Home Care Services Brooklyn NY
As a family caregiver for an elderly adult who is dealing with Parkinson’s disease, you know the importance of safety. This progressive condition can cause a wide variety of symptoms that interfere with your parent’s functioning and can put them at risk of injuries, including loss of balance, impaired gait, freezing, tremors, rigidity, weakness, and more. Going through their home and identifying potential risks and dangers enables you to make meaningful modifications that allow your parent to age in place safely, comfortably, and healthily as they progress through this disease. One area where this is particularly important is the bathroom.
Use this safety checklist to ensure that your parent’s bathroom is as safe as possible your loved one with PD:
• Ensure there are secure grab bars installed throughout the space to give your parent strong and reliable assistance if they have difficulty walking or become dizzy.
• Add an elevated seat to the toilet to reduce the distance that your parent will have to sit down and stand up, reducing the risk of falls.
• If possible, add seating near the sink to allow your parent to sit down during tasks such as shaving, brushing their hair, or brushing their teeth.
• Add a textured mat or stickers to the bottom of the tub to increase grip and friction and reduce the chances of falls.
• Place a shower bench or chair in the tub to allow your parent to sit during their shower to reduce the chances that they will get dizzy and fall, and to limit the need to stretch, reach, bend, or lift their feet while bathing.
• Ensure there is plenty of lighting to make seeing in all areas of the bathroom, including a closed shower, easy and effective.
• Remove potentially dangerous items such as straight razors and sharp scissors that could cause injury to an adult with tremors or range of motion issues.
Starting home care services for your elderly loved one can be one of the best decisions that you can make for them as they progress through Parkinson’s disease. As their family caregiver you want what is best for your parent and to know that they are getting all of the care, support, assistance, and encouragement that they need on a regular basis to manage their challenges and limitations, address their symptoms, and promote the quality of life that you know they deserve. An in-home senior care services provider can help you to achieve this goal. Through a highly personalized set of services and a customized schedule, this home care provider ensures that you remain at the forefront of your parent’s care while also giving them everything that they need to maintain their independence and activity level, and enjoy better health and safety throughout their later years.
When it comes to keeping your elderly parent safe in their bathroom, this care provider can offer valuable assistance that not only protects your parent, but that can ease the stress and emotional strain often associated with these potentially sensitive care tasks. This gives your parent better mental and emotional health and can also ease your stress as you are able to step back from these possibly difficult tasks and instead focus your energy and attention on other needs.
Source: https://www.parkinson.org/understanding-parkinsons/living-well/safety-at-home