Our Care - All of Houston! Dangers Associated With Seniors Living Alone
More and more older Americans live alone, however a staggering amount of these seniors are experiencing dementia symptoms and social isolation. A University College London study conducted over a decade showed the impact that isolation and loneliness has, both infrequent contact with family and friends as well as loneliness can, independently, shorten someone’s life, this is why home care services Houston is so important.
Continue reading to learn more about how dangerous it is for seniors to live alone.
Dangers Associated With More Seniors Living Alone
AARP reported that around 90% of people over the age of 65 want to continue living at home for as long as possible. There may be benefits for the emotional well-being of seniors who live at home and stay in a community that is familiar, however research has shown that a staggering amount of seniors who should receive assisted living care are currently living at home – many time alone.
The answer may seem obvious to some of us, move into an assisted living community where health monitoring, social activity and medication management come included. That being said, it can be a difficult decision to decide to move a senior citizen to assisted living, especially if you loved one is not very fond on moving.
It is reported by the Administration of Aging that around 29%, in other words 11.3 million older adults in 210, lived alone. As the same time, it is estimated that more that 12% of senior citizens 65 and older, in the other words over five million, require assistance with long term care in order to perform daily life activities.
Seniors who live in poverty or who are low-income are even more likely to live at home as opposed to in a facility, even if they are in need of more care. It is quite frankly startling to see the statistics for those with dementia or Alzheimer’s: the Alzheimer’s Association reports that out of 60-70% of seniors living in the community and struggling with dementia, 25% actually live alone.
At University College London, professor of psychology; Andrew Steptoe says that the results from the social isolation study surprised him:
He says; “Initially, both loneliness and social isolation appears to be associated with an increased risk of dying. However isolation is what really ended up being the most important.”
When It Is Unsafe to Live Alone
If what we want is for our loved ones to remain healthy and safe, it is crucial to guarantee that their living environment is appropriate to their physical needs, especially the have shown early signs of a cognitive impairment.
If you realize that your loved one requires assistance with daily activities, for example dressing, bathing, and eating, they could have cognitive functions that are decreasing; this is associated with dementia at its early or middle stages. Even in a senior’s own home, the combination of minor safety hazards and poor eyesight can put them at risk for falling, breaking a hip, and even death.
Our goal at Assisting Hands is to provide unparalleled home care services Houston. We believe that it is of critical importance to keep track of senior nutrition, physical symptoms, and mental health.
Here are a few of the warning signs that indicate it is no longer safe for a senior to live alone:
• Poor eyesight
• Issues with medication management
• Forgetting appointments
• Social isolation
• Poor nutrition or malnutrition
• Unable to pay bills on time
• Inability to keep up with daily housekeeping and chores
• Home safety hazards such as loose carpeting and poor lighting
We at Assisting Hands Houston are waiting for your call regarding any further questions you may have concerning you and/or your loved ones. If you’re not sure that it is time to seek the help that you or they may need, we encourage you to call us at 281-540-7400! You don’t have to be alone when visiting this option.
