This article will discuss the top caregiver skills and highlight 4 ways to grow your skills as a caregiver in 2022. Whether you are just starting or have been caring for others for years, the tips will help you improve your abilities and make a difference in the lives of those you care for.
Caregiving, no matter how rewarding, is always a stressful experience. Watching our parents age will undoubtedly produce emotional reactions. And when your elderly loved one needs help to get through the day, it is often a painful experience.
The medicare system is complicated, but by learning the basics you can save money and ensure that you get the health care that you prefer. Here are some frequently asked questions, and their answers, about Medicare that will help you to plan and navigate the system.
While the summer is a great time to plan outdoor activities, stretch our legs, and shake off any remaining winter blahs that might still be weighing us down, the truth is that enjoying the sunshine can quickly turn from a fun time to a dangerous time. Sunlight, higher temperatures, and physical exertion can take their toll on the youngest and fittest people, and older adults are particularly susceptible to heat emergencies and dehydration. The good news, however, is that with a little bit of preparation and preventative steps, you can make sure your days never turn sour and you can let the good times roll all summer long.
There are an estimated 11 million caregivers in the United States who are part of the sandwich generation. For those unfamiliar with the term, the sandwich generation refers to adults today who are caring in home for both their older parents, and their younger adult children who have moved back home or remained there for any number of reasons after turning 18. These people are not only caring for the aging adults in their lives, but also the needs of their younger children. Members of the sandwich generation tend to experience high levels of emotional stress, as well as physical and financial strain as they juggle responsibilities.
When most people think of the changes that cognitive decline like dementia or Alzheimer’s disease brings about, they tend to focus on a few measures of brain health. The reality however, is that the truth of the breadth of the changes is a lot more complicated.
Recreational activities are a great way for seniors to stay active and engaged in their later years. Whether continuing a current or rediscovering an old hobby, or exploring something new, recreation can strengthen physical and mental abilities. Just because someone is a senior doesn’t mean they have to sit around playing bingo or watching the news.
Summer is nearly upon us, and the days will begin to get warmer and longer. Many people in the United States welcome the season, looking forward to getting outside and enjoying outdoor activities and gatherings made possible by agreeable weather and long, sun drenched days, with our country’s senior citizens being no exception. However, a very large percentage of adults aged 65 and older have at least one prescription medication they take on a daily basis, if not multiple medications that need to be taken at specific times throughout the day. And unfortunately for seniors looking to stretch their legs and soak up the sunshine, many common prescription medications can complicate their fun in the sun.
For seniors aging in place at their homes, one of the most important tasks is maintaining household cleanliness, which can help protect seniors stay healthy in their homes and prevent them from falling ill. But in most every home, there are a number of objects that can pose an unknown danger and potentially have serious health effects.
According to a 2022 report by the Alzheimer’s Association, there are 6.5 million people in the United States living with some stage of Alzheimer’s disease. Among people aged 65 and older, more than 10% of them have Alzheimer’s, or another type of dementia such as frontotemporal dementia, Lewy body dementia, vascular dementia, or one or more other types of dementia in various combinations.
Summer is almost upon us all and with the warm, sunny season comes the natural and understandable desire to get outside the house and be active. Golfing, gardening, swimming, and more, there’s plenty of excuses one can take to get outside and take in some sun.
Senior Helpers, which provides personalized in-home senior care, recently opened a site at 6336 E. Brown Road Suite No. 101 in Mesa to be managed and operated by Shaun and Tiffany Phelan.
The new location will serve senior citizens and their families throughout Mesa and Apache Junction and hopes to bring 75 new jobs to the region over the next year, according to a release.
Many of us know that vitamin D is an important vitamin that we get from the sun and from fortified foods, but not as many of us know what it actually does for our bodies, and what happens to us if there’s a deficiency of it in our bodies. For example, your body needs vitamin D in order to absorb calcium, which means that vitamin D is essential for maintaining strong bones and teeth. For seniors, who have the highest incidence rates of bone deterioration and tooth decay, this makes maintaining adequate levels of vitamin D of critical importance.
Most Americans have a total sodium intake that is far in excess of what the American Heart Association recommends, which is a maximum of 2300 mg, or 2.3 grams, per day. And avoiding the salt shaker isn’t the fix you might think it is. Many packaged foods, fast food, and even sit-down restaurant foods are heavily salted. In fact, without looking at the nutrition label of everything you eat, you may be surprised to learn the saltiest foods are actually the ones you might least expect.
As the old adage goes, a mind is a terrible thing to waste. As we age, mental acuity and brain structures tend to weaken. The good news is that there are things seniors can do to preserve, or even strengthen cognitive health. By taking steps to ensure healthy cognition, you can preserve a high quality of life and a high level of independence. Taking these measures can also help with maintaining optimal brain function, enhancing several areas of mental, emotional, and physical well-being.
The immune system is an important part of our body. It helps us stay healthy by protecting us from outside invaders that can make us sick. For those of us in our twilight years, a strong immune system is especially important, to fight off bacteria and viruses that can cause a serious infection and result in a hospital trip or worse.
A diagnosis of dementia of any type, including Alzheimer’s, will trigger a cascade of emotions in people. Many with Alzheimer's or dementia, especially when in the early stages while they’re still lucid and in control of themselves, will fear the stigma of the disease and feel confusion and uncertainty over how to maintain their lives.
Any one of us can easily lose track of time, forget the date, not know what specific day of the week it is, or even find ourselves unsure of exactly where we are. When we go about our lives and find ourselves getting lost in the daily business of existence, it is normal to find ourselves a little disoriented here and there.
In 1963, when Older Americans Month was established, only 17 million living Americans had reached their 65th birthday. About a third of them lived in poverty, and there were few programs available to meet their needs. There was a growing concern and interest in older Americans, which prompted a meeting between then-President John F. Kennedy and members of the National Council of Senior Citizens. This meeting led to the designation of May as “Senior Citizens Month”, then the precursor to “Older Americans Month
The outdoors aren’t called the great outdoors for no reason. Countless studies, research, as well as the sum total of human experience throughout history have all pointed to the same conclusion time and time again, which is that getting outside and taking in nature and all our world’s natural splendor has real, tangible benefits. Spending time outside can improve our mood and mental health, boost the strength of our immune system, lower blood pressure, and even shorten time spent healing after surgery or a significant injury.
As we age through our lives and enter our twilight years, one thing you’re sure to notice is the increase in tips, advice, and conversations related to health and wellness. It makes sense, after all, we all want to age with dignity and remain capable and healthy for as long as possible, and for many of us, by the time we’ve become seniors we may have developed a chronic condition, or had one catch up with us. One topic you’ve probably heard over and over is high blood pressure. High blood pressure is a concern, of course, and has all sorts of negative health outcomes if left untreated, but equally dangerous and under discussed is low blood pressure.
Volunteering is a wonderful way for older adults to stay active and engaged in their communities, staying social and doing the activities they enjoy the most.
When we look around, what we see is actually light stimuli reflected off everything around us, entering our eyes and being converted into usable information by the brain.