Elder Care in Omaha NE
Each year approximately 600 older adults throughout the United States die as a result of a condition known as hypothermia. This condition is characterized by the body temperature dropping to 95 degrees or below and can lead to death as well as a variety of serious health complications. As a family caregiver it is important that you recognize that aging adults are at increased risk of suffering from hypothermia due to a variety of factors, including that they tend to have lower metabolisms, lose heat faster, suffer from circulation problems, and may be less capable of taking the steps to properly protect themselves from the cold or warm themselves up if their body temperature starts to drop. This condition can occur even when temperatures do not seem very cold. In fact, in some situations temperatures as high as 40 degrees can still put a vulnerable senior at risk for hypothermia.
Knowing what to do if your aging parent is suffering from hypothermia can make a tremendous difference in how they are able to get through the situation. Use these tips to help you respond properly to this potentially dangerous situation:
• Move your aging parent indoors or to a warmer location
• Call for emergency medical services and give them as much detail about your parent’s symptoms as possible
• Remove any wet clothing and carefully dry their body. Being wet will hasten heat loss
• Wrap your aging parent in anything that is available, including towels, blankets, coats, or sheets. Be sure to wrap their head and torso first to warm up their body quicker
• If your parent is able to swallow safely, give them warm, non-alcoholic beverages and high-calorie foods to help their body warm up
• Never put a senior who is suffering from hypothermia into a hot bath or massage their limbs to warm them up. This can lead to their blood vessels dilating too quickly, which increases the risk of heart attack and death.
Starting elderly care for your aging loved one can be a fantastic way to help them achieve and maintain a higher quality of life as they age in place this winter season. An elderly home care services provider can understand the specific challenges, limitations, and needs that your senior is facing and create a highly personalized approach to care that offers them the support and assistance they need to manage these issues in the way that is right for them. Through these nurturing, compassionate, and effective services the elderly care provider can not only help your parent to stay healthier and safer during the winter season, but can also encourage them to maintain more independence and a higher activity level, supporting an overall greater mental, emotional, and physical health and well-being. As a caregiver this can give you peace of mind knowing that your aging loved one is in good hands at all times. When it comes to protecting them from hypothermia, this care provider can help your parent to stay warm and monitor their condition to ensure that if they start to suffer this serious condition they can take the proper steps to get them the medical care that they need.
https://www.sharecare.com/health/managing-changes-aging/elderly-relative-cold-time
https://www.rnceus.com/hypo/hyporisk.html
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hypothermia/basics/risk-factors/con-20020453
https://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Hypothermia/Pages/Treatment.aspx
If you or an aging loved one are considering elder care in Omaha, NE, please contact the caring staff at Seniors Helping Seniors® Greater Omaha at (402) 215-0308 today.