But for our beloved seniors, getting exercise in the chill of winter, even without snow, is a bit more difficult.  It’s so vital for them to keep moving – for their body’s sake and their brain’s sake. As many are now writing, including Mayo Clinic in their article, Memory loss: 7 tips to improve your memory, “Physical activity increases blood flow to your whole body, including your brain. This may help keep your memory sharp.”    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/memory-loss/HA00001/NSECTIONGROUP=2

Here are some simple ideas that might help you and your family:

Snow on the Sidewalks? Walk in the street with a partner. My senior mom normally walks one – two miles each day but snow definitely makes that more challenging. When I am home, the sidewalks are icy but we can go out together, walking very slowly in the street that was pre-salted and have little or no problem. It’s a quiet area so we are easily able to avoid most traffic.

Pick large stores for grocery shopping. You can both get your groceries and exercise at the same time.

Join a Gym – There are many excellent gyms available with treadmills and other equipment. If you check with your medical insurance, you might be pleasantly surprised to discover you get a discount at some.

Walk in water – Call the various gyms, YMCAs, and physical therapy offices and ask if any offer a heated pool that is open to the public for lap swims OR lap walks. We prefer the water temperature to be 90 degrees and above. If you don’t mind 80 degrees and above, you’ll probably have more choices.

Mini Exercise Bike – A senior friend has advanced Parkinsons Disease and Alzheimers Disease. Walking is very difficult for him. But he has a mini pedal exerciser bike that he is able to pedal away on while watching TV, which helps to keep his body a bit more limber. This is especially good for him, dealing with Alzheimers Disease, as studies such as the one listed at the NIH website have shown that, “Exercise training increases fitness, physical function, cognitive function, and positive behavior in people with dementia and related cognitive impairments.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15468033

Take the Stairs – My senior mom used to walk up and down the stairs in the house to get regular exercise. She’s a bit less steady now, so she leaves that to me and trust me, it does help!

Walk Inside – When I am gone, and she wants some extra exercise, my senior mom will go walk around and around in the garage if it is warm enough or walk through the house from room to room. I’ve even been known to do this when the weather stays bad long enough. We either listen to a good book on tape or iPod, or chat away on the telephone. That way, we get good company and less boredom.

However your senior parents (and you) get the exercise, it’s well worth it – for body and mind. So look for positive and creative ways to encourage them to walk with you in person or on the phone. You’ll both be glad you did.

Kaye Swain is a member of the Sandwich Generation dealing with the issues of caring for the elderly parents and relatives in her family while also babysitting grandchildren. She enjoys writing on those topics at SandwichINK, in order to provide other multigenerational caregivers with useful information, resources and encouragement.

It’s a great opportunity to make sure they really are doing as well as they say they are. I have had a couple of beloved seniors over the years who I would call regularly. They always assured me they were doing just fine. But when I was finally able to get out to visit them, I discovered they definitely needed some extra help and closer oversight.

And that’s not necessarily true just for the long distance relatives. I had a sweet aging neighbor, once, who I shopped for each week. While I was concerned about her deteriorating health, I didn’t worry about what she was eating, since I knew about all the healthy items I was getting her. When she continued to worsen and I had to step in a bit more proactively, I was shocked to find quite a bit of that healthy food dead and dying in the fridge.

Now, when I visit aging relatives, I make sure I take a quick peek in their fridge, just to be sure they are eating OK.

If you do find that your senior relatives need some extra help, but are otherwise fine at home, some great resources to help them and you can include:

Meals on Wheels

A  housekeeper – through an agency, their church, or friend’s referrals – once a week or even once a month

A gardener 3-4 times a month during the growing season. And if they live in snow country, perhaps they could come periodically to shovel the snow for them

Eventually, they may need to relocate to your home or a care facility, to ensure their safety and healthy well-being. But these simple little tips can often enable them to stay in their own home a bit longer – making them and you very happy. And that’s often the best gift of all, isn’t it.

Kaye Swain is a member of the Sandwich Generation dealing with the issues of caring for the elderly parents and relatives in her family while also babysitting grandchildren. She enjoys writing on those topics at SandwichINK, in order to provide other multigenerational caregivers with useful information, resources and encouragement.

Since 2002, a few educators began reading poetry in a church basement; soon after their agenda included educational courses focusing on contemporary global issues, historical themes, music appreciation, great decisions and foreign policy issues, and other matters of importance.

At first, the audience was primarily retired older adults; over time Active Minds has grown to serve adults of all ages through programming at book stores, libraries, and corporations.  Today Active Minds provides programming to more than 200 organizations and has over 30 highly qualified instructors on staff.

Employee relationships deepen and the company culture is strengthened with programs that enrich people’s lives. Tell your employer about the Active Minds Corporate Programs. One-hour classes offer an instructor providing an overview and in-depth analysis of an important topic. Click here for a list of topics.

Give my friend, Zane Robertson a call or email, and tell him Joy Loverde sent you…
Telephone: 303-320-7652
E-mail: Zane@ActiveMindsForLife.com
Website: www.ActiveMindsForLife.com

“I’m so cold,” my senior aunt whispered plaintively. The nurse overheard and said, “I’ll get you some heated blankets.” “Thank you so much,” I said, as I tucked the hospital blanket tighter around my elderly relative.

Five minutes later, my aunt’s face looked brighter as the nurse tucked the toasty warm blanket around her. She felt so much better in the chilly room…for awhile. Then the blanket cooled and she was once again miserable from post-op pain coupled with being chillier than she liked.

Of course, we again got her a heated blanket, but once more, it was only a temporary solution to a long-term problem for my aunt. As with many aging seniors, her body’s temperature had changed over the years and she normally ran chillier than the rest of us all the time. Being in the cooler environment of the hospital, and with a body that was hurting from the recovery process, just made her feel worse.

Later, as I was at her house gathering up her clothes for the next day, I spotted her much loved and much used plush, soft “sherpa” microfiber throws. They are light-weight, cozy, and warm. Perfect for her somewhat frail body. I grabbed two of them and put them in the bag I was packing.

When I got to the hospital, I pulled them out and her smile lit the room. I immediately covered her with one of them and she sighed contentedly. Even though it wasn’t as warm as the heated hospital blanket initially, it was much warmer than the unheated blankets. AND it stayed warm non-stop. Plus it felt so good against her skin.

There are occasions when personal blankets aren’t allowed in the hospital. Heading into surgery, the patient probably can’t have one. I’m not sure about the Intensive Care Unit. But overall, we’ve found they are often acceptable for many hospital stays. And she was so much happier and warmer once she had those blankets there. That’s definitely an item that we’ll be packing in the future if we have to head back to the hospital.

Kaye Swain is a member of the Sandwich Generation dealing with the issues of caring for the elderly parents and relatives in her family while also babysitting grandchildren. She enjoys writing on those topics at SandwichINK, in order to provide other multigenerational caregivers with useful information, resources and encouragement.

Taken from http://tinyurl.com/6fym93f

The number-one cause of death due to injury in the home is falling; and falls on stairs are the incidents that most often prove fatal.

Due to declining strength and dexterity, falls are all too common among seniors. As a result, fall prevention is a primary concern for seniors and their caregivers.

Fortunately, there are steps caregivers can take to help reduce the risk of falling, especially around stairwells. Here are a few tips to make stairwells as safe as possible:

●     Keep the stairs clear of loose objects — children’s toys, the odd pair of shoes, and other obstacles should never be left on the steps.

●     Make sure the stairwell is well lit and has good visibility. This is especially true at the very top and bottom of the stairs.

●     If you have small area rugs on the floor, tape them down so they cannot slide or remove them altogether. This is also something you should do around the house in general.

●     If items must be carried from floor to floor, don’t carry large loads. They make it harder to maneuver, and easier to lose your balance.

●     If the stairs in question are outside, make sure to keep them free of loose leaves, snow, and other hazards. You should also periodically check for loose or broken stones and mortar.

●     If the stairs are in the basement, paint the bottom one white. It won’t clash with your decor and it will give them much better visibility in the dark.

Footwear is also an important part of your fall prevention strategy. The Mayo Clinic states that “high heels, floppy slippers and shoes with slick soles can make you slip, stumble and fall. So can walking in your stocking feet.” If that applies to you or the elderly person you’re caring for, a simple footwear adjustment could help prevent a fall. Additionally, check to see if your foot size has changed when you get new shoes; buy sturdy shoes with non-skid soles; and avoid shoes with extra-thick soles.

There is also an amazing array of online resources on fall prevention that caregivers and elders can take advantage of. Here are two of my favorites:

●     Temple University’s Fall Prevention Project — The website doesn’t look like much, but it is full of useful data, from in-home safety checklists (available in multiple languages) to balance tests for older adults on CD-ROM.

●     StopFalls.Org — The Fall Prevention Center of Excellence, headquartered at the University of Southern California Andrus Gerontology Center, produces this website, which contains useful information for service providers, families, and educators alike. While the information is mainly focused on the state of California, there is still a lot there than can benefit any caregiver.

A few simple precautions can make all the difference in the world for both you and those you care for. Stay safe!

George Williams is a veteran journalist, and writer for firstSTREET Online, a leading provider of fall prevention products for seniors and caregivers. George blogs about technology, health and safety for seniors on the firstSTREET Blog.

It’s a fact that most aging seniors want to live out their lives at home, as opposed to living in a nursing home or assisted living facility. Living at home maintains that warm fuzzy feeling of being connected. Those connections are memories, friends and neighbors, and a sense of community with the local stores and religious connection; the church. It’s important for our elderly to feel connected, having a sense of belonging.

Did you know people age 65 years and over “consistently ranked relationships with family and friends second only to health as the most important area of life” (Victor et al, 2000 p. 409)? This clearly shows how important social relationships are to seniors and how potentially damaging loneliness or social isolation may be.

What can be worrisome about maintaining a lifestyle at home, as one ages and not able to get around easily, is losing that feeling of being connected. If your Mom or Dad has trouble walking, their driving ability may be affected. When physical abilities diminish, people begin to lose motivation to get out of the house because their safety is at risk. Fear of leaving the home puts your loved one at risk of becoming isolated which in turn can lead to depression.

In addition to the isolation problems, many of us don’t realize that eating alone is a growing concern for our aging loved ones. When feeling disconnected and alone, they lose their appetite. Mealtimes are a sore reminder when family members lived together; sharing food and good conversation. Did you that conversation is the leading activity that seniors miss most? A survey conducted by the Home Instead Senior Care network confirmed that having companionship and conversation tops the activity list of favorite activities. Eating alone can lead to malnutrition; either losing interest in eating altogether, or if they do eat, the food is not healthy and nutritious.

So, how can family members rally around their relative to ensure they maintain a balanced social life an stay healthy? If family members live away from their loved one, then the social balancing act gets harder to manage. Here are some suggestions that will get you thinking about how to keep your loved one active and social.

1. Check with the local senior center for a list of events and activities. If you do not have easy access to information on nearest senior center, do a Google search – in the search bar put your relative’s city and then add senior center, i.e. Austin senior center. The search engine results should serve up your Mom or Dad’s local city (park and recreation) website. Most local senior centers provide transportation, so it would be fairly easy for one or both to get out of the house to enjoy activities provided at the center. The center typically serves lunch for a low cost.
2. Set up a remote communications using Skype via computer. If you can afford to purchase a webcam (camera), it will allow video conferencing (free phone calls with video). This gives you the capability to see one another. What a treat it is for Mom and Dad to see their grandchildren and stay up to date on their activities.

Social isolation and loneliness brings risk factors to the elderly; mostly due to our demographic trends. It can be difficult setting up an active social life for your loved one but with a little ingenuity, some loneliness can be put to rest. Check out “What Joy Loverde wants you to know about Creating Fun Things to do with Aging Parents” in our blog.

Carol Marak is founder of Carebuzz.com (http://carebuzz.com), a platform of websites targeting local senior care help for family caregivers and the aging senior they care for. Carol is a former caregiver for her aging parents. She experienced the frustrations of searching for local elder care help while living at a distance from her loved ones. That’s why she created Carebuzz. She plans to grow the city sites to be a leading local resource for caregivers.

By Carol Marak

Last month we discussed whether seniors are getting the information they need to make the best choices for their healthcare needs in the article, “Does Web Content Empower Aging Seniors and Family Caregivers?”We received interesting responses from our readers. Stan Cohen, summed it up quite well with his comment; “The issue I see as a content provider is that many boomers don’t think to “pre-educate” themselves about the issues they will be facing as both they and their parents continue aging.” Thank you Stan for the inspiring insight into the seniors and family members need to plan.

How do boomers “pre-educate” or plan for senior care? Let’s first address the steps family caregivers can take when planning for an aging loved one’s care. But before you run over to your parent’s home and yell, “Here’s what we need to do to get prepared for your elderly years”, take a deep breath and acknowledge that preplanning is not something that can be done in a weekend. Even before you start getting the paperwork in order, get their cooperation. To avoid having your parents feel like they are losing control of independence, it’s imperative to have their collaboration because without it you’ll have push-back that will sabotage the success of your care strategy.

Family members must prepare for having these types of conversations with aging relatives. Start with mental preparation; choose the mindset of positive thinking moving towards solutions that give maximum amount of freedom and independence. But before opening mouth and inserting foot, be careful of the tone you use. If you are condescending or authoritative, your loved one will become defensive and get turned off. Try your best to speak respectfully and honor them as capable and responsible adults. Do unto them as you want done to you is a good motto to play by.

When you feel ready to start the senior care talk, here’s a list of things you’ll need to gather for the care file:

Contact Names and Numbers: emergency contact, doctor (all medical specialist), dentist, lawyer, accountant, bank, retirement plans & investments, safe deposit box, hospital, pharmacy, Health Insurance Company, car & house insurance agent(s),Long Term Care insurance,church clergy, utility company, newspaper, neighbor, close friends. Be sure to list out policy numbers too.

Medication Tracker – Click on this link to access a good medication tracking form to use or you can search Google using “medication tracker”. You can also use My Medicines.

Allergies and Conditions Worksheet – Click on this link to access a good allergies and conditions worksheet by the Home Instead Senior Care network.

Choosing a doctor – a good form to use when choosing a doctor.

Doctor Visit Worksheet – doctor visit worksheet.

Health Care Worksheet – use this health care worksheet.

Health Care Proxy – create your health care proxy.

Click on the state you live in to download a Free Do Not Resuscitate Form

Advance Directives such as Living Will and Durable Power of Attorney – Click here to learn more about Advanced Directives.

Will and Testament

Copy of Medicare/Medicaid Card

Keep these documents in your file so you are ready if a crisis should occur.

Carol Marak is founder of Carebuzz.com (http://carebuzz.com), a platform of websites targeting local senior care help for family caregivers and the aging senior they care for.  Carol is a former caregiver for her aging parents. She experienced the frustrations of searching for local elder care help while living at a distance from her loved ones. That’s why she created Carebuzz. She plans to grow the city sites to be a leading local resource for caregivers.

It’s not without its challenges, though, including dealing with memories that aren’t as great as they used to be. I’m not referring to Alzheimers Disease or other dementia symptoms. Just the normal forgetfulness that becomes a bit more prevalent as we age.

My senior mom and I have found having a few tricks and habits up our sleeves can definitely help. Like:

Having an electric stove with a light that glows when the burner is still hot and getting in the habit of checking for that light routinely when in the kitchen to be sure everything is really turned off. (If you don’t have that feature, add it to your “what to look for when I get a new stove” checklist.)

Always check all your doors before going to bed to be sure they are indeed locked. Depending on how your senior parent is doing, calling and reminding them to check the doors each night when you are traveling out of the area can also be wise.

Find an easy-for-you system for taking the medications so they don’t get forgotten. We frequently use the alarm clock on my cell phone to help us with short-term needs. Another family member has one of the little plastic pill organizers for day to day medications. When it’s a severe illness requiring many medications, the old-fashioned way of writing it all down on a chart and checking it off can work great.

It’s also important to monitor how forgetful your senior parent is. One good system is to keep a monthly diary. Alz.org has an excellent 10-point checklist of what to watch for. Keeping that in your computer and reading through it every few months, along with writing in notes that are applicable can help you monitor their memory, as well as other areas of concern. The nice thing is, most of the time you’ll end up relieved they are doing fine. But, if they are progressing, you will be on top of it.

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution to caring for elderly parents. But finding simple solutions like these that work for you can be a big stress reliever for both your aging parent and yourself.

P.S Here’s the link for the 10 Signs of Alzheimer’s from the Alzheimer’s Association

http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_10_signs_of_alzheimers.asp

Kaye Swain is a member of the Sandwich Generation dealing with the issues of caring for the elderly parents and relatives in her family while also babysitting grandchildren. She enjoys writing on those topics at SandwichINK, in order to provide other multigenerational caregivers with useful information, resources and encouragement.