How to Help a Senior Living with Chronic Pain
A vast percentage of older Americans live with chronic pain on a daily basis. If your senior is part of that number, then you likely already know how difficult it can be for her on a bad day.
Elder Care in Bala Cynwyd PA: Living with Chronic Pain
Talk to Her Doctor about Her Care Plan
It’s important that you and your senior both understand her care plan for chronic pain. Talk with your elderly family member’s doctor about what remedies are available to her and what therapies might help. For instance, physical therapy might offer her ways to stretch or to move her body that help to alleviate pain. Also, if your elderly family member has been determined not to take medications, understanding her full care plan can help you to know when and why medications may be her best option.
Learn to Recognize Signs of Pain
People who live with chronic pain know that it can be upsetting for the people who care about them to know that they’re in pain. Because of that, your senior may not always let you know when she’s in pain. It can help for you to learn to recognize the nonverbal signs of pain, such as a grimace, or tears. Or maybe your senior has a difficult time even getting out of bed when the pain is too much. When you understand your senior’s signs of increased pain, you can help her to use the tools in her care plan.
Make Sure You Know When it’s an Emergency
Part of your senior’s care plan should be information about when her pain is an emergency. Your senior’s doctor can give you details that are applicable to her unique situation. In general, if your elderly family member experiences pain that is new and severe, that’s possibly an emergency. If she’s unable to move or talk, that can also be an emergency. When in doubt, it’s always better to get help.
Develop a Plan for Helping Your Senior to Cope
When someone lives with chronic pain, it takes a lot out of them. Finding ways to compensate can help. That might mean that your senior conserves her energy on days when she’s feeling good so that she hopefully has fewer bad days. Elderly care providers can help your elderly family member to do this by handling some of her daily tasks for her or assisting with them.
There’s no one right way to handle chronic pain because there are so many different causes and levels of pain. Be there for your elderly family member to offer support however you can.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Elder Care in Bala Cynwyd PA, please contact the friendly staff at Suma Home Care.
Call today: (484) 206-4544
Ibrahim recently completed a Professional Certificate in Management; He is currently pursuing a Masters in Business Administrations (MBA) at a prestigious university in the UK.
With their passion for helping others and a strong background in customer services and clinical care, Ibrahim and his wife started assisting individuals in their homes.
Since started and operating Suma Home Care in 2010 in the basement of their home, Suma Home Care has provided professionals who work endlessly in providing clients with the highest quality of care, while enabling clients to maintain dignity, comfort and safety in their homes.
Suma Home Care, serves four counties in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Chester, Montgomery and Philadelphia. Ibrahim is firmly connected to his local community and is always looking for ways to give back whenever the opportunity presents itself.
Ibrahim enjoys spending time with his wife and children, travelling and enjoys sports.
Mariama Suma-Keita BSN RN
Born in Sierra Leone west Africa, relocated to America in 1999 from a civil war and settled since in the U.S.A as a Naturalized citizen Graduated from National school of nursing with an associate , and completed BSN in Nursing from Immaculata University graduated with Honor roll Alpha Lambda sigma, After escaping the war served as a refugee nurse in Gambia and Guinea to other displaced refugees before coming to America.
In the states started in Homecare then then transition into hospital, worked in Jefferson hospital as a Registered nurse on Tele and general medsurg floor, also worked in Einstein hospital as an oncology transplant nurse , I realized that I enjoy working with patients so much and believe in quality and compassionate care one at a time dealing with an holistic approach in caring for patients and family in a familiar environment called home , I see the impact and progress when they’re home , it makes them feel relax and progress fast with recovering at home. As a nurse and entrepreneur I understand that dedication to meeting people and families needs is a priority, and able to foster relationships with family and patients that is professional and friendly to help them stay and settled home as a desire.
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