Penelope had just finished yet another frustrating conversation with her aging mother about moving her to a long-term care facility. Mom insisted she wanted to stay in her home and refused to even talk about it. However, her recent stroke made it difficult for Mom to take care of herself, including bathing and cooking. Penelope couldn’t envision her mother being able to live in her home in her current condition without some kind of help, but she simply could not see a way for her elderly mother to still live at home. As an adult child, it can be hard to watch your mother struggle with the physical and mental effects of aging. The most common afflictions are from chronic conditions that put limits on what she can do for herself and others. Some chronic conditions have mild symptoms or are slow to develop, while others can effect changes to their quality of life quite quickly. One of the biggest worries that seniors and their adult children have is whether or not they can remain in the home or if their chronic condition means they need to look at long-term care.
What are Chronic Conditions?
Chronic conditions are illnesses and diseases that ae not caused by germs and have no real cure. The symptoms of chronic conditions can range from barely noticeable to quite severe. An elderly person may start out with mild symptoms at first and over the years they grow worse. In extreme cases, symptoms from chronic conditions can interfere with an elderly person’s ability to care for themselves. It is at this point when adult children and elderly parents start to worry about the living situation.
Some of the most common chronic illnesses for the elderly include diabetes, arthritis, glaucoma, macular degeneration, kidney problems, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, Parkinson’s disease, depression, dementia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The causes of most chronic conditions can be linked to age, genetics and lifestyle choices.
Living at Home with Chronic Conditions
When an elderly parent is diagnosed with a chronic condition, they immediately feel like their way of life is being threatened. They may deny that anything is wrong, or hide their struggles from family members and friends. The aging adult might fear that asking for help or admitting that they cannot keep up with the tasks of daily living will cause others to force them to live elsewhere. The good news is that there are many things that family members can do to help their elderly parent still live at home yet receive quality care.
Some of the solutions that family members can implement include senior care assistance, community volunteer programs for seniors, meal delivery services, senior citizen centers, adult day care centers and regularly scheduled visits from family and friends. Home modifications are available as well, from installing ramps and walk-in tubs to monitoring systems and safety bars. Senior care agencies provide services that range from bathing and hygiene to housework, meal prep, transportation and companionship. There are plenty of combinations for services that allow elderly adults to continue to live in their own home while treating a chronic condition.
Source:
https://www.ncoa.org/blog/10-common-chronic-diseases-prevention-tips/
If you or an aging loved one are considering senior care in Tequesta, FL, contact the caring staff at BrightStar Care of Jupiter. Call today (561) 741-1200.