Insomnia in Seniors: The Cause, the Cost, and a Cure

According to the National Institute of Health, the majority of seniors struggle with insomnia.  Insomnia can take several forms.  A senior might get into bed and toss and turn for more than 45 minutes before finally dozing off.  Or, they go to sleep quickly only to wake up a few hours later and not be able to get back to sleep.  Finally, they simply wake up several times a night.  They might get back to sleep, but sleep interrupted doesn’t give them the full benefit of a night’s rest.

Four Safer Bathroom Floors for Seniors

When a senior slips on the bathroom floor, consequences can be tragic. As we age, our bodies become more frail and a fall can set in motion an unwelcome chain of events:  broken bones, a trip to the emergency room, a move to an assisted living center, or even death. 

According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, falls are the leading cause of fatal injury and the most common cause of nonfatal, trauma-related hospital admissions among older adults.

Since a fall often is triggered when a senior’s feet take on a life of their own on a slippery floor, I’ve compiled a list of bathroom flooring options that provide more grip.  And because of the wet environment, all recommendations are, of course, water resistant.

Four Practical and Fun Holiday Gifts for Seniors

The season of gift giving has arrived.  And if you have seniors in your life, you’re likely in a bit of a quandary.  After all, over the years they’ve accumulated all the goodies they need--and more!  They’re now in downsizing mode and, hopefully, de-cluttering their home.  So why would you want to buy them more stuff?

It’s time to think practically and to give gifts that will help to keep your Mom, Dad, favorite Aunt, or that special person you care for, safe and make life a little easier.  Here are four suggestions.

Top Products to Make a Long Life at Home Easier- the Medical Alert

Continuing my series of the top products that make a long life at home easier, today I want to talk about one that several of you have mentioned in response to previous posts—the medical alert.

Let me start with a story about a friend’s mother, Joan, who is 84, and doing just fine for her age, but has fallen several times in the last year.  Each time it was a freak occurrence. 

Her first fall involved her 80-pound Labrador retriever, Susie. Yes the dog is not a good choice for a senior, but that’s no longer negotiable.  Susie does offer some health benefits as Joan takes her for a two-mile walk every day.

Top Products for Living a Long Life at Home: the Seated Shower

I’ve found another have-to-have product for a long, safe life at home—the American Standard Seated Shower.

When you see the Seated Shower, you wonder why no one has created anything like it before.  Why? Because it takes the all the thinking out of retrofitting a shower for a senior who wants to live a long, happy life at home.  It’s a simple, one piece solution that looks beautiful too.  And, you can enjoy it at any age.

How to Help Granny Survive a Fall

I write a lot about how to modify bathrooms, the most dangerous room in the home, to prevent seniors from falling.  But seniors will still fall because with age comes a natural decline in health.

Seniors may have cognitive, balance or mobility issues.  Perhaps they have neurological problems associated with a stroke or Parkinson’s disease.  Pain from arthritis could affect how they move. Even a dangerous cocktail of medications could compromise their balance.

So here’s the scenario. Granny steps out of a warm, relaxing bath and onto the wet, slippery tiles. Her feet take on a life of their own, escaping from underneath her as she plunges to the ground, landing smack on her posterior and narrowly avoiding a broken hip.   Now what?

9 Less Common Bathroom Modifications for Seniors

There are many changes you can make to a bathroom to make it more accessible for seniors, but today I’m going off the beaten track to talk about cool modifications you just don’t hear about every day.

1. Slide through Sliding Doors

If a senior has mobility issues and is using a power chair or wheelchair, access through doors can be tricky.  The wider the door opening, the easier it is.  One way to achieve more space is to install a sliding, or pocket, door. 

2. Jack Up the Connections
Most people don’t have a telephone in their bathroom.  And if a senior has a cell phone, they often don’t carry it with them wherever they go.  But what if Aunt Ethel slips and falls?  Without help she could be in trouble.  Install a telephone jack and make sure she’s connected.

8 Common Bathroom Needs the of the 8- and 88-Year-Old

An 8-year-old child and an 88-year-old lady have some surprisingly similar needs in the bathroom.  Why? 

Slips and Falls

A study from the Center of Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio discovered that more than 43,000 children are treated in an emergency room each year after a bathroom- or shower-related injury, most resulting from slips and falls. Also, one in three senior citizens fall annually and most of those falls occur in the bathroom.

Top Products to Make a Long Life at Home Easier: Tub Cuts

The hunt continues for the top products to keep seniors living happy, healthy lives at home. 

To understand why I think today’s featured product is among the best, I want you to imagine it’s a steamy August day. You’re hot and sticky and ready to cool off in a refreshing shower. But you can’t. There’s a barricade between you and the shower. 

Or think about one of those days when your muscles are in knots and your bones feel creaky.  You long for a soothing, hot bath, but access is impossible.

This is how some seniors feel when they want to take a bath or shower. The side of the bath, while less than two-feet high, becomes a formidable barrier. And it’s something they absolutely should be concerned about because, as I’ve said before, almost 22 million injuries occur in the bathroom each year, and getting in and out of the bath tub is one of the most hazardous activities.