Athulya Assisted Living

Falling is the leading cause of accidents, injury and even death in the elderly. One-third of the aged people above 65 report a fall annually. In the U.S., approx. 9500 elderly citizens die of falls each year. In India, the prevalence of falls among the elderly has been estimated at 14-53%. Around 75% of the falls of elders occur in and around their home. So it is absolutely essential to fall-proof the area where elders reside, be it their own or senior independent living home . Why is elderly fall prevention so important in assisted living facilities? Home safety for seniors has to be ensured compulsorily in assisted living facilities because falls can cause great damages to senior health like these-  87% of all the fractures in elders are due to falls For elders aged 60-65, one out of every 200 falls ends in a hip fracture. For elders aged 80 and older, one in every 10 falls results in a hip fracture. One-fourth of the elders who suffer a hip fracture due to a fall d

The usual misconception is that assisted living facilities cause solitary whole keeping barriers between the society and the seniors who are residing in the assisted living facilities. On the note that contradicts this concept, assisted living facilities, in fact, provide the elders with an opportunity to stay connected that too with the like-minded people. The assisted living centers in India, these days, could be perceived as the cultural centers with all its engaging and holistic living experience. As a result, the number of senior citizens who are opting for the assisted living facilities as their havens for a better senior living experience, post-retirement. The assisted living concept has its own perks as the life at these senior living centers is well organized, maintaining a balance between the personal and social life. These facilities provide an opportunity to mingle with the fellow residents, at the same time, protecting the privacy of the elders who

As one grows older, a lot of physiological changes occur in the body. One of the vital organs impacted most by this are the eyes. Hence visual impairments are inevitable with ageing. The steadiness of sight deteriorates drastically as compared to young age. Additionally, elders around 75 years need lighting levels almost twice as much as normal standards recommend or even more. So it is crucial to meet the needs of growing ageing population and number of patients with vision problems. Hence senior care facilities should have proper lighting for the elderly to ensure physical safety and well-being. Adequate and comfortable lighting makes a huge difference to elders who face deteriorating vision problems. This is so as the amount of light reaching in the retina is lesser in elders than youngsters. Also, the eye lens which is normally clear in a young people tends to thicken and turn yellow with age. Further, there is a weakening of the muscles that control the pupil thereby m

Infections are common in all age groups but you need to take certain precautions to make them uncommon in your life. More than any other age group, seniors who are above 60 need to take good care of personal wellbeing and hygiene levels in order to skip the common infections that occur during the matured adulthood.  As an active person, it would be easy for the people who fall in below 40 age group. However, for matured adults who are above 50 and 60 and have become dependent on a caregiver, performing these tasks would be a difficult task.  Adding to that, this is the age where the curing process would become extremely difficult if they are diagnosed with any kind of infection. There is a significant need to take care of seniors in the best way possible while avoiding the common infections.  Here is a list of 5 common infections that are considered as a major threat for seniors to be affected with.  1) Skin Infections – Anything that itches continuously over a pe

The hot scorching days of summer have arrived and temperatures are at the peak already. Certainly, it is this time of the year which most people eagerly look forward to enjoyment and outdoor activities. The warmth of sunshine and idea of spending long vacations with family and friends is indeed attractive. Yet, this perceived concept of fun in the sun can cause serious health issues, particularly for the elderly. With aging, one must essentially be aware of the probable health risks which are related to age and changing seasons. While people of all ages are prone to such issues, seniors are more susceptible. This is more so, because of the following risk factors: The body of elders does not adapt itself quickly to sudden temperature variations. This happens due to poor circulation, inefficient sweat glands and changes in the skin caused by the aging process. Elders are more likely to have chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney diseases or high sugar and

How do you treat a 5- year- old child? By paying attention to him, talking to him in the way he likes, spending time with him, satisfying his cravings, allowing him to express himself… Well this is the same approach you have to use when it comes to a 70 year plus senior. Yes, old age is childhood revisited and we must treat elders like children, giving them individual attention and focus. There has been a paradigm shift in elder-care from old age assistance to "patient centred care" and this is what excellent assisted living facilities offer these days. What is patient-centred care? The Person-centredness care is all about what we do WITH elders and NOT what we do TO them. Patient-centred care focuses on the geriatric individual, his nature and disposition, his socio-cultural background, his health priorities, his likes and dislikes etc and provides elderly care based on these factors. It is a highly individualized or personalized approach tailor-made t

Stress is an inevitable part of everyone’s life, at some phase. Ideally, retired life is perceived to be a peaceful one. As a senior, you should have plenty of time for relaxation, leisure and personal interests. This was certainly missed out in the hustle and bustle of work life. Sadly, however, with aging come new concerns and challenges that cause anxiousness and stress. This is more prevalent in elders living alone. Some common causes of stress in seniors are Loss of a loved one Getting adjusted to a new environment Newly diagnosed ailments  Physical injuries Dealing with retirement itself Financial concerns Taking up another employment opportunity (full time or part time) Facing any drastic changes in existing lifestyle Impact of Stress Due to aging, the body immune system becomes weaker thereby making elders more susceptible to infection and illnesses. This condition can further deteriorate due to stress. The body’s ability to safeguard itself from inflammati