Guest Article - Unusual risks to the elderly: top three
Premier Care in Bathing is a company who provides walk-in baths and easy access showers. They believe that everyone should be able to bathe in comfort and safety. Their range of
baths and showers are designed to help ease bath time and support people with
mobility problems. And today they are sharing their great article about fears and risks to the elderly people, which could help all of us to think more about people with mobility problems and design with response to that.
Unusual risks to the elderly: top three
When thinking about elderly
individuals and their needs, there are a number of common risks that
immediately spring to mind. From the danger of falling in their homes to
reduced mobility and social isolation, we’re all aware of the things that often
afflict those in their later years.
Thankfully, combating these
issues is relatively easy.
You can reduce the risk of
falling by installing grab rails and supports throughout the home or by
offering walking aids such as frames and walking sticks to help individuals
move about. Taking up rugs, mats and other items which can move on floors or
cause a trip hazard is another viable option.
Reduced mobility can be
targeted in similar ways – choosing to install stair lifts to make getting to
upper levels of the home easier, heightening toilet seats, chairs and beds to
make getting in and out of them easier and enquiring about Bathing Solutions
mobility baths to make daily hygiene
regimes simple.
Social isolation is best
addressed by encouraging interaction with the local community. This can mean
getting older people to join clubs or groups, helping them volunteer at
community-led events and educating them about new technology so that they can
use services such as Skype to contact distant friends and family.
Yet, while these common risks
may be easy to overcome they are far from the only dangers which elderly people
are exposed to. Here we look at three of the less common, and somewhat unusual,
risks you may want to consider as well.
1. Fear
While common complaints over
mobility and mental health in the elderly are recognised, one thing that
sometimes gets overlooked is fear. Older people can find the world frightening
when they’re not as fit or healthy as they used to be and degenerative diseases
can also induce feelings of fear.
While this may be fairly
common, it is important to recognise that fear can be caused by many things and
not just obvious sources. The Blackpool
Gazette has even claimed that charity workers knocking on doors, some of
which do so during evening hours, was causing fear amongst elderly individuals
who tend to be cautious of unexpected visitors.
2. Infestation
AS elderly people get older
their approach to cleaning and household maintenance can drop. Usually this is
something which friends, family and even carers can help with and rarely
becomes a serious problem. Sometimes, however, it can escalate.
A report from America detailed how one 98-year-old woman had around 20,000
bees removed from her property after they’d settled in the attic and awning.
While she claimed they didn’t bother her when she was outside it just goes to
show that infestations, however big and small, are a real risk.
3. Drink driving
They say that with age comes
wisdom, but this isn’t a hard-and-fast rule. In October, The Independent reported that drink driving in elderly motorists is on the increase. Police figures claimed that 232 people aged over 75
years had been caught driving over the legal limit in 2011. This included one
93-year-old individual.
In percentages, this figure
is 20% higher than in 2010 with the over-50 age bracket now responsible for 15%
of drink-drive offences with the south of England the worst place for this crime.
Visit Premier Care in Bathing Website for more details.
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