Conversations with an older adult struggling with all the difficulties of Alzheimer’s, particularly in the middle and later stages, could very well be discouraging – both for you and also for the person with Alzheimer’s. Brain changes affect the capacity to hear, process, and respond effectively to conversations, and it’s up to us to employ innovative ways of effectively interacting and communicating with a senior with dementia.
COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is the term for two lung diseases: emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Basically, an individual’s breathing is severely affected by an obstruction to airflow. Prevailing symptoms include an excessively wet cough, wheezing, shortness of breath, and tightness in the chest. Managing COPD symptoms such as these can be extremely challenging.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can transform daily life into a battle. The good news is that there are breathing exercises to help relieve the symptoms and enhance quality of life. CareFor, a leading provider of Austin caregiving services and in-home care in nearby areas, recommends the following COPD breathing exercises to help strengthen the diaphragm and abdominal muscles, so those with COPD can take in more oxygen and expend less effort into breathing.
The countless benefits of physical exercise are obvious, but what is not as well known is that exercise for adults with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia can be particularly helpful in a variety of ways. It can help lessen the risk for muscle weakness as well as other issues that arise from inactivity, can minimize the impact of psychological and behavioral changes, and even more.
If you made a resolution in January to work out more this year, hopefully you’re continuing to stay with it! Adding extra physical activity to your everyday activities is one resolution we should all be putting into action. For seniors, many of whom take a variety of medications for various health problems, this is particularly true. As the top provider of in-home care services in Austin and surrounding areas, we’re excited to share research that shows new benefits of exercise for seniors.
COVID-19 cases in nursing facilities and assisted living facilities were devastating, as the virus spread like wildfire throughout our most vulnerable population in such close quarters. Because of this, many families made a decision to move their elderly parents home, which raised a number of challenges to be overcome.
Recuperating from an operation takes time, especially for older adults. Not only do older bodies take longer to heal, but there are extra factors that need to be considered: reduced mobility and numerous directions to follow for dietary restrictions, medications, follow-up appointments, and physical activities, just to name a few.
Stop for a moment, close your eyes, and imagine yourself like this: You have spent most of your life taking care of and assisting others – as a mother or father, in your workplace, through volunteering in your community, and as a grandparent. After all that time spent living independently and being in control of all of your decisions, you have suddenly aged to the point that now you are the person in need of assistance with bathing and other hygiene tasks. Consider the sense of fear, loss, and vulnerability.
The CDC shares that as many as one in three older adults fall each year, and surprisingly, less than half of them discuss those falls with their physicians. When a senior falls, even if it does not lead to serious injury, they can develop an enhanced fear of falling, which can result in limited activities, reduced mobility, less exercise, and eventually, a greater risk of another fall.
Falls can be painful, but for seniors, a fall can cause catastrophic effects, such as a fractured hip, something that can lead to even more health concerns. As many as one in four seniors who experience a fractured hip lose their lives within six months of the injury – a terribly disturbing, yet preventable fact. For these reasons, it is crucial to take measures in the home to help prevent senior falls.
Numbness on one side of the body. Slurred speech. Confusion. Appears to be a stroke, right? Then again, if those stroke-like signs subside rather rapidly and seem minor, they may be caused by a TIA (transient ischemic attack). But prior to breathing that sigh of relief and getting back to life as usual, it’s important … Read more
On a hot summer day, there is nothing more satisfying than a tall, cold drink, but for someone with dysphagia, this simple pleasure can be downright dangerous. Dysphagia – or difficulty with swallowing – affects millions of older adults, because of weakened mouth and/or throat muscles. Alzheimer’s, MS, cancer, and stroke are typical root causes … Read more
Family caregiver stress is inescapable, and in reality, not necessarily always a bad thing. Basically, as they say, “A diamond is just a piece of charcoal that handled stress exceptionally well.” Yet especially for family caregivers, the level of stress can rapidly escalate and become overwhelming, and if not handled effectively, result in serious health concerns.
Urinary incontinence is an awkward issue for those who experience it. The stigma behind the condition commonly contributes to people having either a lack of facts or a belief in some common misconceptions about incontinence. The following are just a few incontinence myths and the facts to be aware of instead: Myth: Urinary incontinence is … Read more
A lot of us are trying to juggle numerous assorted responsibilities, and for family caregivers, it can feel similar to juggling flaming swords and knives. It’s natural for family members to become overloaded and to experience feelings of caregiver guilt when wanting to provide the best care for a member of the family. Guilt … Read more
When our parents were younger, telephones were affixed to walls, mail was only the paper variety, and if adult children lived far away from their parents, checking in on them was as simple as asking someone nearby to stop by to visit. If someone were unable to leave home as a result of sickness or frailty, isolation could rapidly set in. Social circles were smaller, and long-distance family members frequently felt powerless if they weren’t able to be there in person to help. But life has drastically changed since those times, and technology has evolved how we communicate and manage the everyday activities of living.
Throughout the course of life’s stages, our yearning for independence is fulfilled in a variety of ways. There are significant events, such as moving out of our parents’ home or getting married, and less significant occasions, like accomplishing a difficult task on our own. Later, as we age, preserving independence becomes the focus – the capacity to stay in our own home safely and securely. This wish to age in place at home is frequently the greatest desire for older adults, regardless of their state of health or ability to function independently, even in the midst of injury, sickness, or chronic health conditions.
Even though the holiday season is usually viewed as a time that is joyful, abundant with visiting loved ones who are near and dear to us and selecting the perfect gifts, for older people, it can be far from merry and bright. A combination of lost loved ones, memories of holidays past, health problems, and more can hit older adults with emotions of lonesomeness and sorrow.
The holiday season is loaded with get-togethers, celebrations, and parties. However, holiday outings for seniors may necessitate a little additional planning. Try these recommendations from the Austin senior home care specialists at CareFor to enjoy fun and relaxed outings with loved ones of all ages this season.
Senior falls happen all too frequently and many times lead to serious consequences. If you’re taking care of aging parents at home, fall prevention is key and can be helped by fall safety measures. This includes assessing the home for fall risks, such as throw rugs or other tripping hazards, insufficient lighting, and a lack … Read more
The average senior takes as many as 15-18 different prescriptions every day, so it’s no wonder that so many older adults end up missing doses or taking incorrect doses of their medications. And there are serious health problems that can result from these medication errors. A common senior health tip is the recommendation of a pill … Read more
The great majority of seniors are set on staying at home throughout aging, rather than relocating to an assisted living facility or nursing home – close to 9 out of 10 of them, according to research done by AARP. And who can blame them? The comfort of familiar surroundings, the freedom to go wherever, whenever … Read more
Home is where we’re most comfortable, and it’s for that reason so many older adults make the choice to remain at home through their golden years. But oftentimes wheelchairs come to be a part of life when seniors or those with specific disabilities experience decreased mobility. This can be a unique challenge when it comes … Read more
Picture how it would feel to awaken in an unfamiliar location, not able to remember how you arrived there or even what your name is. Progressing into complete disorientation, then quickly leading to anger and fear, you might find yourself lashing out at the unknown person positioned beside your bed, talking to you in a quiet voice.
It’s intuitive to most of us that interacting with others improves health and wellbeing. It keeps us connected to other people’s experiences, beliefs, struggles, humor, points of views, and various other human occurrences. However, now scientific studies are determining that socializing with others, and most notably seniors socializing with others, actually may boost the wellness of both mind and body.
These days, music is more available than ever before. For those who bring smartphones or tablets with them everywhere they go, hundreds of thousands – if not tens of millions of tunes – are just a few taps or finger swipes away. If you are a caregiver for an older adult, your smartphone may become one of the most helpful tools in your possession in helping tap into the benefits of music. This widely circulated video clip from the Alive Inside documentary demonstrates just how incredibly effective music can be for seniors with limited capabilities and dementia.
Our senior care professionals in Austin understand that it’s tough to make the right dietary choices when guidelines appear to constantly change. We had been told that saturated fats from options like butter, red meat and fried food were harmful and could potentially impact a person’s odds of developing heart problems, but later research revealed there isn’t enough evidence that people who gave up these delicacies improved their heart health – and so, we went back to our old ways due to the go-ahead to opt for butter over margarine.
Throughout the pandemic, our Georgetown and surrounding area home care experts witnessed firsthand the crucial role of elder care technology in the lives of aging adults. As we move into 2021 and encounter the challenges of the new year, health and well-being are at the forefront of how we think about technology for older adults. In 2021, it’s expected that these technology trends will be the ones to look out for.
Today’s older adults are overrun with a plethora of hi-tech products directed at improving their independence and safety and providing life enhancement. At the touch of a button or two, we can automatically pay a visit “in person” with friends and relatives through Skype, wear a pendant that responds with emergency help and support when necessary, and even remain safe from wandering with specialized sensors attached to clothes or shoes.
A priority for hospitals currently is decreasing readmissions for patients who are at high risk. Healthcare Financial Management Association’s article “Two Ways Hospitals Can Reduce Avoidable Readmissions” explains that effective initiatives from several hospitals with minimal 30-day rehospitalizations are, to a certain extent, the result of working together with inpatient and outpatient care providers, such as CareFor, which offers trusted home care assistance.
While of course we’d like to imagine enjoying a Norman Rockwell-worthy holiday celebration, with all of our family members spending quality time together and Grandma’s traditional holiday feast, the reality for some families instead consists of something unexpected: an E/R visit. As a matter of fact, studies show that emergency room visits for older adults jump about 10 – 20% over the holidays.
Dementia confusion, a typical occurrence in Alzheimer’s, can lead to recent memories being forgotten about or distorted, while memories from the more distant past usually remain unimpaired. This can cause prior periods of time to be more realistic to an older adult with dementia than the present. A person’s alternate reality can be his or her way of making sense of the present through past experiences.
Long-term care insurance can provide great peace of mind, but utilizing those benefits can wind up being a complex undertaking for seniors and their family members. To help lead families through the process, CareFor offers the following informative overview.
Look online for the phrase “activities for seniors” and you’ll likely find a number of memory stimulation puzzles, crafts, games, and of course, the requisite bingo. What you won’t find, unless you really search much longer, are the meaningful, philanthropic activities that provide meaning and purpose to our lives. Yet, if you ask older individuals … Read more
The benefits of physical fitness for seniors do not decrease as we become older, and it’s extremely critical for older adults to retain as active a lifestyle as possible. Even individuals who are confined to a bed or who are wheelchair-bound have a variety of possibilities available to strengthen and improve resistance and flexibility.
Providing homecare assistance for your family member with dementia is very difficult under the best of conditions; mix in a worldwide pandemic, one that calls for social distancing, masks and gloves, and thorough sterilization of both ourselves and the environment, and the challenge of caring for someone with Alzheimer’s may seem insurmountable.