In-Home Care: Eight out of ten older adults have one or more chronic conditions.
High blood pressure and high cholesterol are the top two. After those, the other common conditions include arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, depression, dementia, and COPD. Your dad has some of these health conditions. In-Home Care can help your dad as he adjusts to his changing health. Here are some of the ways you can have nurses, therapists, and dietitians help your dad learn how to take care of himself.
Vital Sign Readings
When your dad’s heart is failing or diseased or when he’s diagnosed with COPD, his doctor will want his vital signs measured regularly. You can purchase equipment to take his blood pressure, and you may not have a hard time with his pulse, but you may prefer to have a trained nurse taking those readings.
Home health care nurses can record his blood pressure, pulse, and oxygen saturation levels. They’ll record the numbers for the doctor. If there are concerns, medications can be adjusted with a nurse’s guidance.
IV Lines and Injections
Chronic pain in arthritis or after surgery may require injections or IV medications. This leaves your dad with the option of going to a medical practice or having a nurse administer these medications at home.
Exercises for Muscles and Joints
To prevent a fall or lessen arthritis pain, your dad’s doctor may recommend working with a physical therapist. Instead of taking time off work to drive him to all of these appointments, he can have a physical therapist come to his home.
Therapists also help him strengthen joints and muscles after an operation. They’ll also work with him to develop an exercise program that helps his heart after surgery or heart attack.
Lessons Regarding His New Diet
Chronic kidney disease, heart disease, and diabetes are three of the reasons your dad may need to adjust his diet. He may also need to change his diet to lower his blood pressure or cholesterol levels. A dietitian can come to his home to teach everyone how to manage his meals and snacks.
With a dietitian’s help, the family caregivers get tips on shopping for ingredients that meet his dietary needs. He also learns how to choose healthier snacks and foods without missing out on vital nutrients. This is especially helpful if he has diabetes and is cutting carbs but needs a lot of fiber at the same time.
How do you get started? Call an In-Home Care agency and talk to an expert about your dad’s changing health. Go over the things he needs, whether it’s physical therapy at home or diabetes education for the family caregivers. Make arrangements for the home health care the specialist recommends after getting prices.
If you or an aging loved-one is considering In-Home Care in Lombard, IL, please contact the caring staff at Suburban Home Care today. 630-964-9000
Sources:
https://www.ncoa.org/article/the-top-10-most-common-chronic-conditions-in-older-adults
There are several great reasons why Suburban Home Care® should be your choice for quality homecare. All of our Certified Nursing Assistants and Home Health Aides are screened, trained, bonded and insured.
Every family needs to be aware that almost every Homeowner’s insurance policy specifically excludes anyone working within your home. If the person you hire becomes injured while working for you, you will become personally responsible for all of their medical bills. This has left several families very vulnerable when their caregiver injured themselves at their home.
The potential to lose everything you have worked so hard to achieve seems an unnecessary risk. Every one of Suburban Home Care®’s employees are completely covered by insurance so you and your loved ones can relax knowing that if something unforeseen happens to your caregiver, they are completely covered by insurance.
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