9 Tips For Preventing Elderly Falls

Nine-Tips-For-Preventing-Elderly-Falls-Oxford-Healthcare-Tulsa-Home-Healthcare-assisted-living-respite-care-in-homecare-healthcare-jobs

“About one third of the elder population over the age of 65 falls each year, and the risk of falls increases proportionately with age. At 80 years, over half of seniors fall annually.”

Have you thought seriously about your loved one’s potential to fall? As they age, the threat becomes increasingly severe. Falls can often lead to furthered complications and health risks. 3Two-thirds of those who fall will do so again in within the next six months.”2 Do you know how to prevent falls as best as you can? Read our tips below to keep your mom or dad safe and happy in their own homes.

  1. Minimize clutter

  2. Put a night light in the hallway and the bathroom

  3. Install a hand rail in the shower, or get a shower chair

  4. Make sure all cords are tightly secured

  5. Purchase an Emergency Alert system

  6. Encourage weekly exercise and strength training (especially in the legs)

  7. Practice getting up from possible fall scenarios

  8. Get rid of loose rugs

  9. Wear grip socks or slippers

“Falls contribute to over 40% of nursing home admissions and are the 7th leading cause of death in people aged 65 or older.”3 Keep your parents safe. Keep your parents out of a nursing home. Keep your parents comfortable in their own home. Call Oxford Healthcare today and receive a free home consultation to ensure their safety. (918)258-1111

  1. http://www.learnnottofall.com/content/fall-facts/how-often.jsp

  2. http://shellpoint.org/blog/2012/08/13/10-shocking-statistics-about-elderly-falls/

  3. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/geriatrics/falls-in-the-elderly/falls-in-the-elderly

Pooling Family Resources Payment Plan

pooling-family-resources-payment-plan-oxford=health-care-home-care-tulsa

“63% (of baby boomers) do not plan to move” (Demand Institute, 2013). Have you considered how your parents want to age? Oxford HealthCare has a longstanding reputation for over 20 years compassionately caring for the elderly in the comforts of their own home. We offer outstanding services at comparable prices while providing peace of mind for the whole family. For instance, in a nursing home your loved one can have a private room with 2-3 hours of care per day; however, at the same price, he or she can stay in their own home with 12 hours of one-on-one care per day. You may be asking yourself, ‘how can we pay for Long Term Care Services?  We are here to walk you through the multitude of options.

We call our favorite method the ‘Pooling Family Resources’ payment plan. First, designate an organizer. This person often lives nearby and is available to help when needed. Second, a family meeting needs to take place where you will discuss a Plan of Care. Identify the gaps where help is needed and count on Oxford to close those gaps. Third, designate individual contributions, whether they be monetary or donation of time. Finally, you will have a comprehensive plan to keep your loved one safe in the comforts of their own home.

Long Term Care Insurance payment method is also an option if you have a “Home Care” rider.  Most plans do.  Typically you need prior approval with a physicians letter of medical necessity.  This letter will explain the limitations in performing Activities of Daily Living.  Oxford can help!  We can navigate through the challenges of dealing with insurance companies and bill the services on your behalf.

At Oxford HealthCare, we provide quality, one-on-one care in the comfort of your own home. We are the helping hand that ensures your independence when the going gets tough. Choose your meals. Choose your privacy. Choose your memories. Choose Oxford HealthCare.

Watch our informational Family Pooling Resources Video and other educational material:


About Oxford HealthCareOxford HealthCare is located in Tulsa, Oklahoma and serves the surrounding areas with highest quality home care, caregiver respite, and assisted living services. Services include home care evaluation, medication management, errands, light housekeeping, personal care, assistance, respite care, care coordination, companionship and much more. 

Defeating Depression

defeating-depression-oxford-healthcare-home-care-tulsa-oklahoma

Many people are confused with how depression functions, when it started or why it affects them. They often blame themselves and feel helpless in attempts at personally ridding the sadness from their bones. There are many ways you can help yourself to get back on to the road of recovery when depression strikes and begins to take over. Follow the advice in this article concerning tips you can undertake daily to help you or a family member battle and beat depression.

If you are feeling depressed, find someone trustworthy to speak with. If you do not feel comfortable communicating your deep feelings with a friend or family member, seek out a renowned therapist. A therapist gives a solid listening ear and a completely unbiased opinion of your situation; they have nothing to lose or gain from your stability.

Begin writing in a journal to log your thoughts and to trace your emotional well being as far into the past as possible. This can aide you in discovering the root cause of your pain. Once this discovery has been made, you are capable of working on it and through it.

Do not allow yourself to maintain a negative perception of yourself and your world. When you have personal negative thoughts, take a moment to ask yourself ‘would I think this way of my friend?’ If not, you are likely judging yourself too harshly. If you get in a negative rut, go for a walk, enjoy the sunshine, and think of all that you have to be grateful for. Remain optimistic and positive that ‘this too shall pass.’

While clinical depression differs greatly from sadness, many similar techniques are useful each malady. It is useful to steer clear of depression triggers. If there is something or someone that makes your depression come into bloom, do all you can to stay away from the trigger until you have fixed the pain.

One frequently overlooked variable in depression is diet and nutrition. Unhealthy junk food can alter your thought process, and lead you into more sadness. Stay away from fatty meals and sugar in lieu of a balanced and healthy diet. Fast-burning sugars produce a quick jolt of energy, followed by an energy crash, leading to fatigue. This cycle tends to exacerbate the symptoms of depression.

Those with true clinical depression should not expect immediate improvements. It may take some time for you to overcome all of the symptoms. You need to begin preparing for those trials with the proper information.

Seek out a new hobby. New activities and interests can alleviate your troubles with daily life, plus help you have some fun. If you join a club of your interest, you can meet new friends and step outside of your minds ramblings for some time each week. Building birdhouses, refinishing old furniture and journal writing are all hobbies that can help you to feel motivated again.

Do not avoid eating. It is fairly common for those battling depression to shun food because they have lost their appetite. Your body needs nutrients to survive and meals often come with company if you seek out your friends and loved ones. Even when you do not feel like eating, reach for an apple or a banana with peanut butter.

Depression can be quiet serious and all-consuming. It is possible to make changes and alleviate the condition when you are determined to see better days, remain optimistic, view yourself positively, and fight the good fight. Don’t give up, you’re about to see a new day with all new opportunities.


About Oxford HealthCare
Oxford HealthCare is located in Tulsa, Oklahoma and serves the surrounding areas with highest quality home care, caregiver respite, and assisted living services. Services include home care evaluation, medication management, errands, light housekeeping, personal care, assistance, respite care, care coordination, companionship and much more. 

Free Yourself: Quit Smoking Today

quite-smoking-today-oxford-healthcare-home-care-tulsa-oklahoma

Smoking is a smelly, expensive and harmful habit. Not only does smoking endanger your life, but it also endangers the lives of the people you love.

Quit smoking to live a healthier life and have the opportunity to spend more time with the people you love. Follow the great advice in the following article for ideas on how to quit smoking.

Make a list of the benefits of quitting and the drawbacks to continuing your habit. This helps increase the odds of successfully and permanently kicking your smoking habit. Putting the issue in writing will help you to see it more clearly. This can help you stay motivated, and may make quitting easier.

When you decide to quit smoking, make sure to add plenty of fresh fruit to your diet. Your body will likely undergo some chemical changes when you stop smoking, often including a lowered blood glucose level. Healthy fruits can help to raise your blood glucose level to normal levels, keeping you healthy while you’re working toward quitting.

You must know why you want to stop smoking. Having shallow reasons, like it is bad for you are not good enough. To really get yourself motivated, you need a personal and powerful reason to quit. Maybe you are scared of lung cancer. Or maybe you would like to keep your family from second hand smoke. It might be because you want to both feel and look younger. Choose a strong reason that outweighs your urge to light up.

You will be more successful if you do not attempt to shoulder the entire burden of smoking cessation. Having loved ones support you will help tremendously. It is also a good idea to make use of a support group. Just talking with others that are on the same journey as you can give you more inspiration and strength to finally quit.

As stated in the introduction, smoking is a terrible habit that makes you smell bad, costs lots of money and is harmful to your health. Use the advice in the article above for ways to make quitting smoking easier on you so you can live a freer, healthier life. All addictions are rough, tough, and difficult to quit. Free yourself.


About Oxford HealthCare
Oxford HealthCare is located in Tulsa, Oklahoma and serves the surrounding areas with highest quality home care, caregiver respite, and assisted living services. Services include home care evaluation, medication management, errands, light housekeeping, personal care, assistance, respite care, care coordination, companionship and much more. 

Remedy Your Skin

remedy-your-skin-oxford-healthcare-home-care-tulsa-oklahoma

Taking care of your skin is more than just enhancing your attractive qualities. Your skin says a lot about how you are taking care of yourself. This article will show you guidelines on how to start a great skin care regimen that will make you content with your skin. Health and beauty walk side by side when it comes to skin, so study how to achieve a perfect balance of both.

Reduce your daily stress level by implementing some relaxation techniques. Excessive stress is not only bad for you, but also damages your skin. Improve your complexion by learning how to relax. It will surely improve other areas in your life as well.

Your lips’ skin is among the body’s most sensitive area. Using Chapstick and lip balm continuously is helpful. This keeps the lips moisturized so they won’t crack. It also provides protection from the sun’s rays; so, be sure and purchase a lip balm with SPF.

If you want great skin, try gently exfoliating with a dry, natural-bristle brush before you bathe. This technique removes dead skin cells, increases circulation, and aids in reducing acne. Brushing your skin helps slough away toxins and improves the quality and clarity of your facial skin.

One of the best and simplest ways to keep your skin looking healthy is by using a sunscreen regularly. The sun causes more damage to the skin than any other factor. Applying sunscreen before you put on the rest of your makeup will prevent most of the sun damage. Also look for foundations which contain a SPF factor of at least 15 to help protect your skin.

Apply sunscreen using a sponge rather than your fingers. The sponge can help the sunscreen go further into skin, boosting its effectiveness. Also, you can reduce the sticky residue that can be left on your skin.

Avoid putting on wet socks or gloves. Wet gloves and socks can really irritate the skin and cause cracking or itching, and can even cause eczema to flare up.

Sensitive facial skin may require you to use special products to avoid irritation. Read the product labels. Ones that don’t have irritating chemical additives will cause less irritation to your skin. A rash on your face is both irritating and disfiguring.

Don’t forget to drink a ton of water!

You can take care of the skin on your face without spending a ton of money. There are affordable ways to make any skin healthy. With just a little effort, you can improve the appearance of your skin from the help of these tips.


About Oxford HealthCare
Oxford HealthCare is located in Tulsa, Oklahoma and serves the surrounding areas with highest quality home care, caregiver respite, and assisted living services. Services include home care evaluation, medication management, errands, light housekeeping, personal care, assistance, respite care, care coordination, companionship and much more.