4 Things Assisted Living Does Better to Care for Vision and Hearing Impaired

October 20, 2015 by ·

Assisted Living in Theodore AL

Looking at the years ahead, a senior may be confronted with the prospect of relying on home care or moving into a family member’s house, or even considering assisted living. There are some Assisted-Living-Theodore-ALbenefits to each of these, but there’s a reason why assisted living may actually be better off for an elderly individual who may be at increased risk of developing some type of vision or hearing problems.

October is World Blindness Awareness Month and there are many potential vision related problems that can arise for aging seniors, and the earliest signs and symptoms of a vision related problem could be easily overlooked.

Here are four things that assisted living can actually do better and support seniors much more effectively, hoping to protect their hearing and vision as much as possible.

1. Encouraging regular checkups.

Seniors at an assisted living facility will often be encouraged to follow up with regular doctors’ appointments, including eye exams, hearing tests, and more. Just these simple reminders and even transportation to and from these appointments can be more than enough to support seniors and encourage them to pay attention to them.

2. Attentive staff.

Staff members will get to know each and every resident with whom they work. Over time, they will begin to notice certain behaviors that could indicate a potential problem arising, including the senior asking people to repeat themselves, squinting, or not exactly seeing things as clearly as they should.

If the staff member notices these things, they will likely encourage the senior to get a regular exam.

3. Information.

Some seniors are simply not aware of various risk factors to their health. They may be aware of cancer risks, the increased risk of a heart attack or stroke, and other factors, but what about eye problems, for example?

The assisted living facility may provide pamphlets or other information about what to look for in potential signs and symptoms of serious issues, including glaucoma and macular degeneration.

4. Contacting family.

Even though seniors are independent individuals and deserve privacy, they may have one family member who is a contact person for the assisted living administrative staff. They may contact that family member to discuss certain family history with regard to macular degeneration or glaucoma or express some concerns that the family member can then address directly with the senior.

If you or an aging loved one are considering Assisted Living near Theodore, AL, contact Ashbury Manor Specialty Care and Assisted Living at 251-317-3017.

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About Cindy Johnson

Ashbury Manor’s Administrator since 2008, Cindy Johnson is a long-time expert in the assisted living field. Prior to her arrival at Ashbury Manor, Cindy managed acquisitions and crisis management for existing and new larger senior care project developments for eleven years. As regional manager for an Oregon-based assisted living management company, Cindy was directly responsible for operations for five 50-65 bed assisted living facilities. As manager during the transition to new ownership, Cindy reorganized internal operations and conducted leadership training for Executive Directors. As a result of her management and expertise, one of the company’s facilities (in Ocala, Florida) received a deficiency-free survey, resulting in the lifting of a moratorium on operation.

A nurse for 36 years, senior care has always been Cindy’s passion. Desiring to work more closely with residents, Cindy became a Category II Administrator in 2005. As Ashbury Manor’s Administrator, Cindy understands the complexities associated with dementia and cognitive impairment and she has fallen in love with seniors with dementia or cognitive impairment and their families.

Cindy is Treasurer of the local “Senior Coalition” chapter. She enjoys mentoring new candidates who want to become administrators.

As a 16-bed facility, with Cindy's training and experience, our residents and their families can be sure Ashbury Manor’s carefully selected staff provides the expertise of a larger facility while maintaining the individualized personal care of a small special needs home.
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