Edema is swelling in the body caused by excess fluid trapped in the body’s tissue. Most swelling occurs in the lower body—legs, ankles, and feet—and can increase the chances of a fall. There are many causes of edema, including kidney damage, heart failure, chronic lung disease, liver disease or even arthritis. Other factors include taking multiple medications, having more than one chronic illness, and decreased activity levels. This health issue is of particular concern at assisted living facilities like the Homeplace of Henderson. We take this illness seriously and do everything we can to monitor it among our residents.
We can monitor our residents’ health, provide some treatment, and encourage them to get up and get moving, which will help them steer clear of edema and other illnesses.
Working with home health professionals
Second, we collaborate with Home Health services, agencies that specialize in working with and treating seniors. These relationships allow our staff to learn from professionals who see patients every day within our community. Our staff learns techniques and exercises from the Home Health professionals.
What we know is that exercise pushes the excess fluid from the body’s lower region up to the kidney, where it can be processed and released from the body as urine. There are a variety of exercises that make this happen—ankle pumps, butt squeezes, and knee to the chest to name a few. These need to be administered in a professional manner because starting a new routine might flush the fluid out, but it also might cause stress on other parts of the senior’s body.
This is another reason why working with Home Health professionals is so important. But Home Health professionals can’t be with us at the Homeplace every day. When they can’t be with us, our staff will continue to administer the treatment and exercises that they have taught us.
This is another Homeplace effort to ensure all our residents’ health and comfort.
To contact the Homeplace of Henderson, email Jessica Beaven at jessica.beaven@homeplaceofhenderson.com, call at 270-869-2344.
Explore current information
For today’s options, explore care and safety at Homeplace or plan a visit with our team.
For another family perspective, read about starting a conversation with your loved one.