Older adulthood can sometimes come with unique challenges in regards to health care that are not easy to overcome. When you are a senior looking for ways to improve your quality of life there are plenty of options that are available to you. If you’re wondering what some of the challenges are posed to a senior’s health care, here are some examples.

Alternatives To Hearing Aids

Hearing aids can lead to some major medical bills and they can be difficult to food. You need to travel to see and speak to an audiologist, and they need to perform tests on your ears, and there’s the cost of getting hearing aids themselves. If you do not have a private insurance company that can help with this bill, hearing aids might even be out of reach.  According to the professionals of Graying With Grace, hearing is important to the elderly’s quality of life, their URL provides more information on this. Thankfully, there are lots of hearing aid alternatives that are relatively inexpensive and can assist the elderly with their hearing.

Shoes For Seniors

Finding ergonomic shoes for seniors can be especially important due to their heightened risk for falls. Seniors who experience falls are more likely to have a reduced quality of life and suffer from other comorbidities. Seniors should shop for shoes in the afternoon because of increased inflammation during this time. If you are shopping for shoes when your feet are at their largest, they won’t feel tight during other times of the day. Wider shoes and shoes that have grip and provide stability should be looked into. If an older adult does not feel comfortable in the shoes, they probably will not be helpful for avoiding falls.

Bedside Commodes

Some seniors may struggle with incontinence, and are not able to make it to the bathroom. Many times they have to sit after waking up to avoid falling from orthostatic hypotension (fall in blood pressure). A bedside commode makes it easier for seniors to be able to go to the bathroom without needing to be worried about making it on time. A commode that provides comfort and is similar to a toilet should be used. A commode that provides locks on the wheels that are sturdy are also important. Seniors motility may be compromised late at night and they may be at greater risk for falls.

Medical Alert Watches

Older adults are more at risk of having falls and health emergencies, and may not always have someone around to assist them. If they’re alone and do not live with anyone they should definitely consider getting a medical alert watch. A medical alert watch can send a call to an emergency service and inform someone that they need help. This is important because the first initial minutes of an emergency or fall are important to how an older adult will fare in the future. They are relatively inexpensive, but invaluable when it comes to maintaining peace of mind.

Easy Bottle Openers

Older adults who have arthritis or tendonitis may have issues opening bottles that they used to open without issue. A bottle opener that creates an easier method of opening containers is important because seniors may not always have assistance around. Seniors who are socially isolated or live alone are more likely to face problems with nutrition or malnutrition because they can’t make the meals that they used to. An easy bottle opener tackles this problem and lets seniors live their lives more autonomously. It also puts family member’s minds at ease knowing that seniors can access the items in their kitchen.

Bedside Fall mats

One of the most common times for seniors to experience falls is in the middle of the night, usually when they are attempting to get up. Seniors can experience large drops in blood pressure when suddenly standing and this can lead to a fall. By having fall mats on either side of the bed the elderly are protected from hitting the hard ground. This is a proven method of reducing injuries within the older adult’s home. Senior’s who suffer from osteoporosis, or reduced bone integrity should absolutely keep fall mats close to the bedside.

It can be easy to be overwhelmed by all of the different health care options that seniors need to look into. However, there’s always a solution to whatever problem you might be facing, and if needed having family as a support is important. After considering these options older adults can live their lives with a higher quality of life, and satisfaction.