 There are numerous Americans that usually practice yoga. Are you experiencing mobility issues? Then you can try out yoga. For the seniors, chair yoga is highly recommended considering it has numerous health benefits. We’ll now look into the benefits of yoga, and they include: 1. Get More Flexible Depending on your age, you may be unable to touch your toes or engage in certain forms of exercise. Fortunately, chair yoga will allow you to become more flexible. You will struggle to get to the ground, even to tie your shoelaces. Such a feeling is terrible considering you won’t manage to live an independent life. Regular practice ensures you’ll regain your flexibility within a limited period. 2. You Get a Chance for Social Interaction Among the elderly, loneliness is prevalent to some extent. As a result, the yoga sessions come in handy. The seniors will interact with each other considering the elderly can go for weeks without even talking to anyone. Considering yoga has numerous benefits, many people will sign up for the exercise. As a result, during each yoga session, you will get to exercise and make new friends. You can also interact with the instructor and hear him/her out since they are well suited to offering some insight into the benefits of yoga. Once you start yoga classes, you will get excited, considering your social life will improve. Also, you’ll be healthy and also fit. 3. Strengthen Your Muscles and Bones As you grow older, the bones, muscles, and joints will weaken with time. With yoga, you can easily strengthen the bones and muscles. To ensure that you’re independent and strong physically, you should try out chair yoga. With time, you’ll notice that you’re becoming more muscular, considering the joints and muscles will be more resilient. You should be consistent, and your body will also recover quickly at any given moment. 4. You’ll Live a Stress-Free and Happy Life. A considerable percentage of U.S. residents usually suffer from stress. Older people are the most vulnerable. When you’re stressed, you’ll be unable to make informed decisions. Also, your sense of identity might be damaged. The main advantage of yoga is that it ensures you’ll stay calm. You also be peaceful regardless of your age. 5. Your Ability to Manage Pain Will Improve If you’re practicing yoga, you’ll notice that your ability to manage pain will improve gradually. In most cases, older people usually suffer from chronic pain, and the medics usually prescribe drugs for some of these issues. Therapy is also highly recommended for those suffering from chronic pain. Final Thoughts We’ve managed to look into how yoga can be beneficial to older people in society. As an elderly individual, enroll in yoga classes, and you’ll witness each of these benefits within a short period.
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 Memory care is an effective assistance program designed to help those suffering from Alzheimer's or Dementia. It also encompasses those with fledgling memory problems. There's a lot of confusion around this type of care and what it does and doesn't provide. In this article, we'll shed some light on what it is, its advantages and disadvantages, and how you can get involved with it. What is Memory Care?There are two main definitions. The first is attributed to a certain program that an assisted living home provides. It's a special part of the building that is designed to be as easy to navigate as possible. The program also includes several activities and processes designed to stimulate the senior's memory. The other definition refers to the act of providing activities and mentally stimulating exercises to someone with memory problems or mental decline. What Activities Are Involved in Memory Care?There are several different types of activities or therapies used in retention care. In regards to activities, there are games that can be used to help stimulate their mind. One of the most common is solving puzzles. This helps stimulate their minds and keep them active. It encourages the brain to remember where pieces go and figure out where the missing pieces are. Another popular memory game is Bingo. The game relies on the individual to remember the numbers being called out and match them to their cards. The great thing about Bingo is that it can be customized based on the severity of the mental decline. It's also a game the entire family can enjoy together. One final memory game that is popular is card matching. Seniors must flip over cards and try to remember where the matching cards were located. This is another great game that the entire family can play together. As for therapies, there are a few that cognitive decline facilities will use. One of the most important is occupational therapy. As their mental decline worsens, seniors may have difficulty performing tasks that used to bring them feelings of success and accomplishment. That can cause depression. Occupational therapy includes a caregiver showing seniors how to perform certain tasks for themselves. It helps them re-learn some skills and tasks. Even accomplishing small tasks on their own can give them a boost in their happiness. Another popular therapy is art therapy. Introducing painting, knitting, playing instruments, and other artistic pursuits can help slow their decline. It requires them to be mentally active. It also engages their creativity which can help ease depression or frustration. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Mental AssistanceThe advantage of introducing certain games to stimulate your loved one's mind is that it slows mental decline. By keeping their brains active, their memory can last far longer than if nothing was done at all. It can improve their happiness and overall health. The disadvantage of using a memory assistance facility is that it can be pricey. Without a facility, you may not be able to give your loved ones the attention they need. Start Providing Care TodayIt's possible to slow mental decline on your own with your loved one. Start by playing some of the games listed above regularly. Your family will enjoy them, and your loved one can stay mentally stimulated.
 Engaging in physical fitness activities is beneficial to your health. When you exercise, you get to improve your heart rate, mobility, and strength. When you engage in some of these activities in the company of other people, your overall health will improve depending on your age. Unfortunately, some seniors will have a hard time connecting with other people of their age since friends have moved to another city. In some cases, the elderly may have mobility issues, which means they’ll find it hard to move around. You may experience loneliness and isolation, and your mental and physical health will be affected in the process.
If you want to age in a healthy manner, you should be social. We’ll now look into the main reasons why socialization is vital for the seniors: 1. Your Physical Health Will Improve When you socialize consistently, you’ll notice that your blood pressure will stabilize. The physical pain will reduce, and your immune system will be boosted. Socializing ensures you can engage in more physical activities. A workout buddy comes in handy. You can also engage in sports such as golf and socialize with the people on the golf course. 2. You’ll Have a Sense of Belonging. Social activities ensure that you’ll stay connected with the people you care about most, considering they will ensure that you’ll have a sense of belonging. You will find out some creative ways to spend time with other people such that you can easily build your support system. 3. Your Mental Health Will be Boosted When you get in touch with your friends consistently, it means that your emotional health will improve such that you’ll have a lower risk of depression, and you’ll also gain from reduced stress. Socialization also helps to reduce your chances of dementia. Cognitive brain functions also improve when you socialize. 4. Increased Longevity Some studies have showcased that people connected to others will live long, and they will always be happy. This is because friends will help you deal with stressful situations in life, which is why socialization is essential. Do you want to become more social? Connecting with other people may be overwhelming to some extent, especially if you don’t have an idea about where you should start. Some of the following activities will come in handy if you want to start a new relationship:
Such activities come in handy when it comes to socializing. For the elderly, it is advisable to live together with people who have similar interests. As a result, you can reside in a community mainly made up of seniors such that you won’t experience isolation. In such communities, the elderly can converge together when taking meals or engaging in different activities. There are different living options in communities meant for the elderly, and you can easily establish a relationship with people who have similar interests.  During retirement, seniors may balk at the free time they now have at their disposal. As they become older, their ability to do things decreases. One activity that you should encourage your seniors to take part in is a senior book club. In this article, we'll discuss what a senior book club is and how you can get started creating one. What is a Senior Book Club?Book clubs consist of a group of individuals that all read the same book. There's usually a deadline on when the book needs to be finished or when a certain number of chapters need to be read. When that deadline has passed, everyone in the club gathers together and discusses the content. It's a great social activity for those who prefer elevated conversation. Of course, the book doesn't have to be existential or philosophical. It could be a romance or a thriller. The real point of a book club is to bring people together and get them talking about ideas or exciting parts they found interesting in the book. A book club designed for seniors is a little bit different. There's a lot more flexibility involved. Some individuals may read at a slower pace than others. The deadlines may need to be more forgiving. Some book clubs may opt to have the book read together, aloud, and then discussed. The intention behind the book club may also be different. In a traditional book club, the intention is usually just to discuss ideas and philosophies. In a senior one, the intention may be to give them a reason to stimulate their minds and be more social. The Benefits of a Book Club for the ElderlyThere are a lot of benefits that your loved one can enjoy by joining a book club. The first is socialization. Several elderly individuals are lonely. Their friends may be dead. Their partner may be dead. Book clubs bring them together with other like-minded individuals. It can start off new friendships. It gives them a chance to socialize. This is essential in slowing mental decline and improving their happiness. The act of reading, breaking down its content, and voicing one's opinions are all beneficial as well. It stimulates their mind and prevents cognitive decline. How to Get Started with a Book ClubOne of the first steps that you need to take is to find out who's interested. You can ask around your friends to see if their own mothers and fathers are interested. You can even contact nursing homes and assisted living centers to find interested parties. Then you should create a survey. This survey should ask about their favorite book genres. No one wants to be part of a book club that reads books they're not interested in. You're sure to have enough overlap to create a list of books that everyone finds interesting. You may need to alternate now and then to fit everyone's favorite genre. Once you have the genre and books figured out, you just need to choose a place where everyone can easily gather. Either the park or a home is the best choice. Start Your Book Club TodayBook clubs are great for seniors. It brings them together and keeps them mentally stimulated. Start your own book club for the elderly today and watch everyone thrive.
 Seniors today have many options for finding a living arrangement that suits their needs. While most seniors will eventually experience a health problem, it is important for older adults and their families to know that many hospitalizations are preventable. Emergency room visits place seniors at risk for picking up other contagious diseases, and recovering from an illness or injury that reaches the point of going to the hospital is often lengthy and emotionally taxing for seniors. Knowing how assisted living communities help to prevent senior hospitalizations gives families a starting point for making the best choices for their loved one’s care plan.
Prevent Fall-Related Injuries With Home ModificationsAn overwhelming amount of senior emergency room visits is due to falls within their home. For seniors with limited mobility, even a simple step can turn into a major fall hazard. Assisted living environments are designed specifically to prevent falls. From having grab bars in the bathroom to ramps and skid-proof floors, a senior is less likely to fall when they live in the safest environment possible. Catch New Symptoms and Illnesses EarlyMany assisted living homes offer around-the-clock care that may often include nurses and other trained health care professionals. Finding out that a senior has a temperature or is vomiting in the middle of the night means that they may be able to receive care to treat their symptoms before things get out of hand. Being able to manage a common illness, such as a stomach bug, until they can get to the doctor means that seniors can avoid exposure to more pathogens in the emergency room. Provide Assistance With Medication ManagementIn addition to falls, medication mix-ups are another leading cause of senior hospitalizations. Seniors with memory loss tend to benefit from being in an environment where a caregiver can help remind them when to take their medication. Assisted living caregivers are also great at watching out for unusual side effects from new medications. Offer Post-Hospitalization CareMany seniors choose to move to assisted living communities after they experience their first major hospitalization. Seniors who are working on their recovery following a stroke or major injury may need assistance with getting out of bed or making meals at first, and trying to do that in a home where they live alone is dangerous. Seniors who have recently been discharged from the hospital also benefit from having someone available to help them watch for things such as infections at their surgical wound site. Catching developing issues early can often prevent hospital readmissions. Give Support for Chronic Health ConditionsDiabetes, heart disease and COPD are just a few of the health issues that seniors may have as they age. While all of these conditions do pose some challenges, it is still possible for a senior to enjoy many years of a happy life when they have the right types of support. A senior might need help planning nutritious meals that fit their dietary requirements. Or, they may need someone to help remind them about upcoming health maintenance appointments and make sure that they have transportation to get to the doctor. Having these types of support available helps seniors to manage their chronic symptoms so that they don’t lead to an emergency health event. Encourage Better Overall Health and WellbeingThere is also something to be said about a senior’s mental health. Living alone often leads to isolation, and this can cause seniors to give up on taking care of their health. Many issues can arise during the senior years, and it is important for older adults to have the social support that they need to grieve a loss or learn how to cope with a new health issue. Assisted living communities have activities in place to keep seniors busy and help them meet new people. From going for a walk with another resident of the community to talking to a caregiver about their favorite memories, each day spent in a supportive environment motivates seniors to keep taking care of themselves so that an emergency health problem is less likely to happen. At some point, almost every senior needs a little assistance to maintain their health and happiness. Living in an environment where their needs are met helps seniors to sail through their golden years with the support they need to avoid frequent visits to the emergency room.  An active lifestyle is important at any age. Conversely, a sedentary lifestyle can lead to major health problems like high blood pressure, obesity, and possibly heart issues. Seniors can likewise benefit from physical activity that is done safely with a doctor's approval. Here are senior-friendly activities that can help an older person to feel better and maybe prevent or delay dementia while keeping the body firm and agile.
Walking Moderate walking is one of the best and safest ways to get fit and enjoy good physical health. It can be done indoors or outside in good weather, either alone or with a group. The walking speed for a senior can be adjusted to coordinate with a person's current health and increased or decreased with any changing conditions. Taking a walk for fifteen to twenty minutes several days per week is a great way to reduce stress, enjoy nature or friends, and burn extra calories. Bodily muscles are tightened, and joints may be strengthened. Blood circulation can be increased to enhance the immune system. A person just needs good walking shoes and a stable path that is free of obstacles and safe from traffic. Some treadmills are equipped with monitors for heart rate and blood pressure, which is a great way to monitor vital signs while exercising. Stationary Bike Pedaling Riding a stationary bike at home or at a neighborhood gym is another of those popular senior-friendly activities that enable older people to get helpful exercise on a regular basis. Seniors can bike in front of a television screen while watching a favorite show or read a large-print book propped before them. Listening to an e-book or a podcast as well as music with earbuds is another option for enhancing the physical activity of biking. Like treadmills, certain types of exercise bicycles include monitors for heart health. Riders can track their vital signs over several days and weeks of using the bike to ensure they remain within healthy limits. Swimming Another convenient way for seniors to enjoy physical activity is through swimming. Some might have a home swimming pool, while others join the community swim club. You can also find a gym with a pool or join the YMCA to use their pool for swimming exercise. Since water makes the body buoyant, there is less physical resistance to swimming than for other types of exercise. Swimming, floating, or dog paddling use simple body movements that are easily learned and can be very relaxing or stimulating, depending on the level of vigor. A senior can get in and out of the water at will to avoid overexertion. Swimming uses many muscles in the body to provide a comprehensive but gentle workout at the person's preferred pace. Pickle Ball Older people who are energetic and in good condition might enjoy playing pickle ball at home or at the gym. Similar to tennis and volleyball, seniors can escape a sedentary lifestyle to enjoy fun and activity with others. The goal is to swat a ball over the net to cause an opponent to miss returning it. The activity requires a fair amount of movement within the player's court range to keep the ball in motion when returned by the other player. Missing the ball gives a point to the opponent. Pickle ball keeps the players moving but not quite as strenuously as other competitive net sports. You can join a group at the gym and get to know the other players or take a friend with you to play against. Getting regular exercise while doing an enjoyable activity alone or with friends can make life healthier and more meaningful. Seniors who want to stay active should consider one or more of these workouts. What Type of Diet Helps You Live a Longer, Healthier Life  Food plays an integral part in our lives. It is a fact that the food you consume impacts your overall physical and mental health. It is a significant factor in determining your longevity though some people may find it challenging to consume the proper diet especially as they get older. Some of the factors causing this are they lose their appetite, have trouble cooking or eating, don’t like some foods like kale, and may not understand which foods are essential for a healthier life.
Dr. Cheryl Rock, a University of California public health professor, says many foods offer the nutrients you need. You don’t have to force yourself to consume something you don’t like. For example, several foods offer the same nutrients as kale. The secret is finding healthy foods you like and building on that. Rock says that by allowing people to have choices, they are more likely to stick with it. You don’t have to undergo pressure when consuming meals and then finding yourself relapsing to a double cheeseburger. Healthy eating for longevity and a healthy life involves more than finding the right foods. The type of diet that helps you live a longer, healthier life includes; Foods Good for Brain Health Most seniors are mainly concerned about their brain health. As you age, your cognitive functions become weaker. For this reason, it is essential to consume foods that boost your brainpower. Memory loss has been linked to vitamin B12 deficiency, among other factors. It is essential to understand that brain health is determined by what you don’t consume as much as it’s about what you do. Alzheimer’s disease is said to cause chronic inflammation, which has been linked to some foods like red meat, sugary beverages, margarine, french fries, and white bread. Foods that Help Your Heart Heart-healthy diets have many advantages in the body, including regulating your weight. This is important since overweight or obese people are vulnerable to conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers. A third of people older than 60 are obese. Foods good for your heart include beans, nuts, fish, skinless poultry, fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products such as cheese and yogurt, whole grains, and non-tropical vegetable oils like peanut, corn, safflower, and olive. Omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon, herring, trout and other oily fish help in lowering the risk of high blood pressure and heart problems. Fiber present in whole grains and vegetables is also important in preventing cardiovascular diseases. It also helps with digestion. For good heart health, you need to consume complete healthy meals every day. Foods that Strengthen Bones and Muscles Your body muscles are constantly breaking down and getting repaired back up. It is a normal process in the body that requires lots of protein to support the rebuilding process. To prevent the body from breaking down more muscles that it rebuilds, consume foods rich in protein such as eggs, beans, milk, lean meats, fish, cheese, seafood, and low-fat yogurt. On the other hand, to live longer and healthy, you need strong bones. You need calcium as you grow older to boost healthy bone growth. Some of the calcium-rich foods include; milk, low-fat cheese, and yogurt. Additionally, your body needs vitamin D from the sun and foods such as oily fish, liver, and fortified foods. Sip Green Tea Many people in the fast-paced 21st century have included green tea in their diets. Experts say it is a preventative medicine linked to lowering the risk of numerous conditions, including Alzheimer’s, obesity, type 2diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer. It can also help people live longer. A Japanese study showed that people who drink green tea are over 70 percent likely to live longer than those who don’t. In addition to drinking green tea, it can be used to steam vegetables, make smoothies, oatmeal, whole grain rice, and overnight oats. You can also consume it by incorporating it into sauces, stews, marinades, and soup. Antioxidants Antioxidants are found in many fruits and vegetables. They are essential for easing inflammation and helping the body eliminate free radicals generated when the body converts food to energy. Consume foods like blueberries, green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, nuts, and turmeric. Omega-3 fatty acids in oily fish like salmon are also an essential remedy for inflammation.  There is no such thing as getting too old to stop smoking, and there are many explanations why doing so now would be one of the wisest choices you will ever make. Cigarette smoking is responsible for almost one-third of all cancer deaths in the United States. That is one of the reasons it is vital to quit as soon as possible. Quitting smoking is advantageous regardless of how old you are or whether you have health issues or not.
Effects of Smoking Cigarette smoking can have a variety of adverse effects on your body. Some of these may have life-threatening implications. Cigarette smoking is toxic to your lungs and airways. The airways swell and get clogged with mucus over time. This will result in a persistent cough. This may also result in chronic bronchitis, a lung condition. If you continue to smoke, regular breathing can become more difficult as emphysema develops. Furthermore, cigarette smoking will harm the heart, blood vessels, and blood cells. Cigarette toxins and tar may raise your risk of atherosclerosis or the buildup of plaque in the blood vessels. This accumulation blocks blood supply and can lead to harmful blockages. Smoking is also linked to cancer. Aside from the well-established association with lung cancer, smoking tobacco may also lead to other cancer types. Mouth, larynx, and esophagus cancers are all connected to smoking tobacco. It has been linked to pancreatic, prostate, and possibly cervix cancer in women. Kicking the Habit It is hard to quit smoking, even though you want to, or you are mindful of the negative consequences. In studies of older smokers, up to half suggest they would like to stop smoking completely. However, overcoming the brutal chemical nicotine addiction is just one-half of the solution; smoking is still a profoundly ingrained habit that becomes more difficult to overcome the longer a person smokes. Nevertheless, it is possible! Here are tips you can follow to help you cease smoking.
Smoking cessation is most likely to be successful if you plan and deliberate upon rather than starting on a whim. If you have committed to go for it, set a "quit date" in the next few weeks and emotionally prepare.
Since the need to smoke is both psychological and physical, the safest option is to avoid situations where you will be most tempted. Stop any habits or practices that were associated with smoking. Drinking alcohol can be a big draw; if possible, abstain from drinking in the first few weeks.
Starting a new habit is a smart way to break a bad habit. Take advantage of improving health and lung function by working out or checking into nearby social events. Besides, you should establish an incentive system to reward yourself for not smoking.
When all of the accumulated nicotine has left the body, the craving to smoke peaks around three days after the cessation. However, no matter how intense the craving is, it only lasts 3–5 minutes. During these moments, reassure yourself that the desire can pass and prepare a distracting alternative.
The statistics indicate that not every cessation effort is fruitful, but they also reveal that your chances will increase with appropriate support such as education, therapy, or quitting aids. Begin a discussion with your doctor about which medications or techniques may help you stop smoking for good. Recruit loved ones to keep you busy and on track regularly. Why Should You Quit? The good news is that older people who quit smoking tend to have better outcomes and living standards than their counterparts who choose to smoke. Even in your old age, you can enjoy an array of immediate and long-term benefits. In the short run, your blood circulation will increase, blood carbon monoxide levels will decrease, and your blood pressure and heart rate will decrease. Furthermore, your lung capacity increases, breathing becomes less difficult, and your sense of taste and smell will be much better. You will experience less coughing and respiratory infections in the long run, your lungs become more functional and cleaner, reduced sinuses infections, and overall energy boost. Most importantly, quitting smoking will lower your chances of getting cancer and increase your overall lifespan. As our parents reach their senior years, their physical and cognitive health will decline more rapidly. In the beginning, it will be possible to care for them at home, but, over time, they will require more constant care than your family can realistically provide. When that time comes for your parents, you will have to start looking for a quality assisted living facility for them. This guide will help you evaluate some of the most important factors in choosing an assisted living facility for the long-term care of your senior loved one.
Be Wary of Abuse and Neglect One of the biggest concerns for families with senior loved ones is placing their elders in homes where they may be subjected to neglect or abuse. While this is a serious problem in the senior care industry, there's only a small percentage of facilities that are abusing or neglecting their residents. You can usually trust your first impression as you tour a facility. Pay attention to how the staff and residents interact. You should also try to determine if the staff seems impatient and overworked. Other factors to consider is whether residents seem comfortable socializing with each other, the condition of the facility, and whether or not amenities are kept in good condition. If the facility looks well maintained and staff are friendly or outgoing, it's usually safe to assume the residents are receiving a good quality of care. Look at Vacant Living Spaces As you tour a facility, take the time to inspect vacant living spaces with the idea that this will be your senior parent's new home. Check the appliances and lights to ensure they're all in good working order. You should also look at the HVAC system and ensure your senior parent can adjust the thermostat in their own personal living space. Be sure to look at safety features, such as railings in the bathroom and cabinets within easy reach. Ask About Daily Assistance You're moving your senior parent into this type of facility specifically to ensure they can receive assistance with their daily activities. Depending on their condition, they may need help bathing and dressing, brushing their teeth, taking medication, and preparing their meals. Make sure they will receive the care they need by asking about the level of service the facility's staff will provide. Before signing any paperwork, you should also check to make sure the care your senior parent will receive is detailed in the agreement. Find Out About Social Activities Depression and anxiety are common among nursing home residents when they feel isolated or abandoned by family members. Additionally, cognitive decline becomes more advanced in people who don't regularly engage in social activities. These are just a few of the ways that socializing helps keep senior adults healthy and happy. When touring any assisted living facility, look for structured social activities and ask the staff what other social activities they offer to their residents. Each facility will organize different activities, but every assisted living home should offer some supervised social activities. Take Your Tour at Lunchtime It's a good idea to schedule your tour for the afternoon when residents will likely be eating lunch. You can use the opportunity to see what types of meals are served to the residents to ensure they're nutritious and good quality foods. Even if the residential rooms have small kitchenettes, the staff should be serving primary meals to residents for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. In addition to observing the lunch hour, ask the staff about the meals and snacks that are available to residents. Nutrition is always important, but it becomes especially vital to seniors who are suffering from declines in their health. Be sure your elder parent will get a broad range of fruits and vegetables to help them stay as healthy as possible. Evaluate Access to Physical Activity Exercise is vital in helping seniors maintain their physical health. As you tour assisted living facilities, look for fitness centers and walking paths on the property. You should also ask if there are exercise and yoga classes for the residents. Look for residents sitting or walking outdoors as well. While there should be a fence or another barrier around the exterior of the facility, residents should be allowed to go outside during the day. You'll want to ensure they have access to the outdoors in a safe environment that protects against seniors wandering off of the property. Inquire About Medical Care If your senior parent experiences a medical emergency, you will want to make sure they will get immediate and professional medical care. Ask about the staff's training and qualifications. Additionally, you should find out what system they have in place to identify a medical emergency. It can also be helpful to find out how you can upgrade the care given to your senior loved one in the event that their mental or physical health takes a sharper turn for the worse. Some facilities may not be equipped to handle residents with serious health conditions, so it's important to find out about the full range of services each facility offers. You may want to choose a facility that can handle more serious conditions so you can avoid having to move your senior parent to a different facility in the future. Even after you have settled on the assisted living facility for your elderly parent, you may still face the challenge of convincing them to make this move. It can be helpful to include them in the decision by letting them tour each facility with you. If they feel more involved in making the decision, this can be a positive move for them. They will be someplace of their own choosing, while you rest easy in knowing they're getting the level of professional care they need. It's very important that caregivers become more aware of the signs of dehydration in the elderly as well as to implement ways to prevent it from occurring. The physical changes which occur as a person gets older, make them more vulnerable to becoming dehydrated. The problem with this is that older individuals may not know they are dehydrated and this in itself can lead to more serious situations. Even more disturbing is the fact that as much as 48% of older patients who get admitted into the hospital, demonstrate signs of dehydration. As such, caregivers should pay attention when it comes to preventing, detecting and subsequently treating dehydration in the elderly.
How to Prevent Dehydration in the Elderly? 60% of our body weight can be attributed to water content, which is primarily stored in lean tissue. Older individuals have less lean tissue. This leads to a lower proportion of water in their bodies which can cause them to get dehydrated from anything such as a fever to the weather. But, in general most seniors should be consuming at least 40 ounces of water daily, to prevent dehydration. Some other ways to help dehydration include:
How Quickly Can an Elderly Person Become Dehydrated? As mentioned above, several factors can cause adults to become dehydrated, but because older individuals have less lean tissues that are able to retain water, they become dehydrated faster than that of a younger individual. Factors such as underlying conditions, physical activity and the climate can make seniors become dehydrated in less than 2 - 3 hours. As such, a good rule of thumb to go by is to ensure that seniors are able to drink 8 ounces of water, every 3 hours to prevent dehydration from occurring. How to Attain Recovery from Dehydration in Elderly People? The time it takes to rehydrate a senior is dependent on the severity of their dehydration. Dehydration can be mild, moderate and severe. Mild dehydration can be cured instantly by giving the affected person fluids immediately. When it comes to mild cases, it's best to give the person something with electrolytes such as a sports drink or juice. In most cases they can become rehydrated in as little as 5-10 minutes. Moderate dehydration is especially serious for senior citizens. In a situation like this, they may need to be given fluids intravenous or be taken to the hospital. Most nursing homes treat moderate dehydration by providing fluid in a small needle which is placed on the thigh or belly. This process is called hypodermoclysis and is especially safe for older adults. This can help to rehydrate a person in 3-4 hours. Severe dehydration can cause multiple issues and require additional intervention to help the kidneys. In some instances, individuals may need short-term dialysis. In this case it could take more than 24 hours days for an elderly patient to fully recover. |
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