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Last year an elderly woman
while walking, tripped on a small tuft of grass, fell - and broke her hip! Her
recovery was painful, debilitating and at times depressing. It also affected her
elderly husband who relied heavily on her for day to day activities such as
dressing, bathing and managing medications.
Falling is the number one
reason why seniors enter Nursing Homes for rehabilitation, extended stay or
worst of all, long term stay. The rehab
process lasts weeks, if not months, with much often painstaking or monotonous physical
therapy.
As we get older, our bones
become brittle due to both age and possible calcium deficiencies. The most routine movements or slips and falls
can bring on a broken hip, a fractured wrist breaking a fall, or a broken leg. It is best to have a friend or family member
walk through one’s home and add some safety measures to reduce this risk. Installing some grab bars in the shower and
near the toilet will increase your senior loved one’s safety and confidence.
Maybe Aunt Jenny has managed
just fine all her life in her one level home, but now with her shuffle, Aunt
Jenny runs the risk of tripping over a mat or rug. Uncle Fred has never needed a rail down his
three steps but because he has to worry about his diminishing sight, it would
be a very effective precautionary measure to install a rail on the wall.
Taking the time now may save
you countless hours of anguish, despair and guilt later. Too many times actions are taken only after an accident of some kind has
occurred.
It is very useful to share
these types of stories with our elderly loved ones when suggesting these
measures since most suggestions of “change” are met with opposition from the
elderly. There are decorative ways to
install rails so one does not exchange their feeling of home for an
institutional feeling. By getting the
input of your loved one, they will feel like this change to their home was
their idea as well.
Whether one is young and just beginning life or elderly and living in an Assisted Living community, a strong diet and good nutrition will positively affect the quality of life now and in the future. As we age, we need every defense on the frontlines to assist our bodies in confronting the natural aging process.
