Wednesday, November 13, 2013

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.