If your elderly family member is having trouble with her balance, that might lead to other difficulties, too. The scariest is the possibility that she might fall, of course. But she may also decide that it’s time to be less active, which can cause her to lose muscle mass and have even more difficulty with getting from place to place safely. These are just a few signs to watch for when it comes to balance problems.
She’s Dizzy or Lightheaded Often
Dizziness or the feeling of being lightheaded can arise from a combination of issues. They could be side effects from medication, but they’re also a situation that can contribute to balance problems for your elderly family member. If your senior is having new issues with lightheadedness or dizziness, make sure to mention the situation to her doctor as soon as possible.
She Mentions Vision Problems
If your senior isn’t seeing well, that can affect her balance. The inner and middle ear directly affect balance, but their vision does, too. Your senior’s eyes give input to her brain that lets her know where she is in space. If that information is inaccurate, that sends the whole system off-kilter a bit. Regular eye exams are an excellent idea so your elderly family member can correct as much of her vision problems as possible.
She Could Feel as if She’s Falling
A falling sensation can be related to dizziness or to vision problems. Sometimes it’s a result of the brain getting conflicting information about how your senior is moving or even if she is. That sensation could lead to a real fall, though, and that’s a big problem. Ruling out possible causes for this feeling can be an important way to deal with it before your senior has other issues.
She’s Reaching out Often to Steady Herself
Watch how your senior is moving. If she’s changed how she moves, for example, she’s using a shuffling gait or is reaching out often to steady herself on walls and other objects, that could be a big sign. Using assistive devices might be a good idea at this point because they can help your elderly family member to keep her balance more easily.
Another good solution is to bring in senior care providers to help your elderly family member. They can offer solutions, but more importantly, they can assist with mobility when she’s feeling particularly unstable on her feet.
If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring Home Health Care in Mountainside, NJ, call the caring staff at Helping Hands Home Care today at 908-418-4299.
Providing Home Care Services in all of Northern and Central NJ, including Clark, Westfield, Cranford, Scotch Plains, Rahway, Linden, Summit, Edison, Elizabeth, Mountainside, and the surrounding areas.
After graduating from Seton Hall University with a BS in finance Helping Hands Homecare’s Owner / President, Robert D’Arienzo, went to work on Wall St. for six years. However, after Robert’s grandmother became ill with stomach cancer Robert and his family needed to find assistance in the home for her. After many trials and tribulations Robert could see that there was a great need for quality home care services here in NJ and loved the idea of being able to assist other families who were going through what his family went through with his beloved grandmother.
Thus, Robert had found his passion. After almost a year of preparation Robert opened Helping Hands Homecare in 2003. Robert wanted Helping Hands Homecare to focus on providing the highest quality of caregivers, exceptional customer service, and providing a service that familys could depend on in their time of need. Since then Helping Hands has assisted hundreds of individuals with the simplest of needs to more complex cases while preserving those standards set out many years ago.
Robert is a Google Verified Author
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