Seniors tend to bruise very easily, which can be alarming for family members. Seniors’ bruises from everyday bumps and bangs can be quite severe. And bruises from falls can be even worse. There are several different reasons why seniors bruise so easily. As people get older their skin naturally thins, which makes bruises more common and can make them look very bad. Medication side effects can also make seniors more prone to bruising. Also, weak blood vessels that break easily can cause bruises in seniors. If your mom or dad has personal care at home services, it will be easier for them to take good care of their skin.
While it’s not possible to prevent all bruising, there are some things that you and your senior parent can do to make bruising less common and make bruises less severe when they do happen like:
Get Personal Care At Home
With personal care at home, your mom or dad will have help with tasks like showering and applying moisturizer. Taking care of their skin and keeping it clean and moisturized can help prevent bruising when your mom or dad does bump into things.
A personal care at home provider that is helping your mom or dad shower and keep their skin healthy can routinely look for new bruises or skin problems and let you know if your mom or dad needs to see a doctor to have a skin issue addressed.
Wear Protective Clothing
Extra padding can help protect the skin. Encourage your senior parent to wear long sleeves and pants. Choose soft, thick fabrics like cotton or fleece. Special padded clothing, like knee or elbow protectors, can add extra safety. This is especially helpful if your parent tends to bump into furniture or walls.
Improve Home Safety
A safer home reduces the chance of bumps and falls. Remove clutter and keep walkways clear. Add handrails and grab bars in hallways, bathrooms, and stairs. Use non-slip rugs or mats to prevent slipping. Good lighting is also important. Bright bulbs help seniors see obstacles and avoid accidents.
If your mom or dad’s home has steps put non-slip treads on all the stairs to ensure that your senior parent doesn’t slip going up or down the stairs.
Maintain Healthy Skin
Healthy skin is less likely to bruise. To keep their skin healthy your mom or dad should be drinking plenty of water each day. They should also eat a diet rich in vitamins like C and K, which can also support strong skin and blood vessels. Foods like citrus fruits, leafy greens, and nuts are great choices.
Use Mobility Aids
Mobility aids provide extra balance and stability for your mom or dad. Walkers or canes can prevent falls and reduce hard impacts. A cane can help your mom or dad negotiate stairs better so that there is a lower risk of tripping and falling.
Make sure the aids are the right size and easy to use. Non-slip tips on the cane or walker can prevent slipping. If your parent has difficulty moving, using these aids consistently can make a big difference.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Personal Care at Home Services in Clark NJ, please contact the caring staff at Helping Hands Homecare today. Call (908) 418-4299
Helping Hands Homecare provides Senior Home Care Services throughout Northern and Central New Jersey, including Clark, Westfield, Cranford, Scotch Plains, Rahway, Linden, Summit, Edison, Elizabeth, Mountainside, Short Hills, Millburn, New Providence, Berkeley Heights, Kenilworth, Chatham, Madison, Metuchen, and 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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