Elder Care ABC Created by caregivers for caregivers

by Cheryl Culbertson

Elder care is a growing area of healthcare concerned with providing medical and other services for the rapidly growing, aging population most often persons 65 years of age and older. Given the choice, most elders would prefer to continue to live in their own homes known as aging in place. Unfortunately the majority of elderly people gradually lose functioning ability and require either additional assistance in the home or a move to an eldercare facility. The adult children of these elders often face a difficult challenge in helping their parents make the right choices especially if they live a distance away.

Elder care encompasses a wide variety of issues, including choosing an appropriate physician to care for an aging patient, and making decisions about moving an elderly person from the home environment to a residential care setting. Elder care also refers to an array of care services such as adult day Read More

by Joy Loverde

Mom and Bill’s house is showing well (Mom has always prided herself as the keeper of a spotless house).  In less than three days there are two offers on the house from two serious buyers. One of the buyers immediately offers $600 over the asking price and voila! The house is under contract. Wow! That was quick.

In fact, the house sale went down so fast that Mom is instantly relieved and Bill is stunned (he’s the reluctant party in this relocation idea). Now the move is inevitable and he’s digging in his heels anyway he can. At the same time Mom is on task and not letting Bill get away with any of his mind games. Read More

Welcome to the March 3, 2010 edition of the EldercareABC  Blog Carnival

June Tree presents Working Past Retirement: Job Seekers Over Age 55 posted at The Digerati Life, saying, “What happens if you need to work during your golden years?”

Kaye Swain presents Lighter Alternative to Snow Boots for Women and Men of the Sandwich Generation posted at SandwichINK.com, saying, “Spare Spikes are handy tools for Sandwich Generation senior home care givers and their winter weather emergency kits. They can help you and your senior parent walk more safely in an unexpected snowstorm.” Read More

by Joy Loverde

Question:

My elderly father in Florida started trading stocks 2 years ago and is seemingly addicted, having lost over half his life savings on ridiculous amounts of trading. He denies his losses and will not discuss it with anyone (including my mother). My siblings and I want to declare him incompetent to manage his finances and have my mother take sole control over their accounts. Is this possible against his will? All of their accounts are joint accounts. Read More

by Frena Gray-Davidson

Caregiving is not a task. It is a journey. We learn it step by step. On this journey we are forced to look deep inside our own hearts. There’s no magic key to the mysteries. Just each of us, this vast army of people caring for people.

There are lot of ways to get more help. Make a list of what you need and ask your doctor how you can get them. Doctors can write prescriptions for more than medicine. Also for equipment, therapy, home help.

Learn about diseases and their patterns. Open-heart operations often leave people in pretty bad memory function, at least for a while. Depression is a normal after-effect of a stroke and it usually passes. Learn you can never win a confrontation with a person with Alzheimer’s, so don’t even try. Read More

by Gary Skole

Seniors who are able to age in place at home positively impact their general outlook and mental health. Being able to maintain their freedom and independence is a major factor for this. When asked, the vast majority of seniors would prefer to stay in their own home and live independently for as long as possible.

As living completely independent becomes more difficult, many children of seniors begin assisting by providing home health care to their aging parents. While this initially is a workable arrangement, there are limits to what family can provide ongoing. Baby Boomers’ lives are so hectic that they eventually run out of hours in the day to juggle work, their own children, and now their parents’ growing needs. What usually gets neglected are their own needs and health. As the children of seniors find themselves spread too thin, they tend to feel guilty that they aren’t able to provide everything their aging parents need. Finding the right kind of assistance for aging parents doesn’t need to leave you feeling guilty. Read More

By David Crumrine

Risk Factors for Heart Conditions in Senior Citizens

Senior citizens are usually more at risk for various heart conditions. The following are some risk factors that have been shown to correlate with CAD or other heart conditions that result in symptoms like angina:

• high cholesterol
• high blood pressure
• smoking
• diabetes
• obesity
• metabolic syndrome
• lack of physical activity
• family history of heart disease Read More

David Crumrine

Coronary heart disease is a term used to describe a group of symptoms that have one major cause: atherosclerosis, or a build-up of plaque in the arteries. When we smoke or eat foods high in fat or sugar, considerable damage occurs in the arteries, which causes the body to reinforce the walls with plaque. When this fatty material builds up in the arteries, it not only causes discomfort, but limits the arteries’ ability get oxygen to the heart, resulting in susceptibility to heart attack, which is a complete blockage of the artery. Senior citizens are at high risk for Coronary Artery Disease and its associated health complications. It is therefore important that the elderly and those caring for the elderly be able to identify symptoms and respond appropriately. Read More