The summer months are finally here, and that means many people are thinking about heading outside and enjoying the warm weather, longer days, and more leisurely pace of this season. As a family caregiver, you want your family to enjoy quality time together and take advantage of the wonderful opportunities of the season, but you also want to make sure that your parent's health and safety are protected. You know that it is extremely important to protect your aging parent's skin from the intensity of the sun with sunscreen and coverage, but that's not the only way you should guard your senior during outdoor adventures this summer. You must remember their eyes are also vulnerable to the sun, and can experience serious damage if not properly protected.
Some ways the sun can be dangerous for your senior's eyes include:
- Increased risk of blindness
- Increased risk of cataracts
- Increased risk of growths in the eye
- Increased risk for cancers in and around the eye
- Headaches
- Dry eye
Protecting your parent's eyes from the sun is an important step of summertime health, but it should also be a part of your care any time of year. Keep in mind your parent is at further risk when they are near water or snow, as the sunlight can reflect from these surfaces and be more intense for your parent's eyes. In fact, exposure to sun near snow can result in a form of painful damage referred to as snow blindness. Encourage your parent to wear broad spectrum sunglasses and a hat that shades the eyes anytime they will be out in the sun.
Getting older doesn't have to mean living a boring life, or your aging parent no longer enjoying the activities they once loved. With the dedicated care of a home care services provider, your senior can continue to pursue their favorite activities, stay active and engaged, and still manage their health and needs. With home care services such as transportation, meal preparation, help with house tasks, medication reminders, and more, your aging loved one can rely on their home care services provider to help them make the most of their later years. When it comes to helping your aging parent protect their eyes from the potential dangers of the sun, a home care services provider can be a valuable source of reminders and support to help your parent make good choices while still staying active and engaged.
Call Today To Learn How We Support Caregivers Like You
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Home Care Services as a way to assist a family caregiver, please contact the caring staff at ActivePro Nursing & Homecare Inc. Call our Toronto office at (647) 793-2525.
Sources:
https://www.cdc.gov/visionhealth/data/national.htm
https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/sun