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Coping With Guilt Over A Move To Assisted Living
The process of managing our aging parents’ lives and futures can evoke all kinds of feelings, from denial and fear, to guilt and inadequacy, to confusion and ambivalence. As adult children we suddenly find ourselves in the role of caregiver for our elderly parents, who have been the ones to care for us. This reversal of roles brings up many different emotions for both parent and child. When the decision to move to assisted living has been made, it will be very challenging for an elderly parent to adjust to a new life, to make new acquaintances, to learn to trust new caregivers, to adapt to a new schedule and a new living space. While they are adjusting to those things, we, as adult children, are shifting our identity to that of decision-maker, while at the same time perhaps struggling with the guilt that comes from admitting that we can’t take care of our parents ourselves. While moving anyone into a new […]
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Diagnosing Dementia
While it is often under-diagnosed and misdiagnosed, the dementia problem is growing. Dementia is not one disease, but a group of different subtypes, each with a different cause, prognosis and treatment. The various types also have differing manifestations. There is a widespread belief that because there is no cure, that means there is no hope. However, it is clear that getting an accurate diagnosis early in the process can make a huge difference in the quality of life for both the dementia patient and their family members. There are several other reasons why an accurate diagnosis is so important. In vascular dementia, new vascular events can be prevented. This can limit worsening of the dementia. The diagnosis of a mild cognitive impairment can prompt some patients to make lifestyle changes in order to delay or avoid progression of the disease to full-blown dementia. If an exact type of dementia is not diagnosed, it can make it difficult for caregivers to […]
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Lifelong Learning
Lifelong learning is a term you may have heard tossed around lately. It is the process of keeping your mind and body engaged in learning new things through all the stages of life. It means actively pursuing knowledge and experience at every age. Although many jobs encourage their employees to keep their job-related skills up to date, you don’t have to be employed to benefit from lifelong learning. In fact, the term most often connotes learning something new for fun or interest. Whether you’re learning how to dance, speak a second language, improve your golf swing, fix you car, or how to paint, it doesn’t matter so much what you choose to learn, as much as that you are learning something that is a new experience for your brain. Some of the specific benefits that older adults can expect to see from lifelong learning activities include: improved memory, increased self-confidence, more energy, sharpness of mind, and a feeling of accomplishment. It […]
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Decreasing The Risk of Dementia
There is a growing body of research that shows that older adults who participate in a consistent exercise plan are less likely to develop dementia as they age. The decline of cognitive functioning is not necessarily inevitable as we age. The good news is that there are ways to boost brain power and prevent memory and thinking problems. The latest research shows that the best way to increase your odds of growing into old age without dementia or other memory problems is to exercise regularly. One study conducted by a neuroscientist found that a group of older adults who engaged in aerobic exercise three times a week for 45 minutes per day, after one year showed a significant change in their brains. The follow-up MRI scans of these people showed that the volume of their brains actually increased by an average of 2%. The other group in the study, who did not perform aerobic exercise, showed an average loss of 1.5% […]
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The Benefits Of Art Therapy In Assisted Living
Activities programs are an important part of the services offered in assisted living facilities. One type of activity program is a therapeutic art class. This program will bring a skilled artist and all the necessary art supplies to the facility to make it possible for residents to express their inner artists. The artistic process for seniors can not only enhance their quality of life, but also gives them the opportunity to learn a new skill, which is especially beneficial for maintaining and even increasing cognitive functioning. The artistic process provides mental, physical, and spiritual stimulation for individuals through creative discovery and experimentation. There is research that documents the benefits of art programming in assisted living facilities. This research shows that any kind of new learning experiences promote brain development while enhancing information processing and memory storage capabilities in mid-life and older adults. One study was conducted with 300 seniors – half were participants in an art program once a week, […]
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Changes In Medicare
There has been a change in Medicare policy that affects those individuals who have chronic conditions such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s disease, ALS, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Until now, patients who had a chronic condition or disability had to show a likelihood of improvement in their condition in order to receive Medicare coverage for skilled care and therapy services. The change in policy enables patients who have “plateaued”, or stopped making progress, to continue receiving the services of a nurse or a therapist, and Medicare cannot deny coverage to patients for skilled nursing care, home health services or outpatient therapy because their conditions are not improving. This ruling will have a big impact on patients who depend on or need some kind of skilled care to maintain their level of functioning or to prevent further deterioration. The old policy left many patients to pay for their own care, or even to discontinue care if they couldn’t show proof of […]
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Senior Services
Forty percent of U.S. adults over the age of 85 live alone, as do one third of those over age 65. There are an estimated 5 to 7 million long-distance caregivers in the country as well. Clearly, elder care is a big concern for many of us. As our parents and loved ones age, and need more care and monitoring, we are faced with difficult decisions about where they will live, and how we will ensure their well-being and safety. Fortunately, there is now an array of intriguing new technology that not only gives older people more confidence to live on their own, it also brings more peace of mind to their family members, who may be trying to monitor their senior loved ones from a distance. This results in smarter and more efficient caregiving, and more independence for seniors. Recent technological advances such as sensors, GPS, Bluetooth, voice activation, cellular connectivity, and smartphone monitoring apps all make it possible for […]
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Conversations About Assisted Living
As your parents age, and their body and mind changes, they may develop health problems or mental health issues. They may get depressed or feel upset about things that would not have bothered them before. There can be all kinds of challenges involved in this changing relationship between aging parent and adult child. You may need to learn new ways of communicating with them. Here are 5 things to keep in mind that will help open the lines of communication, enabling you to maintain a strong and healthy relationship with your loved one. These suggestions seem simple, but they are not always easy to do. Show them respect. Even though you have to do more care for them, they still want to be seen as the parent, not a child. Show respect by sitting down with them and interacting with them as the parent. Ask their advice and opinions like you used to do. Don’t make decisions for them. Let […]
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Saving Money And The Environment
Moving your household can have a big impact on the environment, with all the packing materials that are necessary, not to mention the gas and emissions from the moving trucks. There is usually lots of garbage generated, too. Minimizing your ecological footprint during this process will take some forethought and extra planning, but it will save you money and save some wear and tear on the planet. It is worth the extra effort. Some ideas to consider: Use recycled boxes and cartons. Find used boxes at various types of stores. Borrow them from friends, family, or neighbors. Check Craigslist for free or low cost boxes. Buy, borrow or rent reusable plastic containers. Use recycled paper for wrapping your things. Shredded paper makes a terrific insulator for almost any item you are packing. Get rid of items you no longer need or want, and those that won’t fit into your new home. Donate items to charities Sell items online or at […]
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Moving To Assisted Living
As you go through the house you are leaving, here are some tips to help your senior loved one pack, sort and and get rid of things. The first thing to keep in mind is to start with rooms or areas that aren’t used as much, or that don’t contain many meaningful items. This could be storage areas, the basement, laundry room, spare room, etc. These are rooms with things in them that have less sentimental attachment, so it can be a less stressful place to begin your packing and sorting. Next you should decide where your things are going to go: family, friends, charity, consignment, recycle, etc. You’re going to sort things into piles according to where they are going. As you sort through things, here are some questions to ask yourself about each item: When was the last time it was used? How often do I use it? Do I own something else that can be used for the […]
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Caring For Aging Skin25 Feb 2016
You may notice the following changes as your skin ages. It becomes thinner and loses fat, looking less smooth than it used to. Veins and bones become more prominent through the skin. Scratches, cuts and […]
Short Term Options2 Feb 2016
Many seniors who are looking for senior housing don’t know about short term stay options that are available at many senior living communities. There are a few different reasons you or your loved one might […]