How Professional Senior Care Can Help During An Emergency

As we age, the likelihood of having an accident or getting injured increases. As such, it’s important for those providing senior care to be well versed in first aid and know what to do in emergency situations. World First Aid Day is an annual campaign held every September that promotes the importance of first aid training to prevent injuries and save lives. Do you have the necessary first aid training to help in an emergency?

While many families consider senior care for their loved ones because they don’t live close by or are unable to provide the necessary companion care or daily support required, keeping seniors safe at home is another excellent reason to use premier home care. Professional home caregivers to senior citizens will have proper training on what to do in an emergency, and knowledge of how and when to get additional assistance, if required.

Supporting Seniors In The Event Of An Emergency

There are some common scenarios that may arise when caring for a senior loved one. Premier home care services can offer trained and professional support, which means they will know what to do in the event that an emergency arises.

For example, if a senior suffers an emergency due to a fall and is unable to get up on their own, a trained senior care professional will know not to move them and to call 911 right away. Since a broken hip could be a possibility, moving injured senior citizens may cause more harm.

When it comes to older adults, any physical or behavioral condition that comes on suddenly within 24 hours should be considered a medical emergency. Symptoms in older adults can be very nonspecific, which is why it’s important to have a senior care trained professional caring for your loved one.

Examples of common emergency situations for senior citizens include:

• Trouble breathing
• Chest pain
• Sudden slurred speech
• Unresponsive/unconscious
• Severe allergic reaction with trouble breathing and/or dizziness
• Sudden confusion or disorientation
• Heat stroke
• Sudden blindness
• Sudden numbness or tingling in arms or legs
• Uncontrolled nosebleed
• Vomiting blood
• Sudden weakness
• Bleeding that will not stop
• Bleeding with weakness
• Head trauma
• Significant pain in bones or joints

In some cases, injuries or changes in health won’t warrant an ambulance but may still require professional medical care, as they may lead to complications if not treated. A premier home care service can work with you to ensure that your senior loved one gets any follow up treatment required, such as taking them to medical appointments, handling wound care, administering and tracking medication, and companion care while they recover from the emergency.

Being Prepared Makes Handling Emergencies with Senior Citizens Easier

It can be overwhelming to think about handling all elements that go along with caring for a senior loved one. Fortunately, finding professional senior care or premier home care can help make navigating emergencies easier.  Not only can they provide companion care that will support day to day life, but they can also provide services such as wound care, medication management, respite care, and many other types of support that can prevent medical emergencies. iCare Home Health provides senior care and support in Mississauga, Milton, Oakville, and Burlington. We would be pleased to provide you with more information as to how we can help support your senior loved one at home. You can request a free assessment or contact us at (905) 491-6941.