Tag Archive for: Senior Safety

Diabetic Diet: 5 Tips to Successfully Manage the Holidays

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This season of holiday celebrations is the perfect time to spend time with family and friends, but let’s be honest: it’s often also a time for overindulgence in unhealthy meal choices. With a plethora of rich, fatty, and sugary delicacies to choose from at every turn, it’s challenging to abide by a healthy diabetic diet, which can lead to serious health issues for diabetics. These guidelines, however, from the leaders in home health services in Beaumont, TX and nearby areas can help diabetics remain safe during the holiday season while avoiding feeling deprived of enjoyable treats. Be sure to first consult with the doctor for his or her approval on any meal choices that stray from an approved nutrition plan. 

  • Decide on your top choices. Review choices during a holiday meal, and identify your top two carbs to enjoy. For example, figure out if you’d like to have stuffing or rolls, or select between mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes, as opposed to indulging in all of the choices. 
  • BYO. If attending a holiday gathering at someone’s home, speak with the host about your nutritional constraints, and offer to bring a healthy dish to share, such as a tray of vegetables or a sugar-free dessert. 
  • Snack first. Enjoying a healthy snack prior to the holiday meal will help keep blood sugar levels consistent and aid in preventing the temptation to go overboard. Good snack choices for diabetics include nuts, veggies with hummus, celery with peanut butter, string or cottage cheese, or an egg. 
  • Stay hydrated. Having a bottle of water before sitting down to enjoy the meal will help create a sensation of fullness, making it less likely that you’ll be tempted to overindulge.  
  • Remain active. Following a heavy meal, defy the urge to settle into the recliner and watch TV shows or nap; instead, provide help with washing dishes, play an active game with the children, or take a walk in the brisk fall air.  

If in spite of these strategies you end up overindulging or making less-than-healthy selections, be kind and forgiving to yourself. Bear in mind that tomorrow is a new day to pick up healthy habits again. Keep a close watch on your blood sugar to make sure levels stay in the appropriate range and to avoid the potential for serious health issues for diabetics, such as diabetic ketoacidosis, which could cause a hospitalization and surely put a damper on the holiday spirit. 

Reach out to one of the top home health agencies in Beaumont, TX, Montebello Home Care, to learn more diabetic diet-friendly tips, for assistance with preparing healthy meals, providing medication reminders, support to engage in physical activity programs, and much more! We’re here for you throughout the holiday season and beyond to empower seniors to live their best possible lives. Email or call our care team at 409-276-7576 to request a free in-home consultation today or to learn more about how our award-winning services for home health in Beaumont, TX and the surrounding areas can help! Visit our Service Area page to see all of the Texas communities we serve.

Tips To Reduce The Risk of Senior Falls

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Falling down can be painful, but for an older adult, falling can have devastating effects, including a fractured hip, which can lead to a wide range of additional health concerns. A full one-fourth of all seniors who experience a fractured hip die within six months of the fracture; a disturbing, yet preventable fact about the risk of senior falls. Contact us online or call us at 409-276-7576 to learn how we can help with in home senior care services.

Making a few simple alterations to the senior’s home can help foster a safer environment and help prevent dangerous senior falls. To follow are some easy home modification suggestions from Montebello Home Care, the Orange, TX senior care experts for the surrounding areas, to help reduce the risk of senior falls.

  • Lights:
    • Replace all light bulbs on a regular basis to ensure there is plenty of lighting in the senior’s home
    • Use nightlights or motion detector lights for enhanced visibility at night
    • Be sure there are no electrical cords stretched across walking areas
  • Floors:
    • Use low pile carpet or slip-proof tile
    • Remove all throw rugs, or secure them with non-slip tape
    • Utilize contrasting colors with paint, furniture and carpeting to designate changes in surface types or levels
    • Do not use floor polish
  • Bathroom:
    • Add grab bars to walls around the tub and beside the toilet, sturdy enough to support an adult’s full weight
    • Add slip-proof strips or mats in and around the bathtub
    • Use a wall-mounted liquid soap dispenser on the shower wall
    • Utilize a portable, hand-held shower head
    • Add a padded shower or bath seat

In addition to these ideas, there are plenty of products available to help with preventing senior falls at home, such as:

  • Door Alarms: If your loved one has a propensity to wander, particularly at night, door alarms can alert you or the senior’s caregiver that he or she is moving about and could be in danger of falling.
  • Monitoring Systems: Monitoring systems are a popular and efficient way to keep track of a senior’s movements in the home. Sensors can be positioned throughout the home, and some even include calling capabilities for the senior to alert a caregiver if a fall or other emergency is experienced.
  • Fall Management Footwear: These products feature rubber grips on the bottom to help prevent slipping, and are suitable for seniors who are at a heightened risk for falling. There are even water-proof, slip-resistant socks that can be worn in the bath or shower.
  • Bedrails: Many elderly falls happen during the night as seniors move about in their sleep or get up to go to a different room in the house. Bedrails can keep older adults from falling out of bed and provide something to grab onto when standing up to get out of bed.

With so many older adults deciding to age in place at home rather than moving into a nursing home, it’s imperative to ensure the home is as safe as can be. The professional home care team at Montebello Home Care can help families evaluate the risk of senior falls in the home, make home alteration recommendations, and provide the skilled, compassionate care seniors need. Contact us today to learn more about our services for home health in Orange, TX and the areas we serve at 409-276-7576. To find out if our home care services are available in your community, please visit our Service Area page.