The two predominant terms you will hear when speaking with health professionals are home care and home health. While they sound very similar, there is a very clear line between both from a service and cost standpoint. We will break-out both services from level of care and cost viewpoints.

Home Care

Home care is the least expensive option mainly because it does not include medical services. Most care in the home does not require medical, so it becomes a very cost-effective way to help a loved one who may have suffered a stroke and needs transfer assistance, an Alzheimer’s patient who needs a trained caregiver to prevent wandering, or any person requiring companionship or assistance with activities of daily living.

The care is provided by a licensed caregiver who meets state licensing requirements and may have other certifications, such as Home Health Aide, Certified Nursing Assistant, Memory Care, CPR and/or First Aid.

The care is provided wherever a person is living, even if for the short term: at home, in an assisted/independent living facility or a hospital or rehab room.

Paying for home care can be covered by Long Term Care Insurance, Veteran’s Benefits or private pay.

The list of care services provided is quite extensive and is customized to the client.

Companionship                          Social Activities      

Medication Reminders               Wake-up/Bedtime         

Meal Planning/Prep                   Light Cleaning                 

Laundry                                       Appointments                  

Shopping/Errands                      Bathing/Shower

Dressing                                     Transfer Assist

Personal Hygiene                       Incontinence

Catheter/Colostomy Daily

SYNERGY HomeCare Detailed List of Non-Medical Services

Home Health

Generally, home health is activated following an event such as orthopedic surgery, which requires Physical Therapy or major surgery or an accident where ongoing wound care, injections, medicine administration, monitoring, and therapy are required. There are too many events to list them all. This level of care can be very costly, especially if the care is continuing or extensive. To alleviate the cost burden, most care is administered under Medicare or health insurance.

The care is provided wherever a person is living: at home or in an assisted/independent living facility. Because this care is most always part of a doctor’s directive it is only classified as home health after the person leaves the hospital.

The care is provided by a Registered Nurse, Occupational Therapist or other skilled medical professional.

The list of care services provided is quite extensive and is customized to the client.

Therapy                                       Skilled Nursing                

Monitoring                                   Medical Tests

Injections                                    Medicine Administration

Wound Care                                Catheter Maintenance 

Colostomy Maintenance            

The two types of home care listed above are not mutually exclusive, in fact, most health events that require a hospital or rehab stay will generally require both home health and home care services. This is because Medicare and health insurance have rigid lines for coverage. If the care is non-medical, it is generally not covered. This is where home care plays a vital role. It ensures your loved one gets the vital support that mitigates the risk of anything less than a full recovery. Home care can minimize the risk of a fall by helping a client in/out of the shower and can assist with light housekeeping, laundry, meal prep or to relieve some of a family’s perceived responsibility with transportation to doctor’s appointments or other errands. Doctors often highly recommend utilizing home care in conjunction with home health to ensure care plan success.

Finally, it is very common for families to try to do too much themselves, thereby compromising the very care that is so important to a loved one. It also places undue burden on the family caregiver(s) and typically results in other problems. This often occurs because a family feels as though no one can provide care that is equivalent to theirs, in addition to cost. The most effective strategy is a balanced approach. An effective care plan leverages many resources to cover all the bases, proper care and support, cost and everyone remaining positive and healthy. SYNERGY HomeCare, the experts in home health in Chicago and surrounding areas,  can help families that are interested in building a care plan that works for everyone. Please call us today to schedule a free consultation, 773-868-3183 or read more about our services here.

The post What Are the Differences Between Home Care and Home Health? appeared first on SYNERGY HomeCare.

In contrast, especially during times of crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, long-term care facilities, once considered an inevitable part of aging, have become something older adults and their families want to avoid at all cost. In fact, a recent report revealed that a number of nursing homes in the state of Illinois alone have closed because of financial difficulties, and the ones that are remaining open are faced with staffing challenges.

In fact, Illinois nursing homes have also received the distinction of providing the lowest ratio of caregiving staff to seniors, as well as poor rankings in the use of sedation medications given to seniors without a corresponding psychiatric diagnosis that would warrant the need for them.

Ryan Gruenenfelder, director of advocacy and outreach for AARP, delivers an equally dire warning: “Inadequate staffing at many Illinois nursing homes leaves residents neglected, malnourished, suffering from bed sores or worse.”

Compare these differences in facility care vs. home care:

Long-term care in a facility setting:

• Opens up the possibility for the rampant spread of infection, as well as an increased risk for falls and other types of injury
• Requires residents to wait for assistance, based on a low staff-to-resident ratio
• Has set times for meals and activities, requiring residents to conform to their schedule
• Care is a “one-size-fits-all” approach, rather than customized for each individual
• Brings about a sense of loss: of home, personal belongings, even a sense of identity

Professional care at home:

• Reduces the risk for infection and injury
• Is safe, with thoroughly screened caregivers who support the senior at all times with one-on-one care
• Helps seniors set and achieve individualized, personal goals
• Maintains preferred routines and schedules, so older adults can seamlessly continue living life the way they envisioned
• Allows for faster recovery and healing after a hospitalization, while also helping to avoid preventable visits to the E/R
• Offers customized care, from just a few hours a week to help with bathing, dressing, and preparing meals, up through and including full-time, live-in care

Most importantly, home care empowers seniors to retain their sense of self, living in the comfortable environment they’ve established over the years, filled with memories and mementos collected over a lifetime.

At SYNERGY HomeCare, our mission is to ensure that Chicago area seniors have access to the high quality in-home care services that help them thrive and remain safe and well in the comfort of home. We adhere to two simple core values:

• We treat each senior in our care as we would our own parents, and
• We hire only those caregivers we would want caring for our parents.

We also go to great lengths to ensure the safety of both the seniors we serve and our caregiving team, following the COVID-19 safety guidelines issued by the CDC, OSHA, and state and local health departments, which include:

• Temperature checks
• Personal protective equipment
• Frequent hand-washing
• Social distancing when applicable
• Sanitizing the home
• And other practices based on state/local regulations

Discover the difference a little help at home can make in the life of a senior you love. Contact SYNERGY HomeCare, one of the leading home healthcare agencies in Chicago, IL, at (773) 868-3183 today!

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While terms such as “social distancing,” “self-quarantining,” and “pandemic” have been part of our everyday vocabulary for nearly a year now, we at SYNERGY HomeCare of Chicago remain dedicated to helping seniors stay safe while receiving the high quality home care during the pandemic they need and deserve. Our commitment to this goal was strong before there was such a thing as COVID-19, and it’s grown even stronger as we’ve been weathering the storm together.

And even though the good news of a vaccine has given us all hope, at the same time, the prevalence of the virus continues to rise. To ensure Chicago seniors and their loved ones have peace of mind in these tumultuous times, we’re continuing to follow strict safety protocols, including:

• We provide infection control and prevention training for all of our staff.
• We require that all staff members (not just caregivers) continue to take specialized training about COVID-19 that provides in-depth details on this disease, how it spreads, and best practices for minimizing the risk of infection and spread.
• We continually monitor and follow all safety guidelines and requirements from the CDC, IDPH and local government.
• We are certified as an essential healthcare provider, which allows us to continue with care operations during curfews and other restrictions, as well as access to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as masks and gloves.
• We update our clients on a routine basis regarding our COVID-19 processes and procedures through hard copy, email and verbal communications.
• Our caregivers receive ongoing reinforcements and reminders of our COVID-19 processes and procedures.
• As frontline workers, COVID-19 vaccination is now available to our care staff, and vaccinations are well underway for the safety of both our clients and employees.

Each day, our caregivers adhere to the following routine:

• Daily health checks for symptoms prior to visiting a client’s home:
  • Fever or chills
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Headache
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Sore throat
  • Congestion or runny nose
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Diarrhea
• Wearing a mask when inside the home.
• Minimizing use of public transportation, ride-share or taxis.
• Practicing self-distancing when in public places.
• Carrying and using hand sanitizer throughout the day.
• No touching of one’s face unless immediately after washing one’s hands thoroughly.
• In the client’s home:
  • Utilizing PPE as needed for specific client needs
  • Washing hands thoroughly upon arrival and continually throughout a shift
  • Disinfecting all common touch areas (doorknobs, faucet handles, kitchen appliance handles, etc.)
  • Disinfecting all flat common surfaces including kitchen counters, bathroom sinks, tables, etc.
  • Practicing social distancing even with the client when possible

If any symptoms are present, a caregiver will pause working and follow the CDC/IDPH guidelines for self-isolation or quarantine as appropriate. This includes being tested immediately and remaining quarantined until results come back. We also inventory who the caregiver has been in contact with and self-isolate or quarantine and monitor as needed (per CDC/IDPH) guidelines). We follow the CDC/IDPH guidelines for reintroducing a caregiver back into the work rotation as follows:

• If not diagnosed with COVID-19:
  • The caregiver will remain out of work until he/she has gone three days with no symptoms
• If diagnosed with COVID-19:
  • The caregiver will remain out of work until he/she has gone three days with no fever, respiratory symptoms have improved (e.g. cough, shortness of breath) and it has been ten days since symptoms first appeared

Although we can now see the light at the end of the tunnel, we’re not letting our guard down! Our top priority will always be the utmost safety of our clients and caregivers.

If you have any questions or concerns about our protocol for providing home care during the pandemic, please call us at (773) 868-3183 any time. We’re here for you through this storm as well as any yet to come, as the dependable provider of home care services in Chicago and the surrounding areas.

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While it is a fantastic feat for seniors to continue to care for themselves as they age, eventually, adult children of these wildly independent baby boomers realize that their aging parents need more support – and likely are not asking for it.

Baby boomers are stubborn about maintaining their independence and for excellent reasons. These reasons are shaking up traditional senior living and senior care programs.

They Are Living Longer

Statista reports a higher life-expectancy for baby boomers. Women can look forward to a life expectancy of 81 years while men are averaging a 76-year life expectancy.

Not only are they living longer, but medical and technological advancements have promoted healthier, fuller lives for this generation, more than any generation before. These advancements are how baby boomers have more drive, ambition and desire to maintain independent living.

They Are Passionate about Hobbies, Jobs, Activities and Lifestyle

Don’t expect to see baby boomers sitting around knitting with NPR on the radio station. You’re more likely to see this age group hiking a popular trail with friends, participating in triathlons, volunteering at their grandchildren’s’ schools and working from the comfort of their home.

Baby boomers DO NOT sit still. They are tech-savvy, active, social and are retiring at older ages than previous generations. They are more educated and on-base with modern technology. You might see them playing games on their smartphones, taking online courses or listening to podcasts. One thing is for sure – they are not sitting around waiting for other people to tell them what the rules are, what’s for dinner and what time lights are out.

With the lifestyles that baby boomers are living, it is easy to see why this age group fearlessly challenges any threat of losing it.

However, just because an aging parent has lived a strongly independent life does not mean that they will be capable of living without assistance forever. When the time comes for support to step in, in-home care provides the best type of care for individuals who want to remain in their homes, participating in the community and continue to enjoy a self-reliant lifestyle.

Gone are the days where senior living facilities were the “go-to” method of support for seniors. With in-home services, your bold and active parents can rely on assistance catered to their individual needs. Suppose mom and dad enjoy decorating their homes, choosing their meals, keeping beloved pet companions and caring for their gardens, but struggle with personal hygiene and housework or have limited sight or mobility. In that case, an in-home aide can provide that extra support needed for aging in place so that they can stay comfortable and happy.

If you have a baby boomer in your family who is adamantly guarding their self-reliance but requires day-to-day or constant support, in-home care services are an ideal option that you can mold to meet specific needs. This way, they still get to live in the home they love, do the things they love without the fear of losing their beloved independence.

SYNERGY HomeCare, the top-rated provider of home care and dementia home care in Chicago, IL and surrounding areas, is here to help ease the transition to in-home care, making aging in place where it’s most comfortable a reality. Call us any time to learn more about our home care solutions at (773) 868-3183.

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• Companionship to enhance socialization through engaging conversations and activities
• Personal care assistance
• Medication reminders
• Planning and preparing healthy, appetizing meals
• Light household chores and laundry
• Assessments of the home to reduce the risk of a fall
• Support for transfers and mobility
• Pet care
• Transportation to medical appointments and fun outings
• Shopping and other errands
• Specialized care for those with chronic conditions such as dementia, ALS, Parkinson’s disease, cancer, and more
• Hospital-to-home transitional care
• End-of-life care
• Veterans’ care
• And many others

We’ve also compiled the following helpful local resources to assist you:

• Wicker Park Area Department of Aging

The Department of Aging provides supportive services to meet the needs and interests of seniors in the Wicker Park area.

• Northwestern Illinois Area Agency on Aging

A non-profit organization, NIAAA provides leadership on a variety of senior-related issues, as well as advocacy, development and funding of new service offerings, and more.

• Wicker Park Area Alzheimer’s Association

The Illinois Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association assists seniors and their families in 87 counties throughout the state with trusted information and care consultation, supportive services, research, and more.

Wicker Park’s Top Choice for Home Care Services

Our care staff work hard to maintain the reputation we’ve earned as the leading choice for home care in Wicker Park and the surrounding areas in Chicago. SYNERGY HomeCare employs over 365,000 caregivers who are serving over 280,000 seniors throughout the U.S. We’re also honored to have received the Best of Home Care Leader in Excellence, Best of Home Care Provider of Choice, and Best of Home Care Employer of Choice awards from Home Care Pulse. These highly coveted designations showcase our dedication to the exceptional care we provide to the families we serve as well as our caregiving staff. Licensed by the State of Illinois, we are also insured and bonded; and, we never require a contract, unlike many other home care companies – so seniors have access to the exact level of service they need, when they need it.

Meet Our Wicker Park Caregiving Team

Inviting a new caregiver into the home of someone you love isn’t easy. At SYNERGY HomeCare, we fully recognize the challenges and obstacles that sometimes accompany a transition to in-home care, and we go to great lengths to make the process comfortable. Each of our caregivers has successfully passed extensive background and reference checks, and receives intensive, ongoing training. They are also all certified in CPR as well as first aid, with many holding additional professional designations, such as CNA, HHA, MA, or QMAP. We’re incredibly selective in the caregivers we invite to join our team. In fact, we hire only one out of more than every ten applicants who apply to work with us.

Ready to Learn More?

We would love the opportunity to speak with you about the challenges you’re facing, and to offer a solution to help. You can reach us any time at 877-432-2692 to find answers to your questions and to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation, right in the comfort of home.

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Sometimes an aging parent will recognize their need for help and ask for it. But more often, they don’t ask. Some do not speak up out of fear they will be pressured to give up their independence and move to an assisted living facility. Or they may worry that they will be a burden to family members. Sometimes they don’t even realize that they need help.

If you care for an aging parent or loved one, watch for signs they might not be as independent as they once were. The American Seniors Housing Association says there are 10 signs that indicate your loved one needs assistance.

Do your parents exhibit any of these signs?

1. The yard and house lack upkeep.
2. The inside of the house becomes uncharacteristically cluttered, disorganized or dirty.
3. There’s a stack of unpaid bills.
4. They appear disheveled; for example, their clothes are unclean or their hygiene has declined.
5. There is hardly any food in the house.
6. There has been a change in their general mood, or they’ve lost interest in hobbies and activities.
7. They forget to take their medications or get prescriptions filled.
8. They have unexplained bruising, which could indicate they’ve been falling.
9. They have become more forgetful, perhaps missing essential appointments.
10. They have noticeably gained or lost weight.

What to do when a parent needs help

If you’ve determined that your parent needs help at home, what do you do next? Sometimes assistance with meals, light housekeeping or personal care is all your parent needs. But no matter how small or easy to fix, admitting the need for help is difficult, and it can be a tough subject to discuss.

“Or they may worry that they will be a burden to family members. Sometimes they don’t even realize that they need help.”

Approach the subject with compassion. It’s best to discuss before a crisis occurs. Before sitting down for a serious conversation, bring up the topic casually, with a comment like, “Mom, what can I do to help you?” When you have a more serious conversation, listen to what your parent has to say. Discuss all the options with an open mind, and emphasize that you want to support your parent to help them be happy, healthy and safe.

When it’s time to seek help for an aging parent at home, call on SYNERGY HomeCare, one of the top-rated home care agencies in Chicago, IL and surrounding areas. Call us at (773) 868-3183 for more information and to request a free in-home consultation.

The post How to Tell if Your Aging Parent Needs Help at Home – Pending Approval appeared first on SYNERGY HomeCare.

A 2020 report conducted by the AARP and the National Alliance on Caregiving found that the number of family caregivers has climbed from 18% of adults in 2015 to more than 21% in 2020. And 36% of these caregivers say their situation is “highly stressful.” If this stress is not addressed, it can affect physical, mental and emotional health.

Caregiver burnout refers to the fatigue, stress, anxiety and depression caregivers experience when they don’t get the help they need. The Mayo Clinic says there are several warning signs that indicate it’s time to get some help.

Do you answer “yes” to any of these questions?

• Do you feel overwhelmed or constantly worried?
• Do you feel tired often?
• Are you getting too much sleep or not enough sleep?
• Are you gaining or losing weight?
• Do you become easily irritated or angry?
• Have you lost interest in activities you used to enjoy?
• Do you feel sad?
• Do you have frequent headaches, bodily pain or other physical problems?
• Are you abusing alcohol or drugs, including prescription medication?

What you can do

If signs show you’re headed toward caregiver burnout, or possibly already there, take steps now to deal with it before it becomes worse. Here’s how:

• Ask for help. Is there a family member who can help you by running errands, cooking or spending time with your loved one so you get relief? Can you schedule that help on a regular basis?
• Seek in-home respite care. Consider hiring short-term in-home respite care through a home care agency or look into adult care centers and programs in your community.
• Check out the Eldercare Locator, a public service of the U.S. Administration on Aging that connects you to services for older adults and their families. You can also reach them at (800) 677-1116. The Eldercare Locator can also put you in touch with your local Area Agency on Aging to help you find services for seniors in your community.
• Find emotional support. Support groups and supportive online communities can provide encouragement and understand what you are going through.

Caregiver burnout can be treated and prevented. By taking time for yourself, you can become a happier and healthier caregiver—benefitting both you and your loved one.

The experts in personal care services in Chicago at SYNERGY HomeCare are here to help with trusted, experienced respite care services to help family caregivers find a healthy life balance and avoid caregiver burnout. Give our care team a call at (773) 868-3183 to get answers to your questions and to request a free in-home consultation to discover how we can make life the best it can be for a senior you love and for you.

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June is designated as Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month, something that is near and dear to our hearts at SYNERGY HomeCare.

Because we care for so many seniors struggling with cognitive concerns, we’re pleased to have formed a team to participate in this year’s walk to raise awareness. At SYNERGY HomeCare, we follow IDPH guidelines, which require a memory training program to be able to provide care for Alzheimer’s patients. This requires a program director and any caregiver supporting an Alzheimer’s client to go through additional, specialized training to provide that level of support.

We’ve also put together some of the most common questions we receive about cognitive health and their corresponding answers, to help family members better understand how to help a loved one with dementia.

• What is the cause of Alzheimer’s disease?
  While researchers haven’t yet pinpointed exactly what causes Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia, contributing factors may include chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes, poor diet, exercise, and other lifestyle choices, genetics, and a lack of socialization.

• What’s the difference between dementia and Alzheimer’s disease?
  Think of dementia as the symptom, and Alzheimer’s as the cause of that symptom. In essence, someone can have dementia without it being Alzheimer’s disease, such as the dementia associated with Parkinson’s disease, a head injury, a stroke or vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia or Lewy body disease. Certain types of dementia can be reversible, but the majority are degenerative and will become progressively worse over time.

• How is Alzheimer’s disease diagnosed?
  Currently, only an autopsy can definitively diagnose Alzheimer’s disease. However, physicians can accurately diagnose Alzheimer’s about 90 percent of the time based on mental, behavioral, and cognitive health symptoms, a physical evaluation, blood tests, urinalysis and neuropsychological tests.

• Is there a cure available for Alzheimer’s disease?
  Unfortunately, there is not yet a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, which is why it’s so important to us to support research and awareness efforts. There are, however, medications that can help to ease some of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s, including depression, aggression, and hallucinations. Some medications, however, can react negatively with other Alzheimer’s medications or even worsen other symptoms of the disease. It is crucial to go over the best medication plan with your loved one’s doctor. In addition, some Alzheimer’s symptoms result from non-medical triggers that can often be managed without medication. If a particular trigger can be identified, the environment can be modified to change the behavior. These triggers can include fatigue, an overstimulating environment, or boredom, just to name a few. Try using a quiet, calming tone of voice, encouraging time to rest, or introducing meaningful and engaging activities, such as music, art, or ability-appropriate help with a household chore.

Learn more about Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month and find help for cognitive health issues from the Alzheimer’s Association.

As the leading provider of dementia home care in Chicago, IL, our dementia care experts are always here to answer your questions, offer you helpful resources, and support someone you love with Alzheimer’s disease or other cognitive health concerns in living his or her best possible life. Our home care services are personalized according to each person’s unique needs, from just a few hours each week to allow family members to take a break, up through and including full-time, around-the-clock care.

Contact us for a free in-home consultation at (773) 868-3183 and find out how SYNERGY HomeCare, the leading provider of home care assistance in Gold Coast, IL, can help you!

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During times of intense stress, such as while providing care for aging parents, arguments and disagreements are quite common among siblings. Past hurts and challenging family dynamics may resurface, making it difficult to remain calm, collected, and objective. Yet it’s vitally important for you and your siblings to work together to determine how best to divide care tasks and responsibilities so that all of the needs of your aging parents will be met.

Gregory French, president-elect of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, explains, “What a family member considers ‘fair’ is very much dictated from that family member’s perspective…there’s a lot of family baggage that comes out, like: ‘Mom paid for your MBA, and she didn’t do that for me.’”

These suggestions can help you and your siblings diffuse squabbles and focus on what’s most important: having an effective plan in place to take care of your aging parents.

• Find a trusted mediator. A professional, unbiased third party, such as your parents’ lawyer, a religious leader, or a counselor, can be a tremendous help in mediating discussions among siblings and ensuring your meetings are productive and on track.
• Consider financial vs. hands-on support. Sharing caregiving duties fairly should include a conversation regarding the amount of time each of you can reasonably dedicate to providing hands-on assistance for your parents. However, distance and other commitments may cause an unbalanced division of care tasks. One way to ensure that everyone has the chance to contribute to care needs equally is by offering the opportunity to share in financial costs when in-person care is difficult. For instance, a sibling who lives several states away from your parents can’t reasonably be expected to help prepare meals and clean the house; but he or she could instead contribute funds to hire a professional caregiver from a trusted source like SYNERGY HomeCare of Chicago to assist with those tasks. Be aware as well that providing too much hands-on support from friends and family can contribute to the heightened tension of a taxing situation. Developing a workable solution takes a team approach, for sure.
• Take – and share – good notes. Document everything discussed in your family meetings, and share copies of notes afterwards. This will ensure that everyone is on the same page and knows what each person’s to-dos and next steps are. It also provides a means to go back and revisit any issues that arise later, eliminating any confusion about what was agreed upon.

The compassionate care team at SYNERGY HomeCare, award-winning home care in Gold Coast, can help ensure the best possible care for your aging parents. We’re always available to talk with you and your siblings about how best to support you. We offer a free in-home consultation, scheduled at a time that’s convenient for you.

Contact us at (773) 868-3183 for a free in-home consultation to learn more!

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Senior dehydration can occur for a variety of reasons, including:

• Side effects from medications
• A diminished feeling of being thirsty
• Less efficient kidneys
• A decreased ability to maintain an ideal fluid level in the body
• And others

Knowing how much fluid a senior should consume each day, and tracking fluid intake, is key. There’s a simple calculation you can use to help. Divide the senior’s body weight by 1/3, and ensure he or she drinks that many ounces of water each day. For instance, a senior who weighs 150 pounds needs to drink at least 50 ounces of water daily – a little over six cups.

Spotting and getting help for dehydration in older adults quickly is crucial; it’s much easier to correct a mild case of dehydration than a more severe one. Here’s what you should watch for in the seniors you love:

Senior Dehydration Red Flags (Mild):

• Dark-colored urine
• Less urine output
• Dry mouth
• Lethargy
• Dizziness
• Muscle cramping
• Feeling irritable
• Headaches

Senior Dehydration Red Flags (Severe):

• Confusion
• Disorientation
• Fast, faint pulse
• Difficulty walking
• Low blood pressure
• Intensified muscle cramps
• Less elasticity in skin
• Dry, sunken eyes
• Bloating
• Faster breathing
• Convulsions

Get immediate medical attention if you suspect dehydration in an older adult. Extremely dangerous health concerns can develop quickly when symptoms such as these are present.

Prevent dehydration in seniors by providing plenty of fluids throughout the course of the day. Plain water is best, but you can also flavor the water with sliced cucumber or citrus fruit to make it more appealing. You can also try different temperatures to see what the senior prefers. In the morning, for instance, a warmed cup of water with lemon can be comforting. Later in the day, try chilled water served over ice.

Geriatric nurse Anne Vanderbilt, CNS, explains the most effective way to ensure seniors stay hydrated. “What I often see in our advanced older adults – people in their 80s and 90s – is that they can’t sit down and drink a full 8-ounce glass of water. It fills them up, causes bloating and then makes them have to run to the bathroom. So little sips throughout the day are better.”

The professional caregivers at SYNERGY HomeCare, one of the top-rated provider of in-home care in the Gold Coast area, is here to help ensure seniors stay healthy and hydrated each day. Call us at (773) 868-3183 for a free in-home consultation to learn more!

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