Here is the latest video from Happier at Home as seen on Rochester’s CW channel 16 featuring Debbie Bernacki on free resources for Dementia and Alzheimer’s Care.
Free Resources For Dementia and Alzheimer’s Care
Here is the latest video from Happier at Home as seen on Rochester’s CW channel 16 featuring Debbie Bernacki on free resources for Dementia and Alzheimer’s Care.
Deb Bernacki of Happier At Home Discusses Planning for Long Term Senior Health Care with Rochester’s Channel 13 WHAM.
See More Videos on Senior Health Care
Provide Pet or Vet AssistanceStudies show that people who have pets live longer and healthier lives. Having a Fido or Fluffy to care for keeps seniors active and emotionally fulfilled.
Pets are family too. If you’re pet-friendly pop for a toy, or tag along during walks. Make sure pets are being properly fed and groomed. Offer to pet sit, take pets to the groomer or in for annual vaccinations.
No pet. No problem. Seniors can still enjoy the company of a pet. Numerous non-profit organizations train pets and take them around to nursing homes, senior housing and recreation centers.
There are also inexpensive ways to obtain a pet. Non-profit organizations such as our local Lollipop Farm, the Dumb Friends League, the Max Fund and city and county agencies rescue pets and charge low-fees for adoption.
Create Opportunities to Socialize and Learn.Loneliness, boredom and apathy are common emotions that plague seniors. The death of a spouse and distance from friends and family members can leave seniors lonely and isolated. Poor health or disabilities may prevent them from getting out of the house and socializing. If they are unable to drive, encourage them to enlist a service like Happier At Home to provide transportation for them to get around.
Sitting home in front of the television day in and day out is no substitute for engaging with others and exchanging ideas, especially when hundreds of courses and activities are available at community centers, colleges and non-profit organizations. Get a catalogue and review the courses with them. With all the choices, there is bound to a class or program that sparks their interest.
If travel is their bag, “Elderhostel,” an affordable international program that combines learning with travel, might be just up their alley.
Perhaps they have a hobby, such as fishing or shuffleboard. Invite them along the next time you’re heading out to the lake or recreational complex. Offer to take them to church, or take in a movie. In the end, it doesn’t really matter what you do. It’s the fact you’ve taken the time and effort to include them and your interaction that counts.
Sign Them Up for a “Driver Safety Education” Class Seniors, just as any of us would, hate to give up the right to drive, even when their eyesight is failing and reflexes are slowing down. Driving equals freedom, and losing that freedom means relying on others to do errands and get out to social events.
State transportation offices, auto clubs and senior organizations offer Driver Safety Education courses. These classes are designed to improve driving skills by teaching defensive driving. Teachers accompany drivers, test their skills, and make an independent evaluation of how safe they are behind the wheel. Their evaluation and recommendations may resonate far better with a senior than the opinion of a family member or friend.
You can do your part as well. Check the tire pressure on vehicles and inflate them if necessary. Make sure cars have been recently serviced. If they need servicing, obtain discount coupons and offer to take cars in for them.
If you are concerned about his driving abilities, offer to take him to the doctor, run errands or pick up guests at the airport. Another option is to hire a companion service such as Happier At Home to provide transportation.
When it comes time to renew their driver’s license, be supportive. Seniors are anxious about passing the vision, written and driving tests. Review the materials with them so they are comfortable with the questions and accompany them to the Drivers License Bureau.
Knowing how to drive, when to drive and when to quit can save not only the lives of seniors but the lives of loved ones and other motorists.
Create a Family History They Can Share With Others.Do you know where your great-great-grandparents were born or how they came to this country? Can you describe how they lived, worked or died? If you don’t know much, you’re not alone. Once our elders pass away, family histories and traditions are lost if they’re not documented and preserved by family members or friends. Taking a family history is a gift they and their family can treasure forever. You don’t need to be an expert either. Genealogy is one of the hottest hobbies today, and there is a wealth of excellent resources you can tap into. The internet offers numerous sites such as Ancestry.com, EllisIsland.org and genhomepage.com. Religious groups such as the Mormons have some of the most extensive libraries and documentation in the world. Closer to home, community colleges pack classrooms with genealogy students. Libraries are stocked with books on the subject too.
Ask a few questions about your loved one’s relatives or where they came from and you could get an ear-full. Researchers say when you age, you remember more about the past than the present. Great-aunt Maria’s emigration from Italy may be fresher in your client’s mind than who won yesterday’s ball game.
You can be the conduit for these memories. If it’s true what they say about the journey being the destination, get ready for a fascinating trip.
Everyone knows what it’s like to be lonely. It often happens during life’s transitions: when a student leaves home for college, when an unmarried businessman takes a job in a new city, or when an elderly woman outlives her husband and friends. Bouts of loneliness are a melancholy fact of human existence.
Lack of connection with others not only makes us unhappy but it is also bad for the well being of the body and mind, research finds. A sense of rejection or isolation increases blood pressure, stress levels and general wear and tear as well as increases your chances of developing Alzheimer’s Disease. It also reduces will power and perseverance, thus affecting the ability to follow a healthy lifestyle, according to scientists.
The findings were outlined by Professor John Cacioppo, of the University of Chicago. Loneliness not only alters behavior, but loneliness is related to greater resistance to blood flow through your cardiovascular system, Professor Cacioppo said.
Loneliness leads to higher rises in morning levels of the stress hormone cortisol, affects the immune system, higher blood pressure and an increased level of depression. Loneliness, or perceived social isolation, also is related to difficulty getting a deep sleep and a faster progression of Alzheimer’s disease, said Professor Cacioppo. Health wise, he said the difference between a lonely person and a popular person was akin to “a smoker and a non-smoker. That stunned all of us, myself and all my colleagues in terms of the effects it had,” he said. “It shows just how powerful it is.”
People are living longer, having fewer children later in life and increasingly mobile around the world. Surveys also show that people report significantly fewer close friends and confidants than those a generation ago.
The news isn’t all bad, however. Even for hard cases, Cacioppo believes loneliness can be overcome. The most effective interventions were those that involved activities to shift people’s attention and interpretation of social situations in a more positive direction. As for preventing loneliness, Cacioppo writes: “The degree of social connection that can improve our health and our happiness … is both as simple and as difficult as being open and available to others.”
Senior citizens have an increased incidence of poisoning than the general population and may be more sensitive to toxins in their environment as a result of other health concerns such as heart or pulmonary problems. Loss of vision puts many elderly at increased risk for exposure. A few simple steps may help prevent you or a loved one from exposure to such toxins.
Medications can be a source of poisoning. Be sure to take any medications in a well-lit area and wear glasses when doing so to avoid accidental overdose or consuming the incorrect medication. Store medications for different family members in different areas or clearly mark any pill organizer boxes to prevent confusion. Many medications come in similarly packaged containers. Store ear drops and eye drops in separate areas to avoid improper administration.
Many medications may interact with alcohol, causing detrimental effects. Be certain to ask your doctor or pharmacist about any potential interactions with your individual medications.
Store cleaning products well away from any food products. Take care in separating personal care items such as hairspray from household products such as air freshener spray which may have very similar packaging.
Do not use kitchen ware for any non-food items. Avoid re-using empty food containers for non-food items, such as cleaning solvents or plant-food. Clearly mark all containers. Elderly people with memory concerns are at increased risk for exposure to toxins. Consider installing locks on cupboards and storage areas for medications, household products, paints and cleaning solvents. Be sure to install carbon-monoxide detectors in the home.
Poison Control Centers can be of assistance in determining if an exposure requires emergency attention. Post this toll-free number in your home! 1-800-222-1222
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