhancing their overall quality of life.
Our Interactive Caregiving™ provides a system of care that addresses companionship, safety, nutrition, mind, body, and activities of daily living (ADLs). The system increases seniors’ sense of well-being, independence and companionship by focusing on Senior Mind, Senior Body, Senior Nutrition, and Senior Safety.
Affordable and Client-Directed Homecare is Available for Qualifying Albertans
Comfort Keepers® Edmonton is an Approved Service Provider for the Client Directed Homecare Invoicing (CDHCI) Program Offered by Alberta Health Services.