How Can You Reduce Risks for a Senior Struggling with Loss of Sense of Smell?

Parkinson’s disease is a complex progressive disease that causes a wide variety of symptoms, challenges, and difficulties for those living with it. Many of the challenges a person faces when living with Parkinson’s disease may be ones they never thought about when considering such a disease, and they may not even immediately link what they are going through with their disease. This can leave them struggling with challenges, and even put them in dangerous situations, without them realizing it. As a family caregiver, it is your responsibility to work with your parent to identify as many of the challenges and symptoms they are experiencing related to their Parkinson’s disease as possible, so you can work with them and their doctor to integrate management of the challenges into your regular care efforts.

Elderly Care in Oakton VA: Loss of Sense of Smell

One of the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease that is extremely common, and yet widely under recognized, is loss of sense of smell. Experts report that virtually everyone who has Parkinson’s disease will experience some degree of loss of sense of smell. In fact, this is often one of the earliest symptoms, and people with the disease can often look back and realize they noticed challenges with smell long before they were diagnosed with the disease. As with their other symptoms, the sense of smell is an important part of your parent’s ability to interact with and interpret the world around them. Sense of smell is very closely linked to memory and emotion, which can make this loss difficult, but it is also used to detect dangers such as smoke or spoiled food.

Some ways you can help to reduce risks for a senior struggling with loss of sense of smell include:

• Make sure that your parent has smoke detectors positioned properly throughout their home, and that they are in good working condition. If your senior struggles with hearing loss, make sure that these smoke detectors use flashing lights as well as sound.
• Make it a regular part of your routine to go through their kitchen and remove food that is expired, close to expiration, open, or showing any signs of spoilage.
• Consider elderly care for your aging parent. The customized care of this provider can help them to cope with all of their symptoms and challenges, and to stay safer and healthier as they progress through their condition.
• Focus on encouraging good nutrition even if your senior struggles with loss of appetite or only wanting limited foods because they can no longer taste food as well. Continuing to eat a healthy, balanced diet will keep their body stronger, which reduces risks you may not associate with loss of sense of smell, such as falling because of weakness.

For most aging adults, staying in their own home is a priority. Seniors want to spend their later years in surroundings they know and care about, and maintain a lifestyle that feels independent and autonomous. If your aging parent is dealing with challenges and limitations in their daily life, you may worry they will be unable to remain in their current home, or even another home they transition into for their later years. This is where elderly care can help. An elderly home care services provider can give your parent a fully customized set of services tailored specifically to their needs so they are able to manage their challenges and limitations in the ways that are right for them. Ranging from helping them to cope with health problems by offering medication reminders, to dealing with mobility and balance problems with physical support, to help with healthy lifestyle choices, elderly care services allow your parent to maintain control over their life, and enjoy their later years as much as possible.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering elderly care in Oakton, VA, please contact the caring staff at Butters Home Health Care today. Call (833) 4 MomDad. Serving all of Northern Virginia.

 Sources

http://parkinson.org/Understanding-Parkinsons/Causes-and-Statistics/Statistics

http://www.parkinson.org/Understanding-Parkinsons/Symptoms/Movement-Symptoms/Loss-of-Smell