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Seniors Living Dangerously at Home

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Seniors Living Dangerously…

It is no secret that most seniors want to stay in their homes for the duration of their lives. Although this may be a good idea for some, it is a bad idea for others. Every week I hear a story that boggles my mind. Just recently I heard the story of prescription theft by neighbor.

Prescription Thief Story…

Jan is 83 and her neighbor next door has helped her carry groceries in her home. This one day, he notices that Jan just got her prescriptions refilled. As he is helping Jan bring in the groceries, he steals her whole bag of prescriptions while Jan was not looking. Jan was traumatized and in pain because her pain medication was stolen.  She told me no longer fell safe in her home.

Basement Squatter Story…

Last month I heard another story of a squatter. John is an 87 year old man. His knees hurt him so he avoids stairs. Because of the stairs, John does not go down to his basement. It turns out that a squatter broke into John’s basement through the window and was living there. The squatter was discovered by John’s daughter who heard noises coming from the basement. John did not hear those noises because he is hard of hearing. When she went down to John’s basement she found a squatter was living there. The basement was trashed, and John’s tools were missing. When police came, they found illegal drugs,  and used needles all over the basement, along with a fire arm.

Question is: Are You Living Dangerously at Home?

Poisoning..

I recently came across some very disturbing statistics while taking a safety class. Did you know that more than 14% of all deaths reported to Poison Centers each year are in persons over 60 years of age. Most of these are from unintentional exposures to medications or household chemicals. One would think that it is young kids that are most prone to ingesting toxic chemicals, however older adults are also at risk. Many seniors have at least some dementia and many experience some loss of vision. These are two of the most common conditions that put the elderly at risk for severe or fatal poisoning.

Falls…

Among older adults over 65, falls are the leading cause of injury death. Falls can result in sprains, fractures, hip fracture, or head injury. As we age, our bones become more brittle. Even a minor fall can result in a broken bone. Frail seniors should avoid stairs, uneven payment, uphill, and downhill walk ways, dark hallways. Climbing the stairs in your home becomes a dangerous and risky en devour for many. In many cases the fall results in a fracture, and could have been avoided.

Mixing Up Medications…

Seniors living at home manage their own medication. Missing a dose, or taking a duplicate dose is easy to do for anyone, however this is particularly detrimental to the elderly. Even one missed dose can result in dizziness and cause a fall. Many seniors suffer vision loss and it is difficult for them to see if they dropped a pill, which inadvertently can cause a missed dose and a setback.

Nutrition…

Poor Nutrition can easily become a problem when a senior lives alone. There is no one to prepare meals, which often results in seniors skipping meals, eating snacks, or high sodium processed foods. Once seniors consistently cut back on meals due to the hassle, their appetite decrease which often leads to severe weight loss, under nutrition, or malnutrition.

Living Dangerously

Living Dangerously

Crime..

We know that unfortunately many criminals target the elderly for a variety of crimes. Thieves are more likely to target an elderly person living alone for a variety of scams and crimes. Seniors living alone are targeted at higher rates by criminals, because the elderly are considered easy targets. People 60 and over are almost 30% of all fraud complaints, the most of any age group. Aside students, the elderly are the most likely to get burglarized. The elderly are targeted not only for material possessions, but also their prescription drugs.

The Takeaway…

Although some seniors are able to safely stay in their home, others are not. I hope this article gives seniors and their families something to think about. Many of the stories I hear are very avoidable, and cause the seniors immense stress and trauma.

There is Such a Thing as Being Too Thin…

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Improved Nutrition outcomes are within reach for those living with Dementia and other chronic illnesses.

A popular saying says, “We are what we eat.” A good diet is vital to everyone’s health, well-being, and quality of life.  A person needs carbohydrates, protein, fat, fiber, minerals, vitamins, electrolytes, and water to survive. Obtaining the correct balance and quantities of these nutrients is essential.  Insufficient nutrition and hydration can lead to deterioration of overall health, including mental health, as well as weight loss, dehydration, dizziness, increased risk of falls, prolonged recovery after surgery, change of mood, frequent colds, reduced strength, reduced mobility, reduced communication abilities, difficulty keeping warm, infections, as well as prolonged healing.  Cognitive deficits such as Dementia, have a direct effect on a person’s nutrition. Malnutrition or under nutrition may occur at any stage of dementia. It is important to detect it and try to remedy this as early as possible.

Did you know? Up to 45 per cent of people living with dementia experience clinically significant weight loss over one year, and up to half of people with moderate or severe dementia have an inadequate food and nutritional intake. Some experience very quick weight loss, dropping to a withering 70-90 lbs. in a span of several months.  As dementia advances, it’s difficult to ensure that those living with dementia are eating and drinking enough. Eating difficulties are also very common in those living with Alzheimer’s Disease. These challenges increase the risk for malnutrition and can worsen other health conditions a person may already have. There are numerous reasons for poor appetite to develop, including depression, communication problems, sensory impairments, change in taste and smell, pain, tiredness, medication side effects, physical inactivity, and constipation.  Some people with dementia may lose their ability to concentrate, so they become distracted while eating and stop eating as a result. Other people may have trouble using utensils or raising a glass. It may also be challenging to bring the food from the plate to their mouth. Some people may need to be reminded to open their mouths to put food in it or even to chew. Another common problem in more severe dementia cases is dysphagia, which is difficulty swallowing. Dysphagia can lead to weight loss, malnutrition, or dehydration. Over time you may find that your loved one’s appetite declines or the taste of food doesn’t appeal to them. Sensory changes in sight and smell can impact their ability to enjoy food and mealtimes. Their likes and dislikes for food and drink may be quite dramatic and different from the ones they held for many years. They may also find it difficult to tell you what they want to eat.

Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease are not the chronic conditions that often cause malnutrition or under nutrition. Other chronic conditions often impact a person’s nutrition. Many illnesses cause what is called disease-related malnutrition. Many people living with Parkinson’s disease, suffer from muscle weakness or tremors, which can make eating very challenging. Other diseases that often cause nutrition deficiencies are cancer, liver disease, COPD, and CHF to name a few.

In many of these cases, the malnutrition and under nutrition are severe, and all conventional methods have failed. Orchard’s State of the Art Nutrition Therapy Program offers hope for this group, a group that has not responded to traditional nutrition methods. Orchard has partnered with Gordon Foods and their team of experts and dieticians, as well as with dementia specialists to bring this revolutionary nutrition therapy to the community.

Join us on February 27th 4 pm-6 pm as we unveil our Nutrition Therapy Program to area professionals who are interested in helping our community battle this difficult problem. This event will be held at; Orchard at Tucker, 2060 Idlewood Rd, Tucker GA 30084. For questions or to RSVP for the event please email marketing@orchardseniorliving.com. 

Improved Nutrition outcomes are within reach for those living with Dementia and other chronic illnesses.

Improved Nutrition outcomes are within reach for those living with Dementia and other chronic illnesses.