You are here: Home / Archives for homecare

Our Fall Prevention program helps Beatrice, 95, maintain her independence.

August 7, 2012 By

For women in their 90′s who want to remain independent and live in their own home, finding the right combination of resources to keep them healthy and mobile can be an ongoing challenge. The biggest concern for many of them is simply getting around the house without falling and staying strong enough to bathe, dress, and cook meals. Having social support and companionship is also very important as advanced age often brings on feelings of isolation and loneliness.

Beatrice, at 95, is lucky to have family in the area who check in on her every day and take her out for trips to the grocery store and Macy’s. She likes shopping and gets a thrill out of choosing just the right gift for one of her children. During the past few years her mobility and strength have been declining but she still gets around her house with a walker and is able to dress herself and warm up meals cooked by her son. She attributes some of her success at remaining independent to LIFE ElderCare’s Fall Prevention program.

Four years ago, Beatrice and her son read about the program and thought it would be a good way for her to get personalized exercise assistance that was pre-approved by her doctor. They also liked the idea of nursing students coming to the home every week to monitor her progress, maintain her motivation and answer questions. Beatrice says about her experience, “Oh yes, I like the program and want to continue with it.” She says the program has helped her stability and she enjoys visiting with the nurses. It is the first exercise program she has ever participated in.

While she is no longer able to shower or bathe on her own, she still takes short walks with her children and accompanies her son to the grocery store every week for shopping. “We are so happy when the program helps older adults stay in the homes they love for as long as safely possible,” says Maureen Parent, Fall Prevention Coordinator, “sometimes for people in their 90′s, just ‘holding the line’ is an amazing achievement.”

The Fall Prevention program is open to anyone age 60 and older who lives in Fremont, Newark and Union City. The supervised exercise program lasts 12 weeks and includes a medication review and home safety check. For more information or to sign up, call Sandy at 510-574-2087.

Filed Under: elderly falls, fall prevention Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Forgetting to turn off the stove can make some seniors averse to cooking.

February 18, 2011 By

Last month I did an assessment on a man, close to 90 years old, who came to the US from Ireland. He says he really likes Meals On Wheels because the food is nutritious, and if he’s not hungry when the meal comes, it is easy to heat it up in the microwave later. He tries to make Irish stew at least twice a month but finds that once he walks away from the stove he forgets about it. ”I can’t tell you how many times I make stew and burn it,” he says. ”I use to be a good cook, but not anymore.”

His daughters have warned him about the dangers of both cooking and driving, at age 90, but he pays no attention to them and drives to see his wife who is in a nursing home in Hayward. He has a great need to see her everyday. He left his wife in Ireland with 4 kids to come to California to get a job. She had to raise the kids alone for years before he had enough money to bring everyone over.

Notes from the Field
Barb Proctor, Meals On Wheels Assessment Coordinator

 

Filed Under: aging, caregiver, elder care, eldercare, elders, end senior hunger, geriatric care, homecare, life eldercare, lifeeldercare, meals on wheels, nonprofit, senior malnutrition, senior meals, senior nutrition, senior services, seniors, volunteer Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,