If you provide care for an older person close to you, it is very likely that you believe that your “duty” is finished once that older person is in their bed at night and you turn off the lights and close the door. Those who have more experience in this field, will tell you that you are wrong because night time care for the older people is much more complex.
For instance, most of the older people, especially men, wake up at night because they want to go to the toilet. In addition, some of them turn in the bed which ultimately leads to falls. In case you provide care for an older person close to you, make sure that you understand all the tips and advice related to providing night time care. There are certain things that are very important and the faster you learn them the more protected and safe your loved ones will be.
To start with, you must take care of the lighting. Night time care wouldn’t be proper in case you have not planned the path they use when they wake up. As we already said, waking up in the middle of the night is not unusual for the elderly and when they wake up and there is no proper lighting they are at risk of injuries because of the obstacles in their path. The best solution is to use motion detectors that will activate the lights. These lights are discreet and won’t result in any side effects.
Furthermore, make sure that the bedroom gets enough heat. Older people often feel that the room is colder than it actually is. The good news is that you can choose between many options to guarantee proper heating in their bedroom. Of course, when choosing a source of heat, try to place it away from the bed and make sure that the device is perfectly safe. If you use an electric blanket make sure that there is nothing on it before turning it on. It is also a smart move to use electric blankets with timers.
Another good tip is to provide phone close to the elderly close to their bed. You can use cell phone or wireless phone. What is very important is to set emergency contact numbers, so in case they need fast help they won’t need to spend much time before calling the right person. There are also specially designed phones for person dealing with hearing and vision problems.
In addition, incontinence is a frequent problem in the elderly and this problem is especially unpleasant during the night. That’s why it is crucial to find a solution for this problem. Some people use the help of sensors that trigger alarms when the bed gets wet. This is a nice way to prevent damage to the bed and more serious problems.
Finally, if you feel that night time care is too much for you, you can always rely on professional home care service providers.
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