As the weather warms up, many families head to the beach. May is National Water Safety Month. While you may think only your children need a refresher in water safety, your parents should also be in on the discussions.
In 2013, WHO’s data found that adults over the age of 70 had the second highest rate of unintentional drownings. While children 4 or younger accounted for 12.6 out of every 100,000 people in the world, people 70 or older accounted for 7.5 out of every 100,000. In the U.S., statistics found that people 65 or older accounted for more deaths than children aged 4 or younger.
Talk About Water Safety at the Ocean
At the beach, you may not pay as close attention to your parents as you are your young children. Your parents are experienced swimmers, so they don’t need help. You should remember that if your parent were to go too far out and get caught in rip currents, they may tire easily and be unable to swim parallel to the shore for long enough to free themselves.
If your parent is in a rip current make sure they know to scream for help. Pride has no place in this dangerous situation. If they can’t swim, they should turn onto their back and let the rip current take them as far as it needs. Once they’re out of it, they can swim back to shore in a different location or wait for help to arrive.
Don’t Ignore Safety at Rivers and Lakes
That’s just the ocean. If you’re at a lake or river, there are other things you need to talk about. Rivers have currents and rocks. Your parent should only swim in pools where the currents are minimal. If they see any signs warning them not to swim in a particular area, they need to stay safe and obey the signs. In a lake, they need to watch for others using paddleboards, canoes, or jet skis. They should also stay in the area marked with buoys.
No matter where your parents are, you all need to keep an eye on each other. Use the buddy system while swimming. If your parents aren’t strong swimmers, they should stay in shallow water.
Take a Caregiver Along
If your parent has dementia and is prone to wandering, pay extra and have a home care aide join your family for the day. With an extra person focusing on your parent’s care, you’ll have a safe, fun day out.
Have you ignored hiring home care services up to this point? It’s tempting to save money and try to do it all, but you’ll burn out. Call a home care agency and talk to a representative about the benefits of caregivers.
If you or a family member are in need of Elder Care in Pembroke Pines, FL, call the caring professionals at Star Multi Care today at (954) 870-4770. Providing service in Boca Raton, West Palm Beach, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, Weston, Southwest Ranches, Pembroke Pines, Cooper City, Lighthouse Point, and Wilton Manors.
Sources:
Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Outsideonline.com
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