After the age of 65, an average of four out of five adults has a minimum of one chronic health condition. Almost three out of ten have two or more chronic conditions. Home health care services are crucial to keeping an older adult as healthy as possible for many of these health issues.
What are the most common chronic health conditions? Here are the top ten and the percentage of older Americans diagnosed with each one per the National Council on Aging.
- High Blood Pressure – 58%
- High Cholesterol – 47%
- Arthritis – 31%
- Heart Disease – 29%
- Diabetes – 27%
- Chronic Kidney Disease – 18%
- Heart Failure – 14%
- Depression – 14%
- Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias – 11%
- COPD – 11%
When your mom has one or more chronic health conditions, her care needs at home will change. These are the services that will help her manage her disease.
Recording Her Vitals
A care nurse can come to your mom’s home and record her blood pressure, pulse, height, weight, and oxygen saturation levels. The nurse reports those vitals to her doctor. If adjustments to medications or care plans are needed, the doctor will tell the nurse and make necessary changes.
Home Health Care Aides Administer Injections and Inserting IV Lines
If your mom has any medications that must be given through an IV or needle, the nurse can handle them. The nurse will measure the proper dosages and give the injection or insert the IV line for IV medications. IV’s are also used if your mom needs fluids or nutrients.
Wound Care
Whether your mom has open sores somewhere on her body or had a surgical procedure and needs someone to check on the incision, nurses offer wound care services. They can change bandages, check for signs of infection, and clean wounds as instructed.
If the wound isn’t healing as well as hoped, the nurse will work with the doctor. The nurse may administer antibiotics at home or alert you that your mom needs to go to the doctor.
Dietary Instruction
If your mom has diabetes and is new to what she should and shouldn’t eat, she can arrange to have dietitians come to her home. They’ll teach her what she can and cannot eat and show her how to make meals that match her needs.
How do you get started? Talk to your mom’s doctor and learn more about her health. Ask about home nurses and the best services to arrange. After that conversation, call our expert in home health care to schedule services.
Sources: https://www.ncoa.org/article/the-top-10-most-common-chronic-conditions-in-older-adults
If you or a family member are in need of hiring Home Health Care Services in Dix Hills NY, or the surrounding areas, contact the caring professionals at Star Multi Care Services today at (631)956-8835. We are the Right Choice for Home Health Care Services!
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