What Can You Do if Your Loved One Believes that Staying at Home Can Keep Her from Falling?
Homecare in Bay Shore NY: Addressing Senior Fears Of Falling
Sometimes your elderly loved one might come up with some reasons for her behavior that might not make sense to you. For example, if your loved one is worried about falling, she might convince herself that staying home all of the time can help her avoid falls.
Talk to Her Doctor about Her Actual Fall Risk
The very first step when you realize this is your loved one’s fear is to talk with her doctor. You need to know what your loved one’s actual fall risk is so that you can assess what needs to be done for her. Your loved one’s doctor may already have an idea what you need to know, but if not, he can easily run some quick tests to determine where your loved one stands in terms of fall risks.
Start Exercises for Flexibility and Balance
Once you have an idea from your loved one’s doctor what her fall risk is you can start to formulate a plan. The biggest step in that plan can be starting an exercise plan for your loved one that focuses on building her flexibility and her balance. Start slowly with exercise and find activities that your loved one enjoys so that she can stick with the plan.
Look into Assistive Devices
Beyond exercise, having the right assistive devices can make a tremendous difference for your loved one. If she needs just a little extra help with her balance, a cane may be all she requires. But there are other devices, too, such as walkers or even scooters that can help her to feel more secure while she’s running errands or enjoying her afternoon.
Hire Senior Care Providers
Being there with your loved one is ideal, of course, but that’s not always possible. Another option is to hire experienced senior care providers who can help your loved one to navigate safely while she’s out and about. This option might help your loved one to feel less vulnerable while she’s away from home.
It might take time for your loved one to accept that the changes that you’ve made will help her to avoid falling when she’s out and about. Venture out with her slowly and let her realize that she’s perfectly fine.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering homecare in Bay Shore, NY, please contact the caring staff at Family First Home Companions.
Serving all of Long Island. Call today: (631) 319-3961
Jennifer has specialized training in Alzheimer’s disease through the Long Island Alzheimer’s Association and the Long Island Alzheimer’s Foundation.She also volunteered her time with the Alzheimer's Disease Assistance Center of Long Island for 3 years by providing cognitive stimulation to an Alzheimer’s patient group.
Jennifer educates the community about elder care and speaks to caregiver support groups, senior centers, and at professional organizations.Topics include home safety, effective strategies for family caregiving, elder care planning, and awareness about elder abuse.
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