Vertigo causes dizziness, imbalance, and an increased risk of falling for seniors. With this in mind, it’s easy to see that it can have a substantial impact on a senior’s quality of life, making daily activities difficult and perhaps dangerous. Understanding the causes and symptoms of vertigo, as well as how home care providers can help manage the condition, is essential to preserving seniors’ safety and well-being.
What Is Vertigo?
Vertigo is a sensation of spinning or dizziness caused by a variety of conditions, including inner ear disorders, vestibular migraines, and neurological issues. One of the most prevalent causes of vertigo in seniors is Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV), which occurs when microscopic calcium particles become dislodged and travel into the wrong part of the inner ear. Other causes include Meniere’s illness, vestibular neuritis, and age-related changes in the vestibular system.
How Vertigo Impacts Seniors
Vertigo can be especially dangerous for seniors because it raises the risk of falling, which could lead to injuries.
Additional ways the condition impacts seniors include:
Difficulty with Mobility: Seniors with vertigo frequently struggle to walk steadily, making them more reliant on support. This reliance might cause them to withdraw from situations where they have to move a lot, increasing their isolation.
Anxiety and Fear of Falling: Many seniors have fears regarding falling, which can lead to decreased physical activity.
Compromised Daily Activities: Cooking, cleaning, and bathing can be dangerous for seniors with vertigo. As a result, they may opt out of these activities, which could lead to more serious issues.
Nausea and Fatigue: Prolonged dizziness can cause nausea, vomiting, and exhaustion, making daily life difficult.
How Home Care Can Benefit Seniors with Vertigo
Home care provides critical support for seniors suffering from vertigo, allowing them to preserve their independence while also ensuring their safety.
Here are just a few of the ways home care can help:
Fall Prevention and Safety Measures: Caregivers can recommend home modifications that increase safety, such as installing grab bars, removing tripping hazards, and ensuring there is sufficient lighting throughout the house. They can also encourage seniors to use mobility aids like walkers or canes.
Help with Daily Activities: As mentioned, seniors who suffer from vertigo may have difficulty cooking, dressing, and bathing. Home care can assist with these tasks, which helps seniors maintain good hygiene and nutrition.
Medication Reminders: Some seniors take medications to treat vertigo symptoms. Caregivers can help them remember to take their prescriptions on schedule and monitor for side effects that may increase dizziness.
Encourage Physical Therapy and Exercise: Physical therapy can help treat vertigo, especially for diseases like BPPV. Caregivers can encourage seniors to practice vestibular rehabilitation activities—such as the Epley maneuver—balance training exercises and strengthening activities to increase stability.
Provide Emotional Support: Dealing with chronic vertigo can be difficult and isolating. Having home care by their side provides seniors with companionship and reassurance as they try to cope with the feelings often associated with the condition.
Vertigo can severely limit a senior’s independence and safety, but home care can help them manage their condition. Home care plays an important role in improving the quality of life for seniors by ensuring their living environment is safe, assisting with daily duties, encouraging physical therapy and exercise, and offering emotional support.
Sources:https://www.nationaldizzyandbalancecenter.com/causes-of-dizziness-in-seniors/#:~:text=Vertigo%20in%20Seniors&text=BPPV%20is%20caused%20when%20the,move%20your%20head%20or%20body.
https://www.dispatchhealth.com/blog/reducing-dizziness-in-older-adults-with-vertigo/
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/home-epley-maneuver
If you or an aging loved one are considering Home Care Services near Weston CT, please call and talk to our friendly and dedicated staff. (203) 744-8380
Home Care Advantage provides quality Non-Medical Home Care for seniors and families in Danbury, Bethel, Easton, Newtown, Redding, Ridgefield, Southbury, Weston, Westport, Wilton, and surrounding areas.
With over 25 years of healthcare experience working with seniors, our model and approach to non-medical home care services are straightforward, providing you with the compassionate care you deserve. Providing care from the heart is what we are all about; we proactively work with you and your family to develop a care plan designed to meet your specific need for assistance and budget.
In addition to having an extensive work background in healthcare, my recent educational experience allowed me to earn my Doctorate Degree in public healthcare. This achievement enhanced my knowledge of the ever-evolving healthcare delivery system and heightened my awareness that you cannot go it alone to get the best outcome. Additionally, I have seen how some of my family members struggled and were overwhelmed with ensuring that their parents were safe and their needs were met. They did not know who to trust or where to turn for reliable and affordable help. I have made it our mission to be part of the solution allowing seniors to remain independent and be treated with the respect they deserve.
We are committed to providing excellent care for our clients, just as we would care for members of our own families. Please be assured that I will use my knowledge and background to protect and be a trusted resource for seniors and their families.
You can be confident that our caregivers are carefully screened, dependable, and selectively chosen to meet the specific needs of our clients. They are experienced and highly trained to provide excellent quality care and follow a strict professional code of conduct and ethics.
Our caregivers are competitively paid directly by our agency; there is no additional charge to you. Home Care Advantage files Social Security/Medicare, Federal and State Withholding Tax, and Unemployment Insurance for our employees. Workers’ compensation insurance and a fidelity bond cover the caregivers and supervisory staff.
Our caregivers are here for you and will work hard to assist you with your specific needs in the comfort of your own home. It is said that “Home is where the heart is.” Let Home Care Advantage provide care that will enrich your life and help you maintain an independent lifestyle in the comfort of your own home, “where you want to be.” Call us now! We look forward to working with you and your family.
Dr. Beverly J. Ruekberg, DHP, MPH, MA, Ed.
President/Geriatric Care Manager
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