Elderly Care in Delray Beach FL
Urinary tract infections, also known as UTIs, are astonishingly common for elderly loved ones. Often the symptoms are the usual ones: pain during urination, cloudy urine, and a general feeling of being unwell. Our elderly relatives, however, may have dramatically different symptoms. In fact, they may not even know that they have a UTI until the infection progresses to the point that they are extremely ill. With the help of elder care support, you can help your elderly relative to recognize UTIs before they spread to the kidneys.
Confusion
Your elderly relative suddenly seems confused by simple things that are normally no big deal; or, your elderly relative might have early dementia symptoms, but suddenly seems to have progressed overnight. It’s very possible that she’s actually experiencing the early stages of a UTI. The good news is that once the infection is treated, the confusion fades.
Hallucinations
Hallucinations involve seeing or hearing something that is not actually there, and they can cause elderly loved ones to react in unpredictable ways. When hallucinations suddenly present in elderly patients, health care workers usually know that the first thing to do is collect a urine sample to submit for testing. Having an elderly care provider present is particularly important during hallucinations because your loved one might wander off or accidentally cause self-harm.
Dizziness or Loss of Balance
Loss of balance can be a problem for many older people, but when that combines with dizziness, it can mean that there is a UTI to fight. The dizziness and balance issues are the body’s response to the infection, and they go away once the UTI is properly treated. Elder care services are always helpful for loved ones who face balance issues, but particularly so when those issues crop up suddenly in the case of a UTI.
Agitation
Your normally calm loved one is snappy and maybe even physically agitated. This can be another sign of a UTI that has snuck under the radar. Your loved one may not even realize that her behavior is aggressive or that she’s acting in a manner that is not typical for her. Home care providers can be one of the first to notice subtle changes in behavior, so it pays to ask daily if your elderly loved one is experiencing mood changes.
With the help of elder care it’s a lot easier for family caregivers to spot UTIs in elderly relatives. The sooner that the infection is confirmed, the sooner your loved one can get the right treatment.
If you or a family member near Delray Beach, FL are in need of elderly care services, call the caring professionals at Star Multi Care today at (954) 870-4770. Providing Service in Ft. Lauderdale, Boca Raton, Pompano Beach, Delray Beach, Coconut Creek, Taramac, Margate, and surrounding Florida cities.
Source
http://www.webmd.com/brain/tc/confusion-memory-loss-and-altered-alertness-topic-overview
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1257410/
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