What is Macular Degeneration?

Awareness is one of the most important tools that you can have as a family caregiver for your elderly family member. This is about understanding the potential risks that your senior faces and knowing what to look for so that you can take steps to reduce risk, identify when your loved one may be dealing with a new health issue, and prepare yourself to give your parent the level of care that they need to manage their concerns.

Home Care Services Hacienda Heights CA – What is Macular Degeneration?

One such issue for aging adults is macular degeneration.

Some things that you should know about macular degeneration include:

• Age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, is the leading cause of vision loss in the United States.
• This condition impacts the macula. This is the part of the eye that creates central vision and sharpness of vision.
• The risk for developing AMD increases with age and is most prevalent among older adults.
• More than 2 million people throughout the United States are currently living with AMD.
• Experts estimate that this number will more than double by the year 2050, to well over 5 million people.
• The incidence of AMD is higher among whites than among other races.
• Approximately 89 percent of those living with AMD are white.
• Blacks and Hispanics each account for approximately 4 percent of the total cases of AMD.
• Women are more likely than men to develop AMD in their lifetimes because of longer life expectancy.
• Approximately 65 percent of cases of AMD occur in women, with only 35 percent occurring in men.
• Though white Americans are expected to see the greatest increase in instance of AMD, Hispanics are expected to see a large increase as well.

Making sure that your parent goes to the eye doctor on the appropriate schedule is a critical part of protecting them from eye diseases, including AMD. If you are concerned about your parent’s eye health or want to know more about their risk for conditions such as AMD, do not hesitate to get in touch with their doctor so that they can review their eye health and learn more about the risk that they are facing. They can help you to determine your parent’s risk and help you to learn how to care for your senior as they deal with the eye health problems they are facing.

Starting home care services for your aging parent can be one of the best decisions that you make for them throughout the course of your caregiver journey with them. A senior home care services provider can be there for your elderly family member on a customized schedule that is right for their needs.

This means that they can receive the right care, support, and assistance while also keeping you at the forefront of their care. The highly personalized services of a senior home care services provider are specifically designed to address your elderly parent’s individual needs, challenges, and limitations in such a way that they are able to stay healthy, safe, comfortable, and happy, and pursue a lifestyle that is as active, independent, and fulfilling as possible as they age in place.

This can include anything from helping your parent to make good lifestyle choices to providing safe and reliable transportation and physical support and assistance to offering reminders to help them remain compliant with their medications and treatments.

Sources:  https://nei.nih.gov/eyedata
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dry-macular-degeneration/home/ovc-20164874
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/wet-macular-degeneration/home/ovc-20164274
https://nei.nih.gov/eyedata/amd

If you or an aging loved one are considering Home Care Services in Hacienda Heights CA, please contact the caring staff at 1Heart Caregiver Services today.