It is important for many seniors to remain in their houses for as long as possible, which is why many choose to receive elderly care while they age in place in the comfort of their own home. The winter season brings unique safety concerns for family members of seniors home alone, but there are ways that you can be proactive about their health and safety this season to keep them warm, safe, and happy there.  

Here are a few tips for keeping your senior parent or loved one safe at home this season: 

Be prepared for ice and snow 

Have a plan in place for days when ice and snow are an issue for your loved one getting elderly care at home. Be prepared by having items on hand such as salt or ice melt, tools to scrape ice and snow off of vehicles, proper footwear such as snow boots with good tread for traction, and a person responsible for cleaning walkways and driveways. Make sure that your senior knows that they need to stay indoors and not attempt to go outside to do things such as pick up the paper or check the mail where they could slip on ice or snow and get injured.  

Watch for scams 

It may be the season of giving, but be sure that your senior doesn’t get scammed in the process. There are many ways that people can give to those less fortunate this time of the year, but scammers are out there waiting to prey on people, especially the elderly, and take advantage of their good-natured and very generous dispositions. Talk to your senior about scams and make sure that if they give any sort of monetary donations that they check with you or their caregivers first. There are ways to check the legitimacy of charity organizations, and your senior should never be pressured to make a decision immediately on the phone or in person if someone comes to their door.  

Stay warm in a safe way 

If your senior has a fireplace, furnace, or wood burning stove that they use as their heat source, make sure that it gets checked out annually so that there are no safety concerns for your elderly parent or loved one receiving elderly care at home.  

Have chimneys and stoves cleaned and inspected, and be sure your senior is aware of fire hazards and what to do in an emergency. Have an elderly care provider with them at all times when using fireplaces or space heaters, and use caution as these items can be dangerous and deadly. 

If your senior has a tendency to try and save money by not using appliances such as the air conditioner or furnace, make sure their caregivers are aware so that they can be watchful for this. Seniors refusing to use heat or failing to report when their heat isn’t working properly can be in a dangerous position when temperatures slip below freezing.  

If you or an aging loved one are considering Elderly Care Services in Deerfield IL, contact the caring staff at Gentle Home Services. Call today (800) 860-9823.

​Few things are as frustrating as making a genuine offer of help to someone you love and having them turn you down time and again. When your senior consistently turns down your help, you may feel as if you're failing somehow as a caregiver. That's not the case and looking at the situation from a different angle can help. 

Assess the Situation 

Look at what is happening right now in the situation you're trying to offer assistance to your aging family member. Sometimes stepping back and being objective can help quite a bit. Part of the problem may be that your elderly family member fears that you're trying to take over her entire life. You may need to rethink your approach to offering help. 

Look for Other Factors 

There may be other factors that contribute to this problem, too. Your senior could honestly believe that she doesn't require any assistance at all. It's also possible that she doesn't want to feel as if she's burdening you or tying you to her on a more permanent level.  

Ask Your Senior Why She's So Resistant 

After you've tried assessing the situation, you have another option. You can continue guessing, or you can sit down with your aging adult and ask her why she's resisting your help. When you do talk, make sure that you listen carefully to what she's saying and what she's not saying. It's entirely possible that your senior doesn't realize how it affects you to have your offers of help continuously rebuffed. 

Keep Trying 

Ultimately, you need to keep trying. If your senior genuinely needs your assistance, she can try to turn you down, but facts are facts. It's also possible that your elderly family member needs some time to focus on what you've said and to really take in your words. Given some time, she may start to understand that you're not there to restrict her life or her movements. You're there to help her live a fuller and happier life. 

It's a delicate balance to be a caregiver to an elderly family member. You'll find the right balance and help your senior understand that you don't have any ulterior motives. 

If you or an aging loved one are considering Elderly Care Services in Deerfield IL, contact the caring staff at Gentle Home Services. Call today (800) 860-9823.

Elderly Care in Deerfield, IL

Osteoarthritis is an extremely painful ailment that affects the joints and it has a lot of different symptoms to manage. Your loved one's doctor can give you specific tips to help with her specific issues, but there are some things that you can do to help, too.

Stiffness

Stiffness in the joints is likely to be a problem for your loved one after she's rested for a little while or after sleeping. Moving the joint helps a lot, but that's sometimes tough for your loved one to do, especially if there's pain along with the stiffness. Gentle stretching can help quite a bit. Heat therapy can also work well. Either a heating pad or a warm shower can take a lot of the stiffness away from the joint.

Pain

Pain is one of the first ways that your loved one may notice that she's dealing with osteoarthritis. The pain can range from mildly uncomfortable to debilitating, so it's important to have a game plan for helping your loved one to deal with the pain. Talk to your loved one's medical team to find out if medication may be an option. If not, there are other solutions that her doctor can suggest which might include physical therapy or a mix of heat and cold therapy.

Swelling

​Your loved one is likely to experience swelling in and directly around the joints. This is her body's response to the deterioration and the pain in the area. Overusing the joint can also cause tendons and muscles in the region to swell. Ice can help significantly with swelling as well as with the heat that can often accompany swelling. If your loved one is trying to do too much, rest is something that will help quite a bit.

Poor Range of Motion

A reduced range of motion can happen due to pain and swelling or it can happen because your loved one's joint has deteriorated that significantly. It's important to visit her doctor and to determine what exactly is causing the diminished range of motion to get a proper treatment plan. Physical therapy can be quite effective, and either you or your loved one's elderly care providers can help her to do the exercises at home regularly.

Weakness

Feeling weak in a joint area, particularly a knee or hip, can cause your loved one to avoid moving more than she should. The best way to deal with muscle weakness is to incorporate strengthening exercises into her routine. Your loved one doesn't have to start lifting serious weights, but any activities that help her to build up her muscles will help to strengthen the joint.

Helping your elderly loved one to deal with all of the different symptoms of her osteoarthritis is easier than it might first seem.

If you or an aging loved one are considering elderly care in Deerfield, IL, contact the caring staff at Gentle Home Services. Call today (800) 860-9823.