Elder Care Articles

You may hope it will never happen, but one day you may find that your parents or older relatives need your help to manage their home. How will you carry out the sacred trust of getting the best price or helping them keep the property, and age in place? Good communication is the key to success. David Solie, author of “How to Say It to Seniors,” counsels you to let the older person talk. Listen to their stories of life in the home. Then explain the financial aspects. If you have any doubts about their level of understanding, have them repeat what you said in their own words.

Three years ago my mother-in-law moved in with us. Today we have a wonderful arrangement, but getting there was a little bumpy. We never had big problems. We did have some little ones. The fact is, my mother-in-law is a sweet, easygoing person who is a pleasure to be around. The real problem was me. I was unprepared for this change in our life and lifestyle. I became resentful and turned into a complaining, crabby monster. The old line goes, "I wish I knew then what I know now".

Nineteen years ago, I had this crazy idea sitting at my corporate desk that if I was going to work this hard for them, I might as well work that hard for myself. I kept thinking to myself, "Julie, how can you even think of this - you must be off your rocker to consider leaving the reliability of a paycheck and benefits." But it was like a lightning bolt from the sky - an intense thought that grabbed hold of this young woman at the exuberant age of 28, and it never let go. They say this is the first inclination you are an entrepreneur.

As of the most recent count, members of Facebook worldwide have exceeded the 500 million mark and are well on their way to hit 600 million. And if current First World statistics are to be relied on, it is safe to assume that a great chunk of those people belong to the demographic group whose age is 65 years old or older. In fact, analysts boldly claim that seniors comprise as high as 8 percent of all people who avidly use social networking sites, and for good reasons: seniors

Will you need to take time away from work or cut corners caring for your own family to assist your aging parents, grandparents or close friend, if they become ill? If you have an aging parent and a family of your own...and if you're a woman, chances are you will eventually be the one that will assist an aging parent or close friend with their affairs, personal care or coordination of care during their rehab and healing. If your parent has a hospital stay for a broken hip after a fall or has a knee replacement surgery, most likely they will need supervision at home.

Auto body shop can be a extremely lucrative business for you but only should you be in a position to run it according to the business needs. Numerous Auto body shops failed to continue right after first year of their start thanks to poor management and lack of expertise and exposure of the individual in command. Quite a few think that business of auto body shop is all about repairing damaged automobiles, but it is much more than just repairing a body of a wrecked vehicle. You

Many seniors fall victim to neglecting personal hygiene, not out of forgetfulness, but because navigating themselves through a slippery bathtub or shower is not only exhausting, but also downright scary. Although they may resist it in the beginning, seniors who wish to stay at home and prolong their independence can adapt their bathrooms with features that will not only prevent accidents, but also boost self-confidence. Unless they can afford the costs involved with hiring a

Elderly self-care is a concept that has been gaining in popularity in recent years. In short, it’s exactly what it sounds like: It’s a set of tools and strategies designed to encourage elderly people to care for themselves and to be in charge of their own health. Adherents of this movement view self-care as an alternative to care facilities and nursing homes that take care of all their patients’ needs. One motivation for the self-care movement is for individuals to begi

Thinking that they’re off the hook if a sibling is doing the primary care Although it's rare for siblings to care for a parent equally, ideally, it should be a family responsibility. Not treating it as such will haunt you later on, even if you live far away from your ailing parent. Sometimes if the parent is residing at a nursing home or an assisted living facilities Houston, this can alleviate that concern. Not appreciating and supporting the main caregiver Many caregiver

It is a well-known fact that elderly healthcare issues are more complex and more sensitive than those of normal young persons. As a person grows older, especially beyond 50, body organs start getting weaker with the passage of time. Thus, they become more vulnerable and prone to various diseases. Hence, extraordinary measures and care needs to be taken to prevent various health issues and complications. There are plenty of issues pertaining to elderly healthcare; and so are t

Recently I helped a family find a private care home for their mother who was in her mid 80’s, living in a large assisted living facility and suffering from dementia, depression and loneliness. Her depression and loneliness had come on suddenly and she was talking about not wanting to live any longer. Her doctor had told the family that her dementia was progressing and made the suggestion that she move to a smaller care home where she would have more one-on-one attention. Du

AGE-RELATED SKIN CHANGES Our skin changes as we age. A baby's skin has a much thicker fat layer and a much thinner epidermis. Babies have smooth, soft skin partly because they have a much higher percentage of hyaluronic acid, a compound capable of retaining 1000x its weight in water. In addition, babies regenerate the strateum corneum (the outermost layer where new skin cells are formed) in as little as 14 days. This same regeneration process takes up to 37 days in a 50 year

In twenty years of helping people settle their estates, one glaring fact always stands out: we have way too much stuff! Just start poking around your closets, under the beds, up in the attics or your garage, and you'll agree. Our overstuffed and cluttered homes, and garages that can't hold our cars, have created a new industry: professional organizers; thank goodness for them. Let's not forget the good reason why all of these storage companies keep going up across your city. People can't seem to let go of their "stuff." Don't organize your junk -- get rid of it!

Maybe it’s the thought of mowing the grass, shoveling the snow, or the kitchen faucet that needs to be repaired. The multitude of responsibilities and maintenance involved in keeping up your current home may make the move to an Independent Living Community look very attractive. But is it ...

No, I am not talking about weight; I am talking about the largest organ on your body, your skin. As we age, the skin, like every other organ in our body, begins to decline. While we don’t have any way to reverse this aging process there are things that we can do to boost it functioning and help to prevent skin integrity issues, a major complication for many seniors. What does skin do for us? • Helps maintain proper body temperature • Wards off infections • Waterproof barrier that keeps moisture in and moisture out. • Provides sensory information about our environment and injury

Some teenagers and younger adults have difficulty getting out of bed because they are tired, lazy or were out late the night before. Seniors have difficulty getting out of bed for different reasons. It's not that they do not want to get out of bed but because they have physical difficulty doing it. Whenever possible, the goal should be to enable independence. Fortunately, there are a variety of solutions: 1) Bed Assist Rail: This is a simple device that provides the user w

Gums Disease is often a warning of something serious problem, a warning that your body is disagreeable to better itself. Cardinal statesman signs of extravasations gums are: swollen, traumatic or responsive gums; blisters around the gums; appearance of the gums; and the trauma itself that occurs around the compound of the teeth. Regular Dental Check Ups are important as it allows any problems to be detected and treated before they cause any permanent damage to your teeth and

The real estate industry is in a virtual free fall. Even as rental rates drop, vacancy rates are soaring in many locations. When the market hits bottom, the value of commercial real estate may settle at depression levels, according to some independent reports. This is a major reason assisted facility housing may be faring better in general than commercial real estate. With a social-service culture and, often, a charitable foundation to rely on, these institutions have been be

Life expectancy has increased significantly in the developed world during last few years and people live longer than they used to about a couple of decades ago. This is due to the advancement in medical science as well as due to availability and new developments in elderly health care. Now days, senior citizens have more opportunities to live active and healthy lives than they had in earlier times. However, there is one fact that needs to be acknowledged; i.e. old age brings

Stress plays a dominant role in human disease. The effects of mental stress are insidious and affect structure and function of the entire brain and body. As we age, we have a harder time coping with stress. In fact, aging may be defined as the progressive decrease in the ability to adapt to mental and physical stress. One part of Tai Chi Chuan and Qigong practice is to release unnecessary tension in muscles. Muscles are an excellent mental stress barometer since hyper-arousal consistently leads to amplified muscle tension.

Assisted living facility can be a boon for lonely elderly people. Here, they can get help with their daily activities and be among people who share common thoughts and interests. But the facility does not come cheap by any standards. It can cost a whopping $2000 to $5000 per month. Sure, it is not everybody’s cup of tea to be able to afford that. This is where government assisted living comes into picture. Financial Aids Provided By Government The Government has some plans

Ideally, we would all love to allow our senior loved ones to continue living in their beloved home, the repository of all their most treasured memories, instead of forcing them to live in a nursing facility. However, letting seniors live independently does have its own challenges. The most obvious of such challenges are the issues of safety and security. All the common health problems an average senior faces can essentially transform their usually cozy abode into a haven of e

As we age we often take things for granted. We’ve lived in our homes for many years and have become accustomed to the way things are but are we alert to changes that may impact our safety in our homes? Many of the people I work with have difficulty with balance. Whether caused by an ear infection or a more chronic condition a real result of balance issues is fall risks. Knowing that you have trouble with falls is the first step to protecting yourself from serious injury. Let’s take a walk around the house and see how safe is home really! Let’s walk through a typical day.

After my Mom’s partial hip replacement in late July 2009, I recognized the resistance I was relying on while engaging with her. Mom’s default position when she experiences tough times in various forms is to want to die. “You know what I want. I want to be dead,” is her mantra. In response, I have used words to encourage her to want to live. I offer her something to look forward to, such as returning to her day enrichment program. I tell her that God will call her when

Children are more inclined to fall sick than adults, the reason being that children are in close contact with other children at daycare or school where germs are easily transmitted. Unfortunately, most children are not as conscious of personal hygiene as they should be, which increases their risk of illness. There's something else entirely to cleanliness than simply hand washing. Schools can likewise give a field where great cleanliness can be appeared getting it done and pro

A balanced, healthy diet is an important part of life at any age, but it takes on a more serious role for the elderly, who need to watch what they eat closely for several reasons. Seniors are more likely to be on medication, which could interact with certain foods, or they may be on restricted diets to help control blood pressure and heart disease. By eating healthy, flavorful foods, life could be prolonged and the quality of this life will be far higher. It's important to ke

If you or your relative has reached a point where care at home is required there are lots of options open to you from a range of service providers providing round-the- clock live in care. However, it is vital to consider how you are going to fund it, as state funding is not available to many. Sadly, many local authorities on tight budgets can only provide funding to a limited number of people and funding is means tested to determine who receives help. For many people, self-fu

Spirit at Work in Long-term Care Abstract The authors discuss the moral distress that surfaces around responding to last-minute sick calls in a long-term care (LTC) facility. Presented within the context of Spirit at Work (SAW), the scenarios and solutions are applicable to both front line staff and management. At 12:30 pm, on the Sunday of a summer, long weekend, a nurse scheduled for the 3:00 pm shift calls in “sick.” Knowing that no replacement is available, I still mus

(assuming no mental or physical impairment exists) Have you ever tried to pick up a pencil? What about trying to drink a glass of water? How about trying to punch in the ten digits of a phone number to call your friend on your cell? There was a point when you stopped thinking about ...

Trigeminal Neuralgia is a condition that can cause stabbing shocking pains in the face. In some cases, there is inflammation or a tumor placing pressure on nerves. However, many times, modern western medical science finds no apparent reason for the pain. This leaves many people searching for a more effective treatment for trigeminal neuralgia. Fortunately, many are finding help through natural homeopathic forms of care. Homeopathy is a form of alternative medicine that is aim

By Jacqueline Marcell, Author of ‘Elder Rage’ www.ElderRage.com For eleven years I pleaded with my obstinate elderly father to allow a caregiver to help him with my ailing mother, but after 55 years of loving each other he adamantly insisted on taking care of her himself. Every caregiver I hired to help him called in exasperation, "Jacqueline, I just can't work with your father–his temper is impossible to handle. I don't think he’ll accept help until he's on his knees himself."

The trend in assisted living facilities being the primary way we take care of our aging loved ones is continuing to increase. With this increasing trend are some other not so nice aspects to this burgeoning elder care business. Care worker to resident ratios based on state licensing requirements are often ignored. The staff that takes care of your loved one in the day and night are usually paid near minimum wage. Managers get bonuses based on cutting the budget which often encourages working the facility understaffed.

At the Peninsula School, the University of Cambridge, and the University of Michigan, researchers have conducted the first international comparative of cognitive function in older adults in the U.S. and Britain. The results showed that U.S. seniors preformed significantly better than their British counterparts. The findings are surprising because Adults in the U.S. are known to be more susceptible to certain types of diseases that are associated with mental decline. The study

When terminally ill patients are feeling relatively well, doctors may sometimes avoid discussing important end-of-life care issues with them, a new study has found. In January of 2009, the journal of Cancer surveyed close to 4,000 physicians and asked them how they would counsel a potential cancer patient with four to six months to live. Only a minority said they would discuss such vital issues as end of life nursing and other subject matter related to final preparations. On

You'll find several strategies to acquire a used car in Cincinnati and other cities. As for me, the most effective chance to purchase a utilised as well as a new car is govt automobile auction. It does not matter whether you need to discover bargains for on your own, or to resell your purchases for any revenue, administration auctions are an successful way to enhance your net really worth and bottom line. Costs there can be as minimal as $500 for your automobile in a excell

When elderly people require additional support with the tasks of daily living it is typically considered that remaining at home with the help of a carer or a professional home care provider is preferable to residential care. It should also be recognised that basic adaptations to the home can help individuals and couples remain independent for as long as possible. There are many steps that elderly people can take to help maximise their independence at home, including making use of a wide range of adaptations and equipment available. Around the Home

Most of us have moments or glitches when we have trouble remembering something that just happened, like where we placed our keys when we got home, or the name of someone you met 10 minutes earlier. In younger people, there could be a host of reasons why these things happen. There are many psychological and physical disorders that affect memory that have nothing to do with aging. Stress, depression, being preoccupied or just downright tired can cause brief memory glitches. Oth

There are a number of aspects of growing older that can be great about growing older. The adage that wisdom comes with age is most assuredly true, however there can be some things that become more difficult as a person ages. One of the most common diseases associated with growing older is dementia, which is sometimes referred to as senility. Unfortunately, using the term senility or senile does not really paint an accurate picture of dementia, because dementia is not a normal

Alzheimer’s Disease International has marked September 2012 as the first global World Alzheimer’s Month - an international campaign to raise awareness and challenge the stigma of dementia. The theme of this year’s Alzheimer’s Month is Dementia: Living Together, when Alzheimer’s associations across the world are encouraged to focus on reducing the stigma associated with the condition and make communities more dementia-friendly.

In the United States, there are signs of beginning awareness of an issue that policymakers in Australia and the U.K. have recognized for years: More and more children are providing care for elders and other adult relatives with disabilities. Connie Siskowski, RN, PhD, founder and president of Boca Respite Volunteers and the Caregiving Youth Project in Boca Raton, FL, has researched the problem in the United States and has written that: "Recognition, assessment, education, support, and research of young caregivers is yet to be well established throughout the United States.

Elderly nutrition is a topic of concern for many senior adults and their caretakers. Naturally occurring changes in our bodies create challenges for adequate nutrient intake and absorption as we age. Dairy products, and goat milk, in particular, have properties that can help meet these challenges to reduce the prospect of inadequate nutrition for the elderly. Goat milk is high in calcium, protein, beneficial fats, and many vitamins and minerals. But, as you'll see, the nutrit

We all want to protect our loved ones from danger, but it's impossible to be with them every moment of the day. And unfortunate as it is, scam artists see your aging Mom or Dad as an easy target, knowing full well that elderly individuals are more likely to fall for their scams. Elder fraud often goes unreported, but i

A recent report by the Women’s Royal Voluntary Service charity (“WRVS”) has highlighted the extent to which elderly people are suffering from falls and the psychological impact this has on them. According to the findings, more than 35% of people over 65 have fallen in the last two years and 32% of those living alone have suffered a fall in the last year (compared to 22% of people who do not live alone). This has also been seen across hospitals with the number of readmissions of people over 75 having risen from 306,000 to 360,000 per year in the period 2006-2011.

Perhaps in Shakespeare's time, a rose by any other name would smell as sweet but that's not necessarily so in the twenty-first century. Today we know that words can inspire us to achieve goals we never thought possible, but they can also fuel ethnic, racial, or religious prejudice. Given the ...

For some seniors, one of the hardest things about accepting that they are becoming more home bound is the inability to attend their local church, even with home care. The spiritual support of a church family is a lifelong source of strength, and when an individual must stay at home all the time, he or she really misses the fellowship and activities of church.

Constipation is a condition that everyone in their lifetime goes through. This problem, which comes under the field of gastroenterology, is not serious most of the time. Older people, however, are more likely to and more frequently get constipated, which can affect quality of life in addition to being a nuisance. Constipation is actually a symptom and not a disease. You may be constipated if you are having fewer bowel movements than usual, it takes you a long time to pass sto

Last year, I received a call from Sharon, the adult daughter of a potential client, Bette. Her father, Burt, had passed away a little over a year ago from an extended battle with cancer and Bette had been his primary caregiver. Until his passing, Bette was mobile, energetic and rarely sick. Once Burt passed away, Bette became a ‘different person’ rarely leaving the house. Her sunny, upbeat disposition had turned into an apathetic approach to everything and everyone in her life.

Everyone has heard the term "Buyer Beware." In my business of helping people downsize their homes and possessions, it should be "Seller Beware." From family to professionals, there are individuals of all shapes and sizes who prosper from taking advantage of older adults faced with the need to downsize. I could write a book as lengthy as Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace about the personalities that I have encountered in my career who have contributed to this sham.

The home care assistance industry is growing as more seniors prefer to stay in their own homes rather than moving to an assisted living home or rest home. In the course of life we find that we need help in doing tasks that at one time seemed menial and expended little energy. Home care assistance is dedicated to helping with these day to day activities to help make life more worthwhile for their charges. The home care assistance balanced care method not only helps with the da

Millions of low-income seniors struggle financially on a daily basis, trying to make ends meet. Coupled with the exorbitant cost of prescriptions, many other necessities, like nourishing food and medical supplies, fall to the wayside. Fortunately, low-income seniors reliant on their medications have recourse - the majo