Why Do Seniors Sometimes Need Bathroom Assistance?

Sometimes seniors need help that they find embarrassing. When seniors need more help in the bathroom, for instance, they can find that to be difficult to accept. The good news is that personal care at home providers are there to help without judgment and without making seniors feel bad about needing help.

Personal care at home aides are there to offer assistance while also preserving the dignity of the people they’re helping.

Mobility Concerns

One of the biggest reasons seniors might need help in the bathroom is because of mobility issues. Conditions that cause joint pain, like arthritis, or muscle weakness can mean that they’re not able to move safely and independently in the bathroom. Personal care at home providers offer mobility assistance, stabilizing seniors while they do what they need to do.

Balance Problems

Balance problems are another type of mobility issue, but they can occur for a variety of reasons. Bathrooms are already slippery spaces, and balance issues just make the situation worse. Personal care at home providers can offer stability and ensure that seniors don’t lose their balance completely and fall. Caregivers can also help seniors adjust to using tools like bathing chairs so that they can bathe safely.

Cognitive Changes

When seniors experience changes in how their brains work, lots of situations become less safe. Conditions like dementia or Alzheimer’s disease affect judgment and make it difficult for seniors to remember things like in what order to do certain things in the bathroom. Personal care at home providers can offer gentle reminders and keep seniors on task. Caregivers can also help seniors remember when it’s time to bathe again, which is something that can be difficult for them to remember on their own.

Incontinence

Millions of people deal with incontinence. For seniors, incontinence is even more complicated because age-related issues can slow them down when they need to get to the bathroom. Personal care at home can help with the hands-on tasks related to incontinence, and caregivers can also help seniors stay on a bathroom schedule to help manage incontinence.

Limited Endurance and Strength

Seniors may experience reduced endurance and strength, making it more difficult to handle bathroom tasks like standing up from the toilet or getting in the tub safely. Personal care at home providers can assist with these tasks, making sure seniors handle their needs as safely as possible. Caregivers can also offer help with assistive tools, giving seniors more options for independence.

Injury Recovery

After an injury or a surgery, seniors may not be able to move around the way they did before the incident. Having home care providers there to offer support ensures that they are as safe as possible while they’re recovering. Bathing safely and having help with other bathroom needs keeps seniors clean and hygienic, which also helps with mood during recovery.

Needing help in the bathroom doesn’t mean that seniors can’t be independent or that they should be embarrassed. Instead, personal care at home offers assistance that can keep seniors as independent as possible while also ensuring that they’re safe while they’re in the most dangerous room in the house.

If you or an aging loved one are considering Personal Care at Home Services in the Kansas City MO area, please contact the caring staff at Elder Care of Kansas City, today.

Proudly serving Jackson, Clay, Platte, and Cass Counties in Missouri as well as Johnson and Wyandotte Counties in Kansas for over 30 years. Call us at 816-333-3322.

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Kevin Edwards

Owner at Elder Care of Kansas City

Kevin’s life and the lives of his immediate family have been impacted by caregivers – either as a patient or a caregiver - for as long as he can remember.He watched his mother take care of his grandmother until her death at the age of 97.Five years later, his father passed from a neurological disorder that was subsequently confirmed as Lewy Body Dementia.In 2007, his wife, Lori, was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.The symptoms of Lori’s disease required Kevin to hire a caregiver during the periods of her relapses.

Prior to purchasing Elder Care, Kevin spent over 20 years in the health insurance industry.In his most recent position, he was in a financial operations role with Humana where he worked with doctors, nurses and other health professionals developing programs to keep Humana members healthy.Their focus on primary care and medication adherence improved the lives of thousands of seniors in Kansas City and the surrounding area.

Kevin and his wife, Lori, have three children.Kevin has Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Missouri.

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