What are Some of the Common Warning Signs of Dementia in Senior Citizens?

Dementia is a common problem among older adults. Taking care of a senior suffering from dementia can be a challenging task, especially if you have little to no knowledge about the disease. Regardless of how much you know about dementia, it is important for you to be well aware of the different warning signs so that you can get to a doctor. Diagnosing the disease as early as possible will help your loved one receive care early and possibly stave off or slow down this progressive disease. Here are some of the common warning signs of dementia in seniors.

• Frequent memory loss – It is common for older adults to occasionally forget things such as names, dates and specific details. When memory loss begins to interfere with the daily life of your loved one, it may be something to worry about. Forgetting names of close friends, important dates, and events can be early signs of dementia.


• Difficulty finding the right words - Aphasia is a communication disorder that impairs a person’s ability to use or find the right words. The person knows what they wish to say, but is unable to communicate with the correct words. It does not have anything to do with their intelligence and can often be frustrating for both sides. While it very common with stroke or brain injuries, it may also be caused by someone suffering from dementia.


• Decreased communication skills – Similar to Aphasia, seniors who are at early stage of dementia may find it difficult to communicate or often just lose their train of thought. They may stop mid-sentence or begin a new sentence on a different topic without finishing the rest, becoming a bit confused with the words they need.


• Difficulty in following directions – Seniors suffering from dementia may find it difficult to concentrate or follow directions. This can make daily living tasks, such cooking, driving, and cleaning, difficult for them. Playing mind games and puzzles can increase their concentration level and help them focus staying on task.

Dementia suffering seniors may require some level of constant care and support with daily living. If you are unable to care for your elderly loved consistently, consider hiring professional help in the form of caregivers. An experienced in-home care provider will only look after your loved one’s safety and also assist them with their daily living activities.

For experienced and knowledgeable in-home caregivers in Lenoir City, contact Always Best Care today. They are a leading senior care organization that has highly trained and bonded care providers who provide compassionate senior care services. For more information, call (865) 259-7770.

Is Your Senior Loved One at Risk of Diabetes?

Seniors have a greater risk of developing diabetes than younger adults. Diabetes is a life-long condition that requires proper and careful treatment. Sedentary lifestyle, changing metabolism, and obesity are all risk factors that older adults are facing. If you have a senior family member who is at risk of developing diabetes, then here are some tips that can help.

• Encourage physical activity – It is important for your loved one to stay physically active for overall good health. Inactivity can lead to the buildup of glucose level in the body that further increases the risk of diabetes. To break down the glucose level, it is important to exercise regularly. Low-impact exercises such as walking, swimming, and yoga are often best for older adults.
• Provide nutritious meal – Keep an eye on your loved one’s eating habits and make sure they eat a healthy and nutritious diet. It will help them maintain a healthy weight and help prevent diabetes. If you have a diabetic senior at home, make sure they avoid starchy, processed foods and sugary drinks because they are all high in calories and carbohydrates.
• Regular checkups – Stay up to date on the status your loved one’s health and make sure they receive regular medical checkups. The earlier the diabetes is detected, the easier it is to keep in check.

If your aging loved one needs assistance in maintaining healthy eating habits to prevent the risk of diabetes, consider looking for a professional caregiver. An experienced in-home care provider will help look after your senior family member’s safety and encourage them to eat well, exercise regularly, and follow a healthy lifestyle.

Contact a trusted senior care organization like Always Best Care to hire highly trained, bonded, and insured senior care service providers in Oak Ridge. For more information, call ABC at (865) 259-7770.

Seniors and Vitamin D Deficiency – What Can Be Done?

Vitamin D is essential for healthy bones and good health, especially in older adults. Sunlight is often the main source of vitamin D, but as the winter approaches, many seniors be unable to spent much time outdoors due to the cold temperatures. Vitamin D is vital to keep bones healthy, in regulating cell growth, and improving the immune system.

Lack of Vitamin D can cause many issues, including bone tissue loss, aches, muscle weakness, skeletal deformity and weakened immunity, along with increased risk of falls and fractures. It may also increase seniors’ risk of developing osteoporosis and other bone disorders.

What should be done to avoid it? Here are some tips.

• Encourage senior to go out and get sunlight exposure as much as possible.This exposure should produce adequate levels of vitamin D. Don’t forget to exercise caution and limit sunlight exposure to small amounts at a time. A light sunscreen in certain daily lotions can prevent the harmful rays from getting in for short periods of time.
• Several foods contain this vitamin by adding these eatables to their diet, they will get a boost. It includes fish like salmon (fresh or canned), mackerel, herring and sardines. Other food items are milk, mushrooms, red meat and eggs.
• Opt for supplements to prevent vitamin D deficiency, but consult their doctor first before taking ANY supplements. Certain supplements can interact negatively with the medications they are on.

However, some seniors struggle with mobility, which may prevent them from going out and getting sunlight exposure. Such issues may affect their day-to-day life too. If you feel that your aging loved one needs help with mobility and daily living activities to maintain their quality of life, then you should hire help for them in the form of caregivers.

Contact Always Best Care to get home care services in Gatlinburg or nearby areas. Get in touch with their experts at (865) 259-7770.

How to Protect Your Aging Loved One from Obesity

Obesity is fast becoming a major health issue among older adults in the United States. Millions of seniors are overweight. While this may not seem like a big issue, it can certainly create health problems down the road, or complications of current health issues, including:

• Heart conditions
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• High cholesterol
• Limited mobility
• Kidney disease

To avoid such health issues, it’s essential for family members to help their aging loved one fight obesity.If your loved one is at the risk of obesity, here are a few ways you can help:

Encourage seniors to exercise – Encourage your aging loved one to exercise daily and to increase the amount of physical activity in their day-to-day life. It helps them stay active and fit for a long time while keeping their weight in control. Even if they are chair bound, there are exercise programs specifically created for them. Just the act of moving more helps keep weight down and is great for joints.

Eating healthy – Help create a nutritious and healthy diet by helping with the grocery shopping and ensuring they buy healthy foods. If they struggle with meal management, help with meal preparation. With a proper and healthy diet, they can gain control over weight.

Understand the issue – Obesity is often due to stress, depression or medical conditions. If such is the case for your loved one, try to understand the issue and help find a solution accordingly. For example, if they are getting obese due to stress (emotional eating), then try to reduce their stress.

If you struggle to meet their care requirements, then consider hiring caregivers. For more senior care info in Lenoir City and surrounding areas, call Always Best Care at (865) 259-7770. Licensed by the state of Tennessee, the firm is a recognized provider of senior care services.

Reasons Why an Active Social Life Is Important for Senior Citizens

Staying socially active and connected is important for an overall good health of your aging loved one. As people age, they then spend more time in isolation rather than becoming a part of any social event or family gathering. There are a number of reasons why an active social life is important for the older adults. And, some of them are mentioned below. 

                                       

• Staying socially active and connected can help reduce isolation, loneliness, and increase the mental stimulation.
• An active social life helps keep your senior’s mind active and engaged, thus improve their mental health.
• Meeting new people, outings, and lunch or dinners with people of same age gives an opportunity to seniors to socialize. This will also help them become a bit more physically active while improving their mental health.

However, due to distance or other responsibilities, it may become difficult for you to take your aging loved one for outings often, especially if they wish to live on their own. To ensure that your senior enjoys a lively social life, consider hiring an in-home caregiver. An experienced care provider will not only look after your senior’s safety, but also accompany them to movies, lunches, doctor’s appointments, and more.

If you are looking for an in-home care provider in Gatlinburg, contact Always Best Care today. It is a noted senior care organization that has highly trained, bonded, and insured caregivers who provide quality care giving services. For more information, call (865) 259-7770.                                                                                                                            

Why Assisted Living May Be an Ideal Solution for Senior Citizens

As people age, they prefer to remain independent and spend their retirement years peacefully. Living on your own and becoming less socially active can affect physical as well as mental health. Assisted Living Facilities may be the ideal solution for those senior citizens who want to live independently, but require a certain amount of care and support. Here are some of the reasons that make Assisted Living an ideal solution for your aging loved one.

• Assisted Living Facilities have experienced and highly trained caregivers who will assist your elders with daily living activities, including bathing, grooming, eating, medication management, and mobility. In addition, they offer a customized care plan to suit your loved one’s needs.
  
  
• In the facilities, seniors can enjoy independence while receiving the care and support they need. The caregivers will look after their safety and ensure that all their needs are met on time.
  

                                        
 

Assisted Living will help ease your worries about their health and care. It is important for you to find a reputed Assisted Living Facility that offers the best services according to your loved one’s needs.

You can rely on senior care organizations, like Always Best Care, to find a good Assisted Living option for your needs.  They provide quality senior care services to match both budget and care requirements. To learn more about Assisted Living Services in Knoxville, feel free to call (865) 259-7770.

Assisted Living - Why You Should Choose It?

Is your aging loved one facing difficulty in carrying out the daily living activities? If yes, Assisted living is just the right option. It is increasingly becoming a preferred choice for seniors who can’t live independently and requires professional assistance with the basic daily living tasks such as showering, grooming, eating, and even walking. There are a number of reasons why you should choose Assisted Living for your aging loved ones. And, some of them are mentioned below.

• Opportunity to socialize – The Assisted Living facilities organize different social and cultural programs for their residents. Participating in these activities provide your older adults an opportunity to engage and socialize with people of same age and interest. This not only helps them stay physically fit and active but also improves their mental health.
• Healthy diet – The experienced caregivers of the facility takes extra care of senior’s diet. They make sure that the residents eat only healthy and nutritious diet that the Assisted Living facility offers.
• 24 hours care and support – The Assisted Living Facility offers 24-hour professional care and support to seniors. By choosing reputed facility you can have peace of mind that your loved one is safe and all his/her needs are fulfilled on time.

So, if you are looking for an Assisted Living facility in Pigeon Forge, get in touch with Always Best Care today. It is a leading senior care organization that offers top-notch Assisted Living services in the region. For more information, you can call at (865) 259-7770.