People lose the capacity to perform the same things they could when they were younger as they get older. Cooking and cleaning, which were formerly part of a manageable daily routine, have become impossible to complete. Despite this, many older people opt to remain in their homes rather than relocate to a senior community. If you are a senior living on your own, it would be advisable for you to learn about seniors’ risks when being home alone:
Isolation
Alzheimer’s disease, cognitive decline, depression, anxiety, a weaker immune system, obesity, heart disease, and even death have all been associated with loneliness and social isolation in recent studies. People who participate in meaningful, useful activities with others, on the other hand, live longer, are happier, and have a feeling of purpose.
Depression
Depression, which manifests as a lack of interest, attention, energy, hunger, and motivation, is a sign of social isolation. One does not have to be socially isolated to be affected by it, though.
Also, while one lives alone, one may not have anybody else to take note of their depressive symptoms, and these symptoms may therefore go unnoticed.
Anxiety
Anxiety is frequently caused by a sense of insecurity, which can be amplified if you live alone and do not have anybody to talk to on a daily basis. Numbness in the feet and hands, muscular tension, dizziness, nausea, dry mouth, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and insomnia are all signs of anxiety.
Lack of Assistance
Would people know if you fell in your house and could not gain access to your phone? If the answer to this is no, you may find yourself trapped in a dire situation for hours or even days.
Risk of Falls
Falls are among the main causes of morbidity and death among senior individuals, and the chance of falling and suffering a severe injury rises substantially as we become older. One does not have an additional set of eyes to keep an eye out for tripping risks when one lives alone, and one does not have anybody to aid them if they do fall.
Risk of Accidental Medication Overdosing
With each passing birthday, one is more likely to be taking prescription drugs, which increases one’s chance of an accidental overdose. This is because it is easy to overlook the fact that one has already taken their medications, causing one to end up taking more. While occasionally taking more than what is prescribed for a particular medication is not a big deal, if one has moderate dementia, one might easily take three or more doses.
Higher Rate of Malnutrition
Malnutrition is a possibility if you spent the majority of your younger years living with someone who carried out the grocery shopping and meal preparation for you. Malnutrition is generally due to a lack of fundamental nutritional knowledge.
Higher Chance of Not Noticing Symptoms
When you share your living spaces with somebody else, they are more likely to detect indications of diseases and illnesses that you might overlook or choose to ignore. Furthermore, their worry may push you to seek medical help.
