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5 Ways to Overcome Caregiver Isolation Who would imagine that spending so much time taking care of another person could also cause you to feel incredibly alone? The hard facts are that caregiver isolation is extremely common, for a number of reasons: Mental or physical exhaustion: you’re simply too depleted to want to socialize Guilt over enjoying time apart from the loved one in your care Resentment toward those whose lives seem so much easier And much more Whatever the cause for the isolation you might be feeling as a caregiver, it’s essential to take measures to overcome it. Social isolation can bring about serious health conditions, including heart problems, depression, stroke, high blood pressure, and difficulties with attention and memory, just to name a few. Our home care experts recommend starting today with implementing one or more of the following tips: Start the day with an optimistic mindset. It might take some effort at first if you’ve been feeling down for some time. A great way to begin is with fifteen…
Top Senior Technology Tools to Promote Safe Living at Home “You are always free to choose what you do with your life. To make changes in your future, make new choices today.” – Brian Tracy Identifying where to reside in our older years is not easy. Nearly all older adults choose to remain at home for a lifetime, but it is not without concerns. Will it be safe? What about mobility issues or any other physical limitations? What happens if a senior falls and can’t get up? The good news is, there are a wide variety of senior technology tools that make aging in place feasible for older adults. Technology is regularly evolving and developing, offering solutions to the difficulties which could surface as we grow older. Just look at several of these tech devices and how they’re improving life at home for seniors! Remote Patient Monitoring Remote patient monitoring connects individuals with their doctors in groundbreaking ways: wearable devices to trace vital signs, smart pill bottles with sensors, bio-ingestible capsules older adults can swallow,…
Understand Broken Heart Syndrome and How to Help Someone Who Is Grieving In his documentary about grief, George Shelley uses an analogy of glitter. Toss a handful of glitter into the air, and it’s going to settle into most of the cracks and crevices of the room, impossible to fully sweep up and remove. Individuals who have lost a loved one can relate. Yet in some instances, grief can be so overwhelming that it can result in a serious and aptly-named condition: broken heart syndrome. Understanding this condition and how to help someone who is grieving may not fully alleviate the person’s pain, but it’s a good place to begin. Broken heart syndrome is a very real physical condition from the intense stress experienced in certain types of grief (such as one spouse losing the other after decades of marriage). The medical term is takotsubo cardiomyopathy, a temporary enlargement of the heart that prevents it from pumping blood effectively. And, it’s more common than you might know. A number of high-visibility examples include Johnny Cash, who passed on just…
3 Time Management Tips for Caregivers You Can Implement Today If today’s to-dos seem like a lot more than you are able to possibly fit into 24 short hours, you’re not alone! Family caregivers are inundated with daily care tasks: Shopping and other errands. Planning and preparing meals. Personal care and hygiene. Planning activities that are purposeful and enjoyable. Planning for the senior’s medical appointments. Housework and laundry. And all of this is on top of meeting the requirements of your own household, children, spouse, and if there is any time left over, yourself! We invite you to hit the pause button for just an instant, take a deep breath, and put into action these tried-and-true time management tips for caregivers to help each day run more smoothly. Prioritize Begin the day by prioritizing responsibilities into categories, such as what must be done today, what you’d like to do today, and what can wait until another day. This allows you to dedicate your full attention to the most important needs and set aside the rest. Define…
Watch for These Red Flags of Senior Mobility Problems Benjamin Franklin certainly had it right: An ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure. When it comes to uncovering and addressing senior mobility problems, prevention is a must. Falls lead to 85% of all injury-related hospitalizations for seniors, 95% of all hip fractures, and long-term care requirements for over 1/3 of seniors who have experienced a fall. Get ahead of a tragedy by keeping an eye out for these warning signs of increasing mobility issues in seniors: Steering clear of stairs. An older adult who seems to be getting around just fine but is avoiding going up or down stairs could be fearful of falling as a result of mobility changes. Skipping physical activity. Another red flag is an older adult who previously participated in some amount of exercise but now is choosing a more sedentary lifestyle. Exhaustion or weakness can lead to issues with mobility. Struggling to sit or stand. Notice if the senior finds it difficult to either stand up from a seated position or…
Be a Better Caregiver: Tips for Senior Advocacy Trusting someone you love into the care of somebody else is never easy, especially for a senior family member. Whether at home or in a facility, you will have questions you need answered. You’ll also want to be ready to advocate for the older adult to proactively address issues and immediately resolve problems that do take place. This will help you to be a better caregiver and support system for the senior. For instance, review the following typical situations and how to most effectively advocate should they develop with an older adult you love: You live at a distance. Thanks to technology, it’s easier than ever to remain close to a long-distance relative and also to keep a finger on the pulse of how things are going. FaceTime, Zoom, or Skype with the older adult frequently to check in. If a family portal is available for the care provider and family members to share notes and comments, make full use of this communication tool. And if you’re not able to visit in person, ask a friend…
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How to Overcome Dementia-Related Appetite Loss One of the joys of caring for a senior loved one is preparing a favorite meal and seeing how much pleasure it can provide. When a senior is progressing through dementia, however, mealtimes can change dramatically. More than 80% of seniors with dementia experience some type of dementia-related appetite loss or problem: changes in how food tastes or smells, swallowing problems, or forgetting how to use utensils or chew food properly, for instance. Loss of appetite for someone with dementia can be…
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Caring for elders can overwhelm us Nicole Johnson, a memory therapy coach, works with a patient at Amy’s Helping Hands For caregivers, worrying about an aging relative is stressful enough. Taking care of two loved ones kicks up that stress level rise significantly. This is the daily reality for Denise and her sister who are responsible for the care of two aging relatives. For them, caregiving took a difficult turn when both relatives needed additional help over a few days. With one having hip surgery and the other being transferred…
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Why You Need to Cultivate a Meaningful Life for Seniors Each Day What is it that gets you out of bed each and every morning? If you are part of the sandwich generation, caring for both younger and older loved ones, your list is probably quite extensive! As the nest empties, however, it becomes vital to redefine our identity for ourselves. To take it a step further, it’s important to learn how to foster a meaningful life for the seniors in our lives as well. The impact of continuing to live purposefully for a lifetime are much more extensive than we previously…
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Create Your All-Star Care Team in 5 Steps What family caregivers often need most is sound advice, regular respite and an extra set of hands. Friends may scatter when one becomes the primary caregiver for a spouse or parent, and not everyone has siblings or other family members they can depend on to share the load. A carefully selected care team is a necessary complement to a loved one’s detailed care plan. Step 1: Draft a list of prospective team members Write down the name of each family member, friend or neighbor with whom you regularly…
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Creating a Legacy for Your Parent A common regret of adult children who have lost their parents is the wish that they had asked and understood more about their own family history. This is particularly true for family caregivers, whose focus on the present is necessitated by the practical concerns of getting through the day. Making time to learn more about the past seems like a luxury for many caregivers. But taking that time may be beneficial to those we love and care for and provide an important opportunity to redefine and enhance…
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The Difficult Emotions Every Family Caregiver Battles – and How to Let Them Go If you are feeling a bit discouraged in your role as caregiver, take heart; you’re in good company. Providing care help for a loved one is perhaps the most complex role we can hold: highly rewarding on the one hand, while simultaneously frustrating and ever-evolving, frequently resulting in feelings of doubt about whether we are up to the challenge and providing the most effective care. It’s why a number of family caregivers struggle with some or all of these types of feelings: Guilt: It…
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What Is Ableism, and How Can We Prevent It? What’s your first thought when you see an older person in a wheelchair? Do you see that person as less-than, someone in need of being fixed? Do you assume they require special treatment, as though a physical disability impacts intellect as well? How does your thinking shift to see someone standing upright, without the need for a wheelchair; would you think they were better-abled than the wheelchair-bound older adult? These are challenging questions that require honest answers if we are to understand…
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What You Need to Know About Beverage Thickeners for Swallowing Disorders Unless you have a swallowing order, you most likely have not given much thought to the different textures and consistencies of the liquids in your diet. When you’re feeling thirsty, nothing hits the spot like an ice-cold glass of water. On a hot summer day, you might crave a refreshing milkshake. And when you are recuperating from the flu, a warm bowl of soup is just what you need. But if you’re using beverage thickeners for swallowing disorders, you have to learn to adjust your thinking and…
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