Why Your Aging Parent Should Not Live Alone

As people grow older, they often prefer to age in place independently and comfortably. Sadly, there comes a time when staying alone is simply not safe for older adults and recognizing that time is often a challenging task both for the caregivers and family members.

To determine the right time when your aging loved one may need help, here are some of the signs you need to look for.  

• They suffer from frequent falls 

It is common for seniors to suffer from slips, trips or falls due to declining health or poor body balance. Sadly, falls are the most common reasons for fatal and non-fatal injuries in seniors. However, if your senior family member suffers from frequent falls and while doing daily living tasks, then it can serve as warning sign. If you notice a lot of injuries or bruises on your loved one’s body, living alone is likely no longer safe for your aging loved one.

• Their home is always messy

Have you recently visited your aging parent? Do you find their home messy and uncared for? As seniors age, they find it difficult to manage their daily living activities, including the cleaning, sweeping, and basic household errands. Home maintenance and cleanliness often becomes a challenging task for them. Unhygienic and unpleasant environments can put your aging parent at risk of several different health problems.

•  They are losing weight

Sudden weight loss can be a warning sign for seniors. If your aging loved one is experiencing weight loss, it is a sign that they need help. Consider hiring an in-home caregiver for your aging loved one or move them to an Assisted Living facility to ensure their safety.

However, older adults may not prefer to leave their home for an entirely new place. If this is the case, hiring an in-home care provider can be the ideal option. A professional caregiver will not only look after your aging loved one’s safety, but also ensure that all their needs are met on time.

If you are looking for an In-Home Care Provider In Birmingham, Alabama, contact senior care organizations like Always Best Care.

For more information, call (205) 874-9730.

Always Best Care Offers Exemplary In-Home Senior Care in Birmingham

For the past 20 years, Always Best Care has been a leader in the in-home senior care industry. With locations all over the United States and Canada, they provide their senior clients with a full spectrum of services that fall within the home helper, companion, and personal care categories. Some of these services include laundry, meal preparation, escorting to various locations such as worship services, medical appointments, grocery stores, etc., medication reminders, conversation and companionship, and many others.

Seniors living in the Birmingham area, who are interested in receiving home care in Birmingham or would like to learn details about in-home senior care in Birmingham, are encouraged to call the Always Best Care Birmingham location to set up a free consultation. During this consultation, a professional care coordinator will visit and discuss all of your needs (medical, social, physical, etc), your budget, and help create a custom care plan for you. Whether you are interested in moving into a senior living environment, or if you would like to have a caregiver come into your home and help you on a regular basis, Always Best Care is equipped to handle both.

The beauty of receiving home care in Birmingham is that it allows seniors to remain in their own homes. Usually, seniors are very comfortable in their homes and want to stay where there are happy memories, and where they feel the most comfortable with friends and family visiting, and familiar neighbors nearby.

Conversely, for those seniors who wish to transition into a senior living environment, Always Best Care can help them with this by giving them free referrals to three or four in the area, and then accompanying them on tours of the facilities. Moving into senior living environments can be a wonderful change of life for the senior who otherwise might be feeling lonely and without purpose at home. Senior living homes are the perfect opportunity for the senior to make new friends, explore new hobbies, and eat nutritiously through the healthy meal plans that are available.

If you are a senior living in the Birmingham area and are interested in learning more about in-home senior care in Birmingham, Always Best Care encourages you to contact their Birmingham office at 205-874-9730 to set up a free care consultation. They look forward to discussing home care in Birmingham with you!

Seniors: Do You Know The Advantages Of Acupuncture?

Most people have heard of acupuncture, but not many people have actually tried it. Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese form of medicine that has been in practice for many centuries. It involves stimulating certain “meridian” points on the body with needles to help treat health conditions, as well as alleviate pain.

Seniors today are faced with mounting health insurance costs. Western medicine is based in pharmaceuticals, and one of the most refreshing aspects of acupuncture is that there are no medicines involved, whatsoever. What else is great about that? If there are no medications, there aren’t any undue side effects, either.

The Advantages of Acupuncture

• It benefits the respiratory system. Many seniors suffer from various respiratory ailments, and acupuncture can help acute tonsillitis, acute rhinitis, the common cold and the flu, and acute sinusitis.
• It harmonizes the body. Acupuncture is based on the idea that the life force “chi” flows through the body as natural energy. As it flows through the body it passes over 12 meridian points. When acupuncture is performed, pathogens and other toxins are released from the body and put the body into a better state of health.
• It provides relief from mouth disorders. Seniors are naturally at an increased risk of various mouth issues due to simply age and decreased production of saliva. Acupuncture can help with TMJ, toothaches, acute and chronic pharyngitis, post extraction pain, and gingivitis.
• It treats eye disorders. Another common ailment among seniors, acupuncture can help relief cataracts, acute conjunctivitis (pink eye), and central retinitis myopia.
• It helps alleviate arthritis pain. While acupuncture does not work for all arthritis conditions, it can help for many, especially rheumatoid arthritis.

It helps treat mood related disorders. Acupuncture can help seniors gain relief from insomnia, anxiety, and even depression. For the past 20 years, Always Best Care has been assisting seniors all over the United States and Canada with both free referrals for assisted living facilities and in-home care. If you are a senior living in the Birmingham area, and would like information about senior care in Birmingham Alabama or in home care in Birmingham, contact the local Always Best Care branch at 205-874-9730 to set up a free care consultation. They look forward to hearing from you!

How Aromatherapy Can Help Dementia Patients

The sense of smell is, indeed, unique. It has the power to conjure memories, to spark cravings, and even to induce nausea. A bad mood is often lifted when the person lights a scented candle. The scent of vanilla, lavender, pumpkin, etc. can be comforting enough to calm nerves, and bring about balance. Aromatherapy has been used for centuries, and is known to help the body, mind, and spirit become synchronized. 

Not only can aromatherapy lighten mood and help diminish feelings of depression and anxiety, it can also help people with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease by improving the quality of their sleep and relieving anxiety and agitation. By getting more sleep, and better sleep to boot, the senior with dementia can have a better day and more control over what they are doing and what they are thinking.

Beneficial Oils for Dementia

• Peppermint. This oil is described as “energizing” and so when it is inhaled; it boosts enthusiasm, motivation, immunity, and energy. It can be brought into the body a number of ways including inhaled, sprayed in the air or used as a lotion.

• Ginger. This oil is traditionally used for people who are having stomach issues, but it is also great for people who suffer from dementia and Alzheimer’s. It may be used as a compress on the abdominal area, or a spray aerosol. 

• Rosemary. This oil truly lifts the spirit and helps both the body and the mind. It improves cognitive performance, and can be used in cooking to help encourage appetite while also helping to relieve a blocked colon.

• Lemon Balm. This highly effective oil runs a little bit more expensive than the others, but is still well worth it. It encourages relaxation and also improves digestion and memory. Best used in a bath, as a spray or directly applied as a lotion.

• Lavender. This oil helps the person ease their feelings of depression and anxiety. Can be used as a lotion, spray, or inhaled directly.

Always Best Care has been in the senior in-home care giving industry for the past 20 years. They have assisted over 25,000 seniors during that time, and their caregivers are always employees, never contractors. If you live in the Birmingham area and are interested in finding out about in-home senior care in Birmingham or if you’d like referrals for senior assisted living in Birmingham, you can call the Always Best Care Birmingham location at 205-874-9730 to set up your free care consultation. They look forward to hearing from you!