America’s seniors are living longer than ever, with many remaining employed and active well past age 65. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 10,000 Americans reach their 65th birthday each day, and with many healthy seniors choosing to live independently, ongoing wellness care is a must.

So, how often should independent seniors see a doctor? And how can an in-home caregiver help? Let’s take a look.

How Often Should Healthy Seniors See a Doctor?

According to a 2011 study by the CDC, fewer than 30% of people between 50 and 64 years of age were up-to-date with their clinical preventive services—such as immunizations, screening tests, and counseling to prevent the onset or progression of disease.

These numbers don’t bode well for those entering their senior years. Insufficient wellness care can result in missed or misdiagnosed health conditions, reduced or absent immunity to specific illnesses, and poor lifestyle choices (such as poor diet or lack of compliance with medication schedules).

An annual wellness checkup is recommended for all adults over 55 and especially for independently living seniors (65+).

Why Are Wellness Checks Important?

Our bodies change as we age, and long-term health depends on understanding and addressing those changes. Annual wellness checks can:

• Help clinicians get a baseline of each patient’s condition.
• Provide an opportunity to perform important screening tests (such as those for hypertension, hearing loss, visual acuity, and certain types of cancer).
• Measure disease progression for any chronic conditions.
• Offer needed immunizations.
• Reassess medications and dosages to ensure effectiveness
• Offer lifestyle advice for healthier diet and exercise schedules

Signs You Need More than a Wellness Check Sometimes our bodies change in ways we barely notice—a slight loss in appetite, a small discomfort when climbing stairs—but these small changes may be indicative of larger, underlying health problems. Warning signs may include:

• Sudden or unexpected weight loss
• Changes in eating, toileting, or sleep routines
• Blood in stool or urine
• Persistent pain
• Persistent or recurring fever
• Mobility issues
• Breathing problems
• Vision or hearing problems
• Cognitive problems (like memory loss) that worsen over time
• And any condition that affects your activities of daily living

If you or a loved one experience any of these symptoms, a visit to the doctor is recommended, both to pinpoint a diagnosis and to rule out potentially life- threatening causes.

How An In-Home Caregiver Can Help

An in-home caregiver can be an indispensable help in arranging and facilitating doctor’s appointments. A caregiver can…

• Plan and schedule doctor visits to suit a client’s needs.
• Provide transportation to and from each appointment.
• Make a list of all medications each client is taking.
• Write down any questions the client may have for the clinician
• Explain any medication changes to the client
• Help clients with cognitive challenges adhere to medication dosing schedules

If you or a loved one is an independently living senior, 5 Star Home Care can help. Our trained, professional caregivers are ready to provide compassionate care in the comfort of each client’s own home. A lifesaver for independently living seniors, a 5 Star in-home caregiver can assist with daily activities such as shopping, meal prep, dressing, and light housekeeping, as well as with transportation to and from medical appointments.

Don’t leave your health, or the health of someone you love, to chance. Contact us today and discover what peace of mind feels like!

5 Star Home Care serves the Philadelphia metro area, including Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties. Contact us today, and discover what peace of mind feels like. Contact us today.

The post Visits To The Doctor – An In-Home Caregiver Can Help appeared first on 5 Star Home Care.

If you are concerned about the nutritional well-being of an elder family member or friend who’s living independently, enlisting the assistance of a home care aide such as 5 Star Home Care  can help to establish some baseline habits for healthier eating. 

Making Healthy Food Choices

The foods we buy, prepare, and eat determine our nutritional profile. And while some body functions naturally decline with age, proper diet can help us stay more fit, mentally agile, and resistant to disease as we age. A home care aide can help your elder loved one make informed food shopping choices that promote a healthy, balanced diet. Foods that offer little more than empty calories (such as chips, sweets, and sodas) can be reduced or eliminated, in favor of healthier choices such as leafy greens and lean meats.  

Integrating Home Care with Overall Care

A home care aide can do more than assist with food shopping and meal preparation. They can actively consult with family members, as well as members of your elder relative’s care team, to create a practical nutrition plan. If your loved one is living with a pre-existing condition, a home care aide can tailor food choices to better reflect each client’s needs. For example, an aide can help limit salt for a client with hypertension or can make food choices that boost dietary calcium for a client with osteoporosis. A collaborative care approach can also help ensure that all care providers are working toward a common goal.

Creating A Safe & Relaxing Environment

Stress has a lot to do with how we eat and process nutrients. Cortisol, often called “the stress hormone” is released by our bodies when we find ourselves in a stressful situation, and long-term stress can cause weight gain and other digestive problems. An aide can reduce stress for your loved one by providing a safe and comfortable home environment.

Freshness Checks & Daily Reminders

Accidental food poisoning is not uncommon among independent-living elders. Memory problems can prevent elders from checking “sell by” and “use by” dates, and perishables can be left to spoil. An home care aide can help structure your elder loved one’s care to ensure that pantry, refrigerated, and frozen foods are fresh and that expired items are discarded. They can also set daily reminders, such as marking medications that should be taken with food, or marking expiration dates clearly on refrigerated items.

Food Preparation

For many seniors living on their own, preparing a complete and nutritious meal can be troublesome and confusing. An important part of maintaining a nutritious diet is the way in which meals are prepared. A home care aide can help your elder loved one prepare healthy meals, ensuring that all dietary and nutritional needs are met. Also, an aide can provide something for which there is no substitute—the company of a caring, compassionate person

At 5 Star Home Care, we understand the importance of a balanced and nutritious diet. Our experienced care providers are accustomed to helping clients make informed food purchasing choices, monitor food freshness, and prepare healthy meals. Maintaining a safe and healthy home environment for your loved one is our first priority.  Contact us today, and discover how we can help.

5 Star Home Care serves the Philadelphia metro area, including Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties. Contact us today, and discover what peace of mind feels like.

The post Food For Thought—Is Your Elderly Loved One Eating Properly? appeared first on 5 Star Home Care.