Is the Bathroom Easy for Your Senior to Access?
You might not realize it, but having easy and safe access to the bathroom can be vital for your aging adult. Here are some simple ways you can ensure that it’s easy for your elderly family member to get to the bathroom without issues.
Home Care Services in Carmel IN: Senior Bathroom Access
Do a Clutter Check
Clutter is one of the biggest culprits in keeping your aging adult from getting where she needs to go. Clutter can trip your senior up and it can completely block the pathway she needs to take. It’s insidious and can creep up before you realize it. If you can stay on guard for clutter, a good bit of the battle is already won.
Consider Different Lighting Types
Lighting is also important because if your senior can’t see well, obstacles may seem to pop up out of nowhere. Remembering to turn lights on and off is complicated, though, so you might want to consider different types of lighting. Motion-sensitive lighting is incredibly helpful because it’s automatic. Night lights can make it easier for your senior to see at night or in the late afternoon. Stick-on lights that she can bump with her elbow are easy to operate.
Check Rugs, Carpet, and Flooring
Besides clutter, other tripping hazards can include your senior’s flooring, carpeting, or throw rugs, too. Make sure that they’re not slippery against the floor and that there aren’t holes or worn spots that can trip your elderly family member on her way by. Carpet tape can help, but rubberized backings may even be better.
Double Check the Threshold
Some homes have raised thresholds between rooms, which may not be a big deal for your aging adult for a long time. If her mobility becomes compromised, however, or if her vision becomes an issue, these raised thresholds can become a tripping hazard very easily. Some can be removed or improved by a handyman, which might be a good idea.
Consider Posting a Sign
Some aging adults may find their own homes become unfamiliar when cognitive issues start to show up. In those instances, it might be wise to post a sign labeling the bathroom clearly. It can even help to post signs on the way to the bathroom that help your elderly family member to navigate from common areas to the nearest bathroom.
You might want to go through some of these steps every few weeks or so, just to make sure that the bathroom is still accessible for your elderly family member. Having you or senior care providers available to assist her in getting to the bathroom is also extremely helpful, especially if your senior’s mobility is compromised.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering Home Care Services in Carmel, IN, please call the caring staff at Home Services Unlimited. Serving Greater Indianapolis Area. Call for Immediate Info & Assistance: (317) 471-0760
As a practicing Registered Nurse, Etelka was keenly aware of a void in quality patient care that could be provided in the home. She embarked upon a journey to develop a home health care agency that would exceed all expectations and become a trusted partner to physicians and patients.
A Distinguished Career From Nurse to Director of Nursing to President of Home Services Unlimited
Etelka’s distinguished career followed a logical progression to her position as President of Home Services Unlimited. She graduated as a nurse practitioner with a Bachelor of Nursing (RN) in 1972 from Meshgorya University in the Ukraine, close to where she lived with her family. She married her husband Phil in 1973 and decided in 1977 that they would relocate to the United States to be closer to family and to come to this land of opportunity. With an eagerness to continue her budding career, Etelka sat for and passed her Boards in the U.S. in 1979.
A Love and Talent for Working with the Elderly
Etelka began her nursing career in the U.S. at Colonial Crest, now part of Golden Living, where she was the In-service Coordinator, the Director of Training and Education and Director of Nursing, a position she occupied for several years.
With a group of partners, she co-founded Adept Corporation, which operated group homes for the mentally challenged. The business was successful and in 1996, Etelka sold her share to return to her roots, caring for the elderly.
In January of 1997, Etelka opened Home Services Unlimited as a fully licensed business to provide home health care. In her quest to learn to do better for her patients, she had already obtained a Masters in Healthcare Administration (MHA) in May of 1990 from the College of St. Francis. As President of Home Services Unlimited, Inc., Etelka guides the trusted, experienced care model Home Services Unlimited uses to continue providing excellent home health care.
Giving Back to the Community of Indianapolis
Volunteering for community services is a high priority for Etelka. Her memberships include the Indiana Association of Rehabilitation Facilities, Executive Women in Health Care and the Indiana Association for Home and Hospice Care, where she is a member of the Board of Directors.
Etelka has also served on the Board of Directors with Hooverwood Home, a highly regarded geriatric facility, since 1997 and as the President for 2005-2006. Through her community work, she has received several awards and accolades, including the Nora McFarland award in 2002, from the Indiana Association of Home and Hospice Care.
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