May is Healthy Vision Month, a national health month designed to encourage people to go for a comprehensive eye exam that includes dilation. During this exam, special eye drops are used to widen the pupils allowing doctors to see well into the eye to check for common eye diseases and conditions. During a comprehensive dilated eye examination, your parent’s eye doctor will check for age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma. What happens if your mom or dad is found to have one of these common eye conditions? Can 24-Hour Home Care help?
What Happens With Your Parent’s Vision?
Not every eye condition or disease leads to blindness, but they can. It’s estimated that 4.2 million Americans 40 or older are legally blind. Often, it’s conditions like age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma that lead to blindness or impaired vision.
- Age-related macular degeneration: Occurs when blood vessels behind the retina leak blood and fluid or when the macula within the eye thins and slowly causes loss of vision.
- Cataracts: Occurs when a cloudy film forms over the eye lens, requiring surgical replacement of the lens.
- Diabetic retinopathy: Complication in diabetic patients where blood vessels in the retina are damaged.
- Glaucoma: The eye’s optic nerve is damaged due to increased pressure within the eye or for other reasons leading to vision loss.
Those are the four most common eye diseases in the elderly. If your parent is diagnosed with one or more of them, consider the benefits of 24-hour home care services.
How Can 24-Hour Home Care Help Your Parent?
When your parent loses their vision, they’re no longer able to drive. They may have a hard time getting around their home. With 24-hour home care aides by their side, they never have to feel alone.
Imagine it’s the middle of the night and your loved one wakes up. They need to use the bathroom, but can’t see well. Without someone to help them, they risk falling and injuring themselves. With 24-hour home care, they’re never alone. They have a caregiver by their side throughout the day and night.
Your parent may not need around-the-clock care for the rest of their lives. Suppose their doctor recommends surgery to restore vision due to cataracts. While their eyes heal, they need 24-hour home care. Eventually, their vision will improve and you can reduce the hours of care they receive.
Schedule home care services by making a call. Talk to the specialist in 24-hour home care services about your parent’s eye disease, treatment plan, and needs. From there, you’ll book services that help your parents with activities of daily living.
As their needs change, you’ll be able to adjust the care plan with ease. It always remains targeted to the things they need at that moment, even if their condition improves or worsens. Make a call to get started.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring 24-Hour Home Care in Sun Lakes, AZ, or anywhere in the East Valley, please contact the caring staff at Legacy Home Care.
Call (480) 777-0070
Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/visionhealth/basics/ced/index.html
Legacy Home Care has been serving the valley since 2007. We are family owned and operated with over 75 caregivers. We offer a customized care plan that includes services such as: Hourly Senior Home Care, 24-Hour Home Care, Dementia Care, Personal Care and Companion Care. Also ask us about our Veterans' Home Care program.
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