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Balance Exercises For The Elderly

Balance Exercises for the Elderly

When we are younger, we take staying straight for granted. Most of us aren’t really concerned about falling over—it usually doesn’t even cross our minds. But as we age, things change. Our body’s systems that recognize gravity, identify precise body positioning any time, and promote stability and balance become less productive. Actually, according to a report from the CDC, an elderly adult falls every single second of every single day in the US. That is why balance exercises for the elderly are so important

  1. Foot Taps

This balance exercise strengthens your core muscles that assists in stabilizing your spine.

How to do it:

  1. Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart in front of a step (the bottom step of a staircase is perfect) or even a couple of books or footstool.
  2. When needed, hold on to a wall or a solid piece of furniture to balance you. As you get stronger, carry out the move with nothing to hold onto.
  3. From here, gradually raise your right or left foot (whichever you like) to tap your step in front of you, and then gradually return it to the floor.
  4. Carry out fifteen to twenty taps, then repeating using the opposite leg.

  1. Head Rotations

This balance exercise improves the mobility in your neck, which in turn aids with good balance and posture.

How to do it: 

  1. Stand tall having your feet shoulder-width apart.
  2. When needed, hold on to a wall or a solid piece of furniture to balance. As you get stronger, carry out the move with nothing to hold onto.
  3. From here, gradually move your head from left to right then up and down at the same time keeping your body as still as you can.
  4. Carry this out for thirty seconds, then repeat. Should you get dizzy, pause and move your head more gradually.
  5. When you are still dizzy, discontinue.

  1. Standing Marches

This core-strengthening exercise aids in reinforcing the muscles that support your spine.

How to perform it: 

  1. Standing tall having your feet shoulder-width apart.
  2. When required, hold on to a wall or a solid piece of furniture to balance you. When getting stronger, carry out the move with nothing to hold onto.
  3. From there, raise your right or left knee until your thigh is parallel to the ground (or close to parallel as you can) while trying to keep your torso straight and trying not to lean.
  4. Take a small break, then gradually return your foot to the ground.
  5. Carry out twenty marches, changing legs with each march.

  1. Sit-to-Stands

This balance exercise not only reinforces your core muscles, but is a good option to squats when you have knee issues.

How to do it: 

  1. Standing tall having your back facing a solid chair with your feet shoulder-width separate.
  2. If you need to, hold on a wall or a solid piece of furniture for balance. As you get stronger, carry out the move with nothing to hold onto.
  3. From there, sit back and gradually lower your hips on to the chair as smoothly as you can.
  4. Pause, and avoiding swinging your torso, pushing through with your heels for standing.
  5. Carry out ten repetitions.

  1. Single-Leg Stands

This is a perfect balance exercise to perform whenever you like, like when you’re waiting for your cup of joe.

How to do it: 

  1. Standing tall with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  2. If you need to, hold on to the wall or a solid piece of furniture to balance. As you get stronger, carry out the move with nothing to hold onto.
  3. From there, raise one foot about an inch off the ground at the same time keeping your torso straight and avoiding leaning toward your planted foot.
  4. Hold for ten to fifteen seconds, then gradually return your foot to the ground.
  5. Repeat for your opposite leg.
  6. Carry-out five stands on each leg.

  1. Over Shoulder Walking

This balance exercise requires your body and brain to work in unison to stay upright while carrying out two different tasks at once.

How to do it: 

  1. Standing tall with your feet shoulder-width apart at one area of a room or hallway.
  2. If you need to, hold on to the wall to balance you. As you get stronger, carry out the move with nothing to hold onto. From there, glance behind you over one (right or left) of your shoulders.
  3. Keeping this gaze, take five to six steps forward.
  4. After that, glance over your other shoulder, and take five to six more steps forward.
  5. Carry out five repetitions for each side.

Chaparral Winds Offers Retirement Living In Surprise, Arizona

Chaparral Winds Retirement Community is a retirement community located in Surprise, Arizona offering assisted living, independent living, and memory care services. For more information about our senior living facility contact SLS Communities or to schedule a tour, please call us today at 623-343-4125.

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Assisted Living for Disabled Adults

An Assisted Living Facility may be the answer for a senior with mental & physical disabilities, since it can provide the degree of help required, allowing the resident to maintain as much independence as possible. A residential care home may be another option, especially if the home specializes in serving seniors with disabilities and is suited to provide the level of care your loved one needs.

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In accordance to Title II of the American Disabilities Act (ADA) that was passed in 1990 stipulates equal housing opportunities for those with disabilities at state and local levels. Since the ADA was passed, housing and housing alternatives have improved and increased dramatically for people with disabilities. There are many kinds of disabilities impacting people in varying ways and to different degrees. Disabilities generally fall into 4 categories:

  • Mental illness affects people’s behaviors, thinking and their emotional state.
  • Physical disability affects a person physically usually leading to problems with mobility.
  • Intellectual disabilities cause difficulties in socializing learning and retaining information.
  • Sensory disabilities affect the senses and include blindness, hearing loss and Autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Out of these categories, commonly only two will impact housing needs – physical and sensory. The ADA has made a huge impact on the lives of the handicapped and disabled senior, guaranteeing that entrances into a lot of senior housing options now include ramps and handrails and those that have multiple stories have elevators. As a result, the best-assisted living options housing for disabled adults and handicapped adults alike include:

1. Assisted Living Facilities

– Sometimes referred to as supported care facilities, gives care to those with disabilities who are unable to live independently, usually needing assistance with (activities of daily living) ADL. A lot of them offer private and semi-private apartment-style living usually including a living area and kitchenette.

2. Independent Living Facilities

– Independent Living is available for those who can live on their own or with a roommate. They will need some support such as assistance with budgets, shopping for food, meal planning and preparation, household maintenance, safety, and health monitoring.

3. Boarding Home

– Boarding Homes provide care for individuals who can’t live alone but aren’t ready for a nursing home. This home provides bathing, help with dressing, housekeeping, meals planning and preparation, and transportation. Depending upon location, Medicaid will cover some expenses. State and federal programs help to finance the rent for its residents.

4. Group Home

– Group homes are usually either private, nonprofit facilities or operated by local governments. Privately run group homes don’t have government supervision unless they receive funding from the government. A nonprofit or government-run facility will follow certain rules and regulations and determines who receives the services.

5. Alternative Family Living

– Alternative Family Living Arrangement (AFL) is an out of a home setting where the person receives 24-hour care and lives in a private home environment with a family in which the services are provided to address the care and habilitation needs of the person.

6. Accessory Dwelling Units

– also called to as accessory apartments, secondary units, or granny flats. Accessory dwelling units are an additional living space on single-family lots that are independent of the primary housing. The separate living spaces usually have a kitchen and bathroom and are either attached or detached from the main residence. Assistance may be provided by the main residence.

7. Living With Family

– Some people with disabilities can live in their own homes or apartments but need assistance with certain activities like cooking, cleaning, and shopping. If there are no family caregivers or other volunteers available, outside assistance may be necessary. Home healthcare agencies are a resource that can provide these services.

8. Section 8 Housing

– This program allows people to rent safe, decent, affordable housing in a community. The official name is Housing Choice Vouchers Program. Local Public Housing Agencies (PHA) or the local municipal public housing agencies manage the Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8). The Section 8 program will only provide rental assistance. Although Section 8 vouchers apply for payment to assisted living facilities, they can’t pay for services or meals.

According to SpecialNeedsAnswers, “The Section 8 program provides vouchers for people with low incomes to obtain housing in the community”.

9. Nursing Homes

– If a person with special needs requires 24/ 7 medical care, they may need to live in a skilled nursing facility if it’s not possible to provide that care at home. Even though nursing homes are a last resort for a lot of families, in some cases they can be the most suitable option for a person with severe special needs. Because there is continual supervision of care and the person’s family members don’t have to spend their time caring for their loved one.

10. Subsidized Housing

– Subsidized Housing offers additional services to its disabled residents. Services are room cleaning, laundry services, and shopping. Subsidized housing is found within apartment complexes and is available for those who have low to moderate incomes. The monthly rent is on a sliding scale. State and federal programs help to finance the rent for residents.

Sources:

  1. “Younger AdultsGroup Homes and Assisted Living for the Young Adult.” AssistedLivingFacilities.org – Your Assisted Living Resource, https://www.assistedlivingfacilities.org/resources/who-lives-in-assisted-living-/younger-adults/.
  2. “Housing Options for Adults with Special Needs.” SpecialNeedsAnswers, 1 Feb. 2015, https://specialneedsanswers.com/housing-options-for-adults-with-special-needs-14975.
Read More About Assisted Living Costs in Arizona

Chaparral Winds is an Assisted Living Facility in Surprise, Arizona

Chaparral Winds is a beautiful assisted living facility near Surprise, AZ. Being able to socialize with other residents becomes an integral part of many peoples’ lives and Chaparral Winds Assisted Living Facility offers common indoor space to support that need. If a resident requires assistance moving from a bed to a wheelchair or vice versa, this facility has staff who can help.

Address: 16623 N W Point Pkwy, Surprise, AZ 85374

Phone: (623) 975-0880

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What Is Infectious Arthritis

what is infectious arthritis

What Is Infectious Arthritis?

Infectious arthritis is a type of arthritis brought on by an infection in the joint. It is also known as septic arthritis. As the name suggests, infectious arthritis is not contagious.

In another type of arthritis, referred to as reactive arthritis, is an infection in another party of the body – usually the genitals, intestines or urinary tract – causing an inflammatory reaction in the joints. Unlike septic arthritis, the infection on its own is not existent in the joint.  Various types of systemic infections may also have joint symptoms or can set off arthritis, but like reactive arthritis the joint isn’t infected.

Causes Of Infectious Arthritis

Almost all types of infectious arthritis are caused by germs or bacteria. The most common types of these infections are Staphylococcus aureus (staph infection), a type of bacteria that can live on even healthy skin. Infectious arthritis can also be brought on by viral or fungal infections.

In some cases, infectious arthritis starts developing when an infection elsewhere in the body passes through the bloodstream to the joint. Less common, the infection starts to enter the joint directly, maybe through a laceration or surgery on or close to the joint.

Symptoms Of Infectious Arthritis

The most typical symptoms of infectious arthritis are excessive swelling and intense pain, usually in just a single joint. About half of all circumstances, infectious arthritis can affect the knee, but hips, ankles and wrists can also be affected. Even less common, infectious arthritis involves more than one joint.

Joint pain and swelling may be followed by other symptoms of infection, among other things, fever and chills.

Diagnosing Infectious Arthritis

The diagnosis of infectious arthritis will comprise of a complete medical background, physical examination and lab tests. Examining a sampling of joint fluid can help find out what organism is causing the infection and help the doctor plan treatment accordingly. X-rays and other imaging tests of the involved joint also may be ordered to determine any damage to the joint.

Treatment For Infectious Arthritis

Medical care will depend on the kind of germ or bacteria that is causing the infection. Bacterial infections are mostly treated with antibiotics. The type of antibiotic the doctor will use; depends on the bacterium that is causing the infection. Antibiotics may be taken by mouth or given intravenously injection. Antibiotics usually will stop the infection in from a few days to a few weeks, but in some cases, they must be given over a couple of months.

Infectious arthritis caused by a fungus can be difficult to treat, often needing several months of antifungal medication and, occasionally surgery to clear away the affected tissue.  Infectious arthritis caused by a virus, usually goes away by itself with no definitive treatment.

Treatment may also be needed to relieve pain and ease inflammation of infectious arthritis. In some cases, the doctor may empty the infected joint by inserting a needle into it and withdrawing fluid.

Infectious Arthritis Self-Care

Added to the treatments prescribed by the doctor, it is important to take it easy and take care of the inflamed joints.  After the infection is gone, moderate exercise is helpful by strengthening muscle to re-enforce the joint and increase range of motion.

Who Is At Risk For Infectious Arthritis?

Young children and the elderly are most likely to become infected with septic arthritis. People with open wounds are also venerable for septic arthritis. In addition, people with a weaker immune system and those with pre-existing disease or illness, also have a higher risk of developing infectious arthritis. Also, already damaged joints have a greater chance of becoming infected.

Infectious Arthritis Risk Factors

A number of factors increase the risk of contracting the condition, including:

  • Pre-existing joint issues, such as other kinds of arthritis
  • Open wounds
  • Intravenous drug use
  • Diabetes
  • A weak immune system
  • Sharing needles
  • An infection somewhere else in the body
  • Too much alcohol use can weaken the immune system

Summary Of Infectious Arthritis

  • Infectious arthritis is a type of arthritis that is triggered by bacteria, viruses or fungi.
  • Various types of infections can cause joint inflammation. This form of arthritis is mostly curable.
  • If the infection is detected and treated early, there is normally no permanent joint damage. If the infection is not treated fast enough, lasting joint damage may result. Bacterial and fungal infections are generally treated with medication. A viral infection in most cases will go away on its own.
  • Often people with infectious arthritis are capable to resume their usual activities once the infection is no longer present

Is It Possible To Prevent Infectious Arthritis?

Yes, it is possible to prevent infectious arthritis by staying away from infections and preventing damage to the skin.

Chaparral Winds Offers The Finest Retirement Living In Surprise, Arizona

Chaparral Winds is a retirement facility in Surprise, Arizona offering assisted living, independent living, and memory care services. For more information about our senior living facility, SLS Communities or to schedule a tour, please call us today at 623-343-4125.

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Assisted Living Vs Nursing Home | What’s The Difference

Assisted Living Vs Nursing Home

If you are searching for the phrase “differences between assisted living vs a nursing home“, this post should help. Whether you or a loved one needs to find the difference between the two please read on.

Assisted Living Vs Nursing Home | What’s the difference

Have you had recent holiday visits with an aging loved one let you wonder about their living alone and their safety? It is usually throughout the holiday seasons when the family gets together that they begin thinking more about their aged one’s safety because they are living by themselves, and they begin considering a change in their living arrangements. However, with so many different options in senior care today, so with all the confusion already, why make it difficult as well? Hopefully, by giving some of the similarities and differences in communities of assisted living and nursing care centers it will be beneficial to you by taking some of the presser off.

Understanding the options for senior living styles and choices

Both the assisted living communities and the nursing care centers focuses on their senior residents and help in making their place their home, keeping them healthy, happy, and safe. They both also provide and support the (ADL) Activities of Daily Living, which include helping them to get dressed, bathed, and with their personal care.

Here are some more similarities of the two different types of communities:

These two communities have differences between them. However, they do have some things that are very similar also. Each community offers both medication management and life enrichment, as well as supportive services. Below you can read about the benefits of both of them.

Medication management:

The leading cause of seniors landing in an emergency room is because of making mistakes with their medications. Managing medications is difficult and more so for some seniors, especially those who have to take several different kinds on a daily basis. Both, the communities for assisted living and the nursing care center have the ability to help their residents with medication management.

Life enrichment:

It is a known fact that loneliness and being isolated puts seniors at a far greater risk for having health issues, like depression, high blood pressure, and even diabetes. There is numerous life enrichment activities offered by nursing care centers and assisted living communities which meet the emotional spiritual, and physical needs of their residents.

Supportive services

Many seniors choose to move into communities for older adults because they realize that they will be in need of their supportive services, such as laundry, housekeeping, and transportation. We offer a variety of services designed to meet your loved ones needs and to help them maintain the utmost level of independence.

The assisted living communities, as well as nursing care centers both offer these services.

Both communities offer a secure environment, as well as meals that are nutritionally well balanced. Although these services are offered at both communities, they will differ between the nursing care center and the assisted living community.

A secure environment

Although the physical attributions of both communities are somewhat different from one another, they have both been designed with the security of the residents in mind. Both of these communities help in making sure their residents are safe in more ways than just having grab bars and hand rails, and emergency call systems.

Meals that are well-balanced

Both communities stay focused on the nutrition of their residents, as they are provided three balanced nutritional meals daily, along with healthy snacks. This is perfect for those who have been struggling at home to prepare their own healthy meals.

The differences in assisted living communities and a nursing care center

The main difference you are going to find between these two communities for seniors is going to be within the medical services provided and the actual physical contribution of each one.

Senior housing provides care and the needed services of seniors

Those who will need cared for 24/7 will usually have arrangements made for this type of living situation. These types of residents are generally in need of health care that consists of much more complex health care and require some assistance of skilled nursing and/or speech and/or physical therapist. There are also some residents who are in need of respiratory care services.

By contrast, those who are living in an assisted living community will usually needing custodial care. This could be someone having memory loss or just a senior that should not be left alone. It may be an adult that has mobility problems who requires some help when being transferred into their bed or into their favorite chair.

The way that senior housing communities are different in the physical sense

One of the most obvious differences of the two will be in their appearance when touring their communities. Due to the type of care a nursing care center gives it will look more like a medical institution, whereas, your assisted living community is going to look more like an apartment community.

Also, seniors may be sharing a room when they are in a nursing care center. However, those in an assisted living community will have their own private apartment or suite.

Assisted Living and Nursing Home In Surprise by Chaparral Winds

Chaparral Winds is an assisted living facility in Surprise, Arizona. To schedule a tour of our assisted living facility, SLS Communities or for more information please call us today at 623-343-4125.

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