You can never be overprepared with essential medical supplies at home. However, the key is to have the right medical supplies at home, especially when you have a senior citizen at home. This blog will take you through the right medical supplies for senior citizens at home. Senior citizens often have specific medical needs. Some of those needs might require regular monitoring and some might call for immediate action. Either way, it is important to be prepared with medical equipment for elderly care at home always. This applies to seniors living independently too. Besides maintaining overall well-being, this practice can turn out to be life-saving in case of emergencies. Senior Living Homes like Primus have all kinds of emergency medical supplies necessary for elderly care available on campus. However, in case any senior needs to stock up their homes with medical supplies for senior citizens at home, Primus also has concierge services to run errands for them.
Why Is It Advised To Have Medical Equipment For Elderly Care At Home?
With ageing comes a lot of health problems. Having the essential medical supplies at your disposal provides a sense of security and peace of mind. Irrespective of whether the seniors have any chronic health conditions or age-induced problems, these must-have medical supplies for senior citizens at home can help in addressing health concerns promptly without any delay and thus prevent complications. In short, this way seniors would have a better quality of life and the caregivers/family could feel at ease knowing they are equipped to handle health-related situations. To learn more about common health issues that come with aging, you can read our article on Common Health Problems in Elderly
Must-Have Medical Equipment Names And Uses
Below are a few essential medical supplies that every household with seniors must have.
1. Equipments for elderly care at home
- Thermometer: A digital thermometer to monitor the body temperature can help to detect fevers quickly. Fevers can be a sign of underlying infections and thus, prompt detection of high temperatures is vital.
- Glucometer: Seniors with diabetes must have a glucometer to regularly monitor blood sugar levels to reduce the risk of complications like hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia.
- Oximeter: Measures blood oxygen level and heart rate. An indispensable device for seniors who have respiratory problems, cardiovascular problems, etc. Regular monitoring can help in detecting low oxygen levels early, helping avoid serious complications.
- Weighing Scales: Besides helping maintain a healthy weight, keeping track of weights can help in detecting sudden loss or gain of weight, which can be an indication of an underlying issue.
- Blood Pressure Monitor: Hypertension and cardiovascular diseases are common among seniors and that's why it is crucial to keep track of blood pressure regularly.
2. First-Aid Kit
Every household must have a well-stocked first-aid kit handy. However, when it comes to households with seniors, below are a few must-have items in the first-aid kit.
- Elastic Bandages
- Adhesive Bandaids
- Antiseptic wipes
- Antibiotic ointment
- Scissors
- Tweezers
- Gauze pads
- Disposable gloves
- Pain relief medications
3. Mobility Aids
Senior citizens are often prone to have mobility issues due to conditions like arthritis, muscle weakness, or joint pain. To accommodate their needs, it is important to have mobility aids for seniors like canes, walkers, etc, at home. This will not only improve their independence, and confidence to move around, and significantly reduce the risk of falls or accidents.
4. Respiratory Aids
For seniors with lung or respiratory issues, Nebulisers can come in handy when they need assistance with breathing. Additionally, having a humidifier at home can help maintain moisture levels and promote easy breathing. To learn more about improving lung health, check out our guide on breathing exercises for seniors.
5. Hot And Cold Therapy Packs For Pain Management
Arthritis, joint pain, etc. are common age-induced health problems. Moreover, seniors are always at high risk of falling. It is important to have hot and cold therapy products at home for efficient pain management. This will give quick relief for pain, aches, and other discomforts. You may also check our blog about About Arthritis And Natural Remedies For Seniors
6. Aids To Improve Quality Of Life
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Incontinence Products: If you have seniors dealing with incontinence at home, it is highly recommended to stock up on adult diapers, disposable bed pads, etc. In such cases, it is also advisable to have moisturisers handy to prevent skin irritation and enhance comfort.
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Medicine Organiser: Seniors, as they age, tend to have memory issues. They might have multiple medications and there are high chances for them to forget to take the right medications at the right time. A medicine dispenser or pill organiser with large labels and different compartments for different times of the day can be used to solve this problem. This would avoid the risk of missing doses or accidentally consuming too much medication.
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Trackers: Wearing trackers with a call feature not only helps in regular monitoring but also comes as a life-saver in case of falls or any other emergency.
Additionally, it is advised to keep all medical records accessible and visible in case of emergencies. Investing in the above-mentioned must-have medical supplies for senior citizens at home helps create a safe and secure environment for seniors at home. Primus Senior Living has 24*7 attention available on campus with expert doctors, nurses, and physiotherapists. On top of that, Primus Senior Living also has medical records maintained from the day of onboarding. Primus has all the equipment for elderly care at home to help seniors live their lives independently. Check out our blog on how primus handles medical emergencies for more information and to see our seniors enjoying the Primus way of living!
FAQs:
1. What are the must-have medical products for old people?
Some of the essential medical products to keep at home to avoid complications are thermometers, glucometers, oximeters, weighing scales, blood pressure monitors, first-aid kits, mobility aids, respiratory aids, hot and cold therapy packs, incontinence products, medicine organisers, and trackers.
2. What are the must-have products for the elderly in case of an emergency?
Although there are a lot of products from thermometers to oximeters that are important, the most important ones are mobility aids, devices to keep track of existing chronic health conditions like blood pressure or diabetes, and wearable trackers.
3. What are the must-have devices for the elderly?
The must-have devices for the elderly include thermometers, glucometers, oximeters, blood pressure monitors, and trackers.
4. What are the must-have mobility equipment for senior citizens?
Some of the most important must-have mobility aids for senior citizens include canes, walkers, grab bars, and shower chairs.
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