The risk of falling increases when a senior has dementia. Fall prevention is extremely crucial, and you need to know what increases your aging loved one’s odds of falling and make changes accordingly. Here are a few simple ways to help older adults with dementia prevent falls.
Remove Clutter
Older adults with dementia tend to hoard their personal belongings and other objects. If seniors have difficulty navigating around clutter, their risk of falls increases. To reduce the odds of tripping, your loved one should throw out unnecessary items and keep the rooms and walkways clear. Seniors with dementia often begin hoarding because of their fears. They fear that parting with the objects will take away their last memories. However, you can offer your loved one reassurance and love to ease those fears and lower the risk of compulsive hoarding.
If your senior loved one has been diagnosed with a serious condition and needs help with tasks like meal prep, transportation, bathing, and grooming, reach out to Home Care Assistance, a leading provider of elder care Oakville, Ontario, families can trust. We also offer comprehensive care for seniors with dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s.
Promote Better Sleep Hygiene
Dementia can make seniors mix up their days and nights, causing them to sleep during the day and stay up all night. A disruption in the sleep-wake cycle can lead to physical and behavioral issues like poor balance and falls. Most falls occur at certain times of the day, such as the evening when seniors are tired and lack the energy to walk around. You can enhance your loved one’s sleeping patterns by developing a soothing bedtime routine.
Ask the Doctor About Alternative Medications
Some prescriptions cause drowsiness and other issues. Older adults with dementia often take hypnotics to facilitate sleep. When taking these medications, your loved one’s risk of falling may increase. If your parent is taking medications to lower blood pressure, this could also cause dizziness. See if there are alternative treatment options available because they could prevent sudden drops in blood pressure that lead to trips and falls.
Living with a serious health condition can make it challenging for seniors to age in place. However, they can maintain a higher quality of life with the help of professional live-in care. Oakville seniors can benefit from assistance with meal prep, bathing, transportation to the doctor’s office, medication reminders, and much more.
Limit Noises and Distractions
Many people ignore the effects of loud noise and other distressing factors on aging adults with dementia. Noise that you find acceptable might cause disorientation in your parent, increasing the risk of a fall or serious injury. Dementia can potentially worsen the effects of sensory changes, including noise and light. Since hearing can be linked to balance, the odds of falling are greater for seniors with dementia. Try to decrease the level of white noise around your loved one, including radio and television static. Removing white noise can decrease anxiety, nervousness, and other feelings that make seniors with dementia unsteady on their feet.
Dementia can be challenging for seniors to manage, but they can maintain a higher quality of life with the help of professional dementia care. Oakville seniors can benefit greatly from the Cognitive Therapeutics Method (CTM), an activities-based program designed to promote cognitive health and delay the onset of dementia. CTM is included at no additional charge with any of the in-home care plans provided by Home Care Assistance. To talk to one of our professional Care Managers, give us a call at (905) 337-1200 today.