There are many common conditions that seniors have to endure in the later stages of their lives, with dementia, a lack of mobility, and impaired vision. Vision loss is perhaps one of the most debilitating problems of all, and it's something that affects just under ½ million Aussies over the age of 55.
Why Is Home Health Care The Best For Your Elderly Loved Ones?
As aged care courses clearly show, the home is often the best setting for the elderly - even when they have impaired sight. That's because it offers the safety of familiarity and a feeling of independence. Unlike assisted living facilities or care homes, staying at home prevents the depression and anxiety that previously independent people encounter when it's taken away.
How Can You Make Life Easier And Safer For Seniors With Low Vision?
There are several reasons why seniors lose sight. It could be due to macro-degeneration, glaucoma or even cataracts. Essentially though, the end result is the same - a diminished ability to move around safely within their home. The problems mentioned are progressive, so they come on slowly, leaving people much less able to look after themselves.
Online learning in the subject teaches us that the symptoms of impaired sight are relatively easy to spot, in that they might have trouble reading or even recognising people's faces. When the sight loss in question can longer be controlled with medication, surgery or glasses, it's time to look at adapting the home to address the challenges this presents.
Let's take a look at what can be done…
- Highlight Sharp Edges & Steps
Falls represent a significant hazard for seniors, as they can lead to broken bones or worse. In fact, falling represents the number one cause of hospitalisation, injury and death. However, you can go a long way to address this danger by highlighting steps and sharp or protruding edges with high-visibility tape. The same can be done with light switches and plug sockets to make finding them far easier.
- Introduce Voice-controlled Tech
Many of us have become familiar with voice-controlled tech, using Echo, Alexa and Google Nest products to make our lives more convenient. Aged care courses teach the value of self-sufficiency, and these relatively inexpensive gadgets can make a real difference. Checking the weather, ordering groceries and listening to their favourite music only requires them to speak.
- Boost Light Levels in the Home
Another way to help seniors with impaired vision in the home is to increase light levels. This can significantly reduce the chances of an accident occurring. Motion-activated LED lights cost much less than you might think, and when placed in high-traffic areas, like the corridor, it enables even those with diminished sight to see where they’re walking more clearly.
- Keep Everything Tidy, Always
If there’s one thing that’s most likely to cause trips and falls, it’s unexpected objects being in the way. The only way to tackle this particular problem is to ensure that all walkways and rooms are clear of clutter. If you’re considering a career change into aged care, cleanliness and tidiness are a significant part of what you do, so this should come as second nature anyway.
This is just a selection of ideas on how to minimise the chance that an elderly loved one falls and hurts themselves. As you can see, it doesn't have to cost a fortune and can make a real difference in a person's life. For that reason alone, it's worth doing.
Train For An Aged Care Career With OCA Online Learning
If you've got your heart set on a rewarding career in the aged care industry, there's no easier way to train for your new role than with video-based, CPD-accredited short courses online. Engaging, mentally stimulating courses like those found in our top-value Job-Ready Aged Care Bundle make learning a cinch, and you can take things at a pace that suits you.
We offer a next-level learning experience, as can be seen in our Student Study Demo. As such, our students see ours as the best online courses Australia has to offer, and that's before we even start talking about the 1-to-1 mentoring that comes with every course or our flexible payment options.
To find out more about this or to see our complete course library (one that covers more than 20 different industries), simply visit us today at www.onlinecoursesaustralia.edu.au. Alternatively, we're more than happy to oblige if you have any questions you'd like to answer.
You can contact us by calling 1300 611 404 or dropping us a line at support@onlinecourses.com.au. As soon as we receive your inquiry, we'll get back to you as quickly as possible.
