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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…