Skip to main content
Tag

elder care

Recognizing Signs Of A Stroke

By HealthNo Comments

Every year, almost 800,000 people in the U.S. experience a stroke. A stroke occurs when the blood flow to an area of the brain is cut off, depriving brain cells of oxygen. If a stroke is not caught early, permanent brain damage and death can result. The first step to preventing a stroke is being able to recognize its warning signs.

The most common symptoms of a stroke are:

  • Loss of vision in one or both eyes
  • Loss of speech
  • Sudden confusion
  • Trouble speaking or understanding what another person is saying
  • Severe headaches with no known cause
  • Loss of balance or unstable movements
  • Weakness or numbness of the face, arm or leg on one side of the body

If you observe any of these symptoms or believe that an individual may be having a stroke, call 9-1-1 immediately.

 

January 30, 2018
Love0

How to Prevent Falls

By HealthNo Comments

As we get older, our physical and mental faculties begin to decline. This is perfectly normal and does not affect everyone in a heavily detrimental manner, but it does increase the risk of falling. Falls can be quite dangerous and put any person at risk of serious injury, but this is especially true when it comes to elder Americans. To help elderly individuals avoid falls, we have developed a list of fall prevention tips.

 

  1. Make An Appointment With Your Doctor

Whether or not you have fallen before, it is advisable to make an appointment with your doctor to discuss whether any medications you are on or are about to start taking have been known to have adverse side-affects such as dizziness or fainting. You can also discuss with your Doctor whether any health conditions you may be afflicted with increase the likely hood of a fall (ex: an eye or ear disorder may throw off balance).

 

  1. Participate In Physical Activity (At Any Level You Are Comfortable With)

Physical activities such as walking, water aerobics, biking or yoga can increase your balance and coordination, while also strengthening your muscles. Additionally, participating in activities such as these allows you to maintain a high level of activity, which will make everyday tasks easier.

 

  1. Wear Comfortable Shoes

Consider changing your footwear and gearing your wardrobe towards casual outfits that involve wearing tennis shoes or other secure footwear. High heels, flip flops and shoes with thin or slick soles can be uncomfortable and greatly increase the risk of a fall.

 

  1. Complete A Safety Check In Your Home

As most falls occur in an individual’s own residence, completing a safety check and “fall-proofing” your home can go a long way in regard to fall prevention. Start by checking for loose or missing handrails on any staircases and make sure to get them fixed. Additionally, make sure all rugs in your home are secured to the floor and won’t slide or curl up. In your bathroom, implement non-slip strips in the tub or shower, mount grab bars on the walls and install adjustable height shower heads.

January 26, 2018
Love0

Hasbro’s “Joy For All” Companion Pets: Could They Be A Vital Tool for Boosting Morale In Nursing Homes?

By Long-Term CareNo Comments

Hasbro has created a new brand of product entitled Companion Pets that are designed for purchase and utilization by elderly individuals. On the Companion Pets website you are presented with two options; you can either purchase a Companion Cat or a Companion Dog (The Companion Cat comes in multiple colors). These “pets” are actually robotic animals complete with fur as well as the abilities to move, fall asleep, roll over and make noises. They have been used in therapy settings to comfort dementia patients and given as presents to aging friends or parents that are in need of companionship but cannot take care of an actual animal. Additionally, these Companion Pets are commonly used by nursing homes to bring joy to their residents and calm them down should they become agitated. In some cases, Companion Pets have calmed nursing home residents down from a panic and prevented staff from being forced to utilize a tranquilizing agent on them. These robotic animals are battery operated, but can complete realistic movements that an actual cat or dog would and even make animal sounds. These pets will even fall asleep after a few minutes of an individual not petting them or giving them attention, only to wake back up as soon as they are touched or held. If a nursing home or assisted living facility does not allow pets or, at the very least, has strict rules regarding them, this may be an option for an elderly individual who lives alone in a place such as this and lacks companionship.

January 23, 2018
Love0

Virtual Reality Lets Younger Individuals Experience What It Is Like to Be 74

By HealthNo Comments

Embodied Labs, a company that develops virtual reality labs for healthcare training, has created a virtual reality program entitled “We Are Alfred” that allows young medical students to feel what it is like to be an elderly individual who is experiencing macular degeneration and hearing loss. Perhaps this will be able to bring higher levels of empathy to the field of healthcare and will facilitate the creation of positive relationships between younger medical professionals and their elderly patients.

This program utilizes a virtual reality headset, along with headphones and a hand-tracking device to engage users in a live action story from the perspective of a 74 year old man named Alfred. The “We Are Alfred” lab consists of six different scenes, each approximately seven minutes in length, that demonstrate Alfred’s experiences. The same company that developed this lab is also in the process of creating “The Betty Lab”, which will arrive in September of 2017 and highlight formative experiences of a woman afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease.

While the population of individuals over 64 is steadily increasing, the average medical student is only 24 years old. The team at Embodied Labs that is continuing to create these types of programs is striving to bridge this age gap and make it more likely that younger medical professionals will be able to empathize with older patients and deliver care that caters more to their needs.

January 19, 2018
Love0

Beware of Marriage Scams

By Asset Protection Planning, Elder LawNo Comments

If you have an elderly loved one that is newly involved with a significantly younger partner, this may arouse some suspicion. Do not ignore these feelings; it is not uncommon for individuals to prey on vulnerable elderly people in order to gain access to their finances or personal assets. As much as it is difficult to believe anyone would want to manipulate your loved one in this manner, it is important to address this issue and ensure their safety as well as financial security. A way to do this is to look for warning signs, which come in a variety of different forms.

First off, look out for an individual that seems too interested too quickly, especially if your loved one met this person online. If you think they are acting a little too eager, advise your loved one to let their relationship develop slowly and not to rush into anything.  If they don’t listen to your concerns and express a desire to marry or get engaged to this individual after only a brief amount of time, insist that they at least have their partner sign a prenuptial agreement. This may help prevent the younger partner from taking a large portion of your loved ones assets and leaving them in a financially desolate situation.

Another warning sign is any form of deceptive behavior or perceived feigning of emotions. Although you may think it will be easy for your older loved one to recognize that their potential life partner is not being genuine, they may not always see the same signs that you do. The risk of them not realizing their partner’s true intentions is increased if they have memory problems or any debilitating disorders, as these can affect their ability to think clearly. If you believe that your loved one’s partner is hiding their true intentions, express this clearly to your loved one. If they don’t listen, talk to other family members or trusted friends of theirs who may be able to get the point across. If you need to further convince your loved one, you can research their partner online and look for anything that demonstrates a questionable pattern of behavior. If you present them with findings that support your argument, it will make your points more difficult to refute.

Marrying for money is a form of elder exploitation, and can be extremely detrimental to individuals that fall victim to it. To help stop this form of elder abuse, recognize the signs and know what to look for.

January 16, 2018
Love0

My Elderly Loved One Has Recently Been Hospitalized and Assigned a Case Manager. What does this Mean?

By Long-Term CareNo Comments

It is important that, should your elderly loved one become hospitalized, you understand how each individual member of the hospital staff contributes to their care. While most people are familiar with the general duties of doctors and nurses, many have never heard of the role of case manager (sometimes referred to as a discharge planner). A case manager is someone who works with senior patients that have been hospitalized and develops a plan of care for them. Essentially, they are an advocate for their patients, working closely with them to determine their medical needs and wishes in order to ascertain what the best care strategy is for each individual. Talk to your elderly loved one and ensure that they understand the case manager’s role. Additionally, advise tell them to communicate honestly and openly with their case manager so that this individual will be able to get as accurate an idea as possible regarding the type of care plan that needs to be implemented. If you are someone’s healthcare surrogate, you may also need to be involved in planning with a case manager.

January 9, 2018
Love0

Social Media Abuse in Nursing Homes

By Long-Term CareNo Comments

As technological advances increase, so do the ways in which immoral individuals use technology to exploit others. There have been numerous instances in which nursing home employees have been fired or otherwise disciplined for sharing inappropriate content, via social media outlets, that features nursing home patients. This is a newer type of elder abuse that is becoming more prevalent and that everyone needs to be aware of. Posting embarrassing photo or video content of senior citizens is malicious, dehumanizing and violates elderly individuals rights to privacy. This applies especially to nursing home patients, as they are often mentally or physically impaired and unable to stand up for themselves. Everyone should be aware of the existence and growing presence of social media abuse when it comes to the elderly, so that they know to report elder abuse if they encounter it in any form.

To report elder abuse or exploitation, call the Florida Abuse Hotline at: 1-800-962-2873.

December 29, 2017
Love0

How to Discuss Driving with an Elderly Loved One

By HealthNo Comments

Discussing safe driving, or a lack there-of, with an elderly loved one can be a difficult task to navigate. However, if you are concerned about a senior citizen in your life and believe that their driving is starting to become unsafe, you should address this issue in a prompt, open manner.

To approach the subject in an effective style, you should outline what you are going to say before speaking with them. Try to put yourself in the mindset of the older individual. As you age, you start to lose an increasing number of mental and physical abilities, which increases your desire to maintain control over the ones you are left with. For an elderly individual, not being able to drive could equate to losing their freedom. Be gentle when you have this conversation and be certain to take their feelings into account.

When the time comes for this discussion, ease into it rather than bombarding them with a flood of dialogue all at once. If your loved one feels overwhelmed by what you are saying, they are more likely to become defensive and less likely listen to your ideas with an open mind.

Additionally, learn how to rebut objections in a sensitive manner. More than likely, your loved one will spout-off a myriad of reasons why they cannot stop driving. Allow them to openly discuss and talk-through their concerns without immediately offering solutions. This gives you, as well as the loved one you are speaking with, the chance to think through different scenarios and come up with a more comprehensive, well-thought-out solution that meets everyone’s needs. It also keeps them from becoming more defensive and getting in the mind-set that you are trying to irrevocably alter their world.

Finally, be patient. Don’t expect your loved one to come around right away or get angry with them when they object to what you say. Calmly discussing the subject in a kind manner will make them more receptive to what you are saying and will help you navigate this difficult conversation with the least amount of turbulence possible.

December 22, 2017
Love0

How Pets Can Help Alzheimer’s Patients

By HealthNo Comments

While pets bring companionship, fun and love into any individual’s life, they can be extremely beneficial to a person battling Alzheimer’s disease. The presence of a pet can help reduce anxiety, agitation, irritability, depression and loneliness in an Alzheimer’s patient, while also helping them become more socially interactive. Pets such as dogs can also increase the motivation for an Alzheimer’s patient to exercise, as dogs need to be walked and taken-out regularly. Additionally, if Alzheimer’s is fairly advanced in an individual, a service animal can be very beneficial and can help them complete everyday tasks that they would be unable to perform on their own. Additionally, pets have been linked to health benefits such as lowering blood pressure, reducing heart rate, decreasing levels of cortisol (the stress-hormone), and boosting level of serotonin (the mood-boosting hormone).

December 15, 2017
Love0

Lifetime and Estate Planning – A Seminar by Experts

By Estate Planning, Firm NewsNo Comments

Babette Bach and Fred Jacobs will be speaking at a Heritage Oaks event, “Lifetime and Estate Planning – A Seminar by Experts”, being held at their clubhouse on January 15th, 2018 at 2:00pm. The attorneys will cover a variety of topics and give some insights into preservation of assets and estate planning for Florida residents. The event is presented by the Heritage Oaks Lifelong Enrichment Committee. Please contact the club for more information: 941-926-7602.

December 7, 2017
Love0