Oral health is so important for seniors whether they still have their teeth or a nice pair of dentures. However, they may not realize its importance and forget to focus on this while aging in place. This is when personal care at home services can help your loved one thrive. They are professionals who will focus on creating and maintaining a wellness plan that focuses on healthy routines and that includes oral care.
Personal care at home can be a massive help when it comes to having a healthy mouth and this can shape the way your seniors thrive while they age in place. Oral care and focusing on a healthy routine will improve a senior’s quality of life.
Here is how personal care at home can help your loved one with oral care and hygiene.
Everyday Care Reminders
Personal care at home may not brush their teeth for them but they can help gently remind them to do it on their own and even get the supplies ready for a senior. Most professionals agree that seniors should be brushing their teeth two times a day for optimal health. This does not seem like much but when a senior has a hard time remembering things it can be a huge challenge especially when they do not have a good routine.
One of the best things personal care at home will help your loved one focus on is developing a routine. This means your seniors will brush their teeth, get ready, eat, and sleep at the same time every day. Things throughout their day will change but muscle memory will kick in and they will understand what they are supposed to do which can help with oral care too. They may not know what time it is but their bodies may know that it’s time to brush their teeth. This is crucial for aging in place and it can help with oral health.
They Can Help Find Brushes
When a toothbrush is too hard to hold or they have too hard of bristles your senior loved one may not want to brush their teeth and you may not understand why. Personal care at home will observe your seniors and talk to them, which can be one of the best and easiest ways to figure out what the issue is. Once they know what is going on they can help find your loved one specialty toothbrushes or take them to the dentist to talk about the problem further. There are now tons of toothbrushes to choose from and different handles that may be easier for seniors to hold.
Personal Care Can Help With Other Needs
Before a senior even needs to worry about teeth brushing they need to think about nutritional needs too which will play a huge role in oral health. The healthier they eat with less processed foods and less sugar the better their overall health will be and that includes oral health. If a senior is eating too much sugar they may develop cavities and gum disease which can be painful and hard to battle as a senior. Personal care at home can help prepare fresh meals throughout the week or even meal prep for them in advance.