by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Jul 10, 2014 | Caregiving, Dear Donna, Uncategorized
Dear Donna:
My mom just turned 80 years old. While she has always been active and independent, she was recently diagnosed with Macular Degeneration. Her physician explained to us that she will slowly lose her vision. We have talked about it and she knows she needs to change her living environment now. Her house is old and has a lot of stairs including to the basement where her laundry area is. She lives in Gaylord, Michigan and I am a few hours away in Holland. We’d like to move her to an assisted living community near me this summer so she has time to learn her way around while she still has some of her vision remaining. I’m wondering if assisted living communities can accommodate visually impaired residents?
Alan in Holland, Michigan
Dear Alan:
I’m sorry to hear about your mom’s diagnosis. I’m sure that has been difficult for her and for you. It is wise to be proactive in moving her closer to you and to a more supportive environment while she is still somewhat independent. The answer to your question is “Yes” we can accommodate visually impaired residents in our assisted living communities. A number of the older adults that call our communities home have vision problems ranging from Glaucoma to Macular Degeneration. Assisted living supports their independence in a variety of ways.
First, our safety features make it easier for residents with vision problems to find their way around. From handrails in the hallways to grab bars in the bathrooms the environment is designed to support older adults. Our caregivers can also provide assistance as necessary with bathing, grooming, dressing and escorting your mom around the community. Finally, the life enrichment activities each of our communities’ offer are designed to allow people with impairments of all types to participate. All of this support can help residents with Macular Degeneration enjoy a higher quality of life.
I hope this answers your question, Alan! Please let us know if you need help finding assisted living in the Holland, Michigan area. We have a variety of senior living options in western Michigan that might be a perfect fit for her needs including some new ones that are opening this year!
Donna
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by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Jul 1, 2014 | Caregiving, Healthy Aging, Uncategorized
We’ve shared information and safety tips on senior citizens and driving before in our blog. In Exercises for Older Drivers in Michigan, we talked about a few fitness programs designed specifically to help improve flexibility in older drivers. Today we thought it would help if we shared some of the equipment and tools you can use to help modify a senior loved one’s car to make driving a little easier for them.
Equipment to Support Older Drivers
Here is a list of driving aids that can help keep your aging driver safer getting in and out of the car, as well as once they hit the highway.
- Swivel Seat Cushion. Seniors experience the greatest percentage of driving related falls as they are entering and exiting their car. These cushions are placed on the driver’s seat and swivel a full 360 degrees. It makes it easier and safer for an older driver to get behind the wheel.
- Support Handles. These are another type of aid that makes getting in and out of the car a little safer. They attach to the car’s door frame so a senior or an individual with a disability can use it to pull themselves out or hold on to as they are sliding in to their seat.
- Seat Belt Handles. Arthritis and other degenerative diseases can make reaching over the shoulder to grab a seat belt painful. These handles give the senior an additional four to six inches of reach. That makes it easier to pull the seat belt closed.
- Mirror Adaptors. There are a variety of products that adapt the car’s mirrors to make them easier for seniors to see. One type of product is a panoramic mirror that clips on to the rear view mirror and widens the view. Another mirror product is one that attaches to side view mirrors so older adults can see if anyone is in their blind spot.
- Foot Pedal Extenders. This helpful aid extends the length of the vehicle’s pedals. It makes it easier for older adults to reach the pedals while also keeping them from having to sit too close to the wheel. Most of these products that are currently on the market range offer an additional one to four inches of extension and have a non-skid surface.
If you know of a senior driving safety tool that we’ve missed, please feel free to share it in the comments area below!
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by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Jun 28, 2014 | Alzheimer's and Dementia, Caregiving, Uncategorized
When a loved one lives with Alzheimer’s disease, members of their family often worry if there is a genetic link. Watching someone you love suffer with dementia makes that concern inevitable. While the cause of Alzheimer’s disease continues to elude researchers, some clinical trials are shedding light on possible links between health problems and the disease. One medical condition that has interested scientists for some time is a possible link between older adults with anemia and the risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Exploring the Relationship between Alzheimer’s Disease and Anemia
A study published in Neurology magazine last year explored the idea that patients who were anemic were more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. They hypothesize that because people who are anemic have fewer red blood cells, they have less oxygen reaching their brain. Can that somehow contribute to the plaques and tangles believed to lead to Alzheimer’s? In this trial, 2,552 participants who were dementia-free were evaluated and followed. 392 of them had anemia at the start of the trial. Over the course of the 11 year study, participants who had anemia were 40% more likely to develop Alzheimer’s. Even though that is a very significant percentage, scientists aren’t ready to say for certain there is a causal relationship. Instead they want to investigate the relationship more and examine what, if any, impact anemia prevention might have on the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
Talking with a Senior Loved One’s Physician About Anemia
If you are worried the Michigan senior you love might be at risk for anemia because of a poor diet or another health concern, share your concerns with their physician. They can make that diagnosis. If your hunch is right, their physician can help develop a plan to improve it. The bottom line is that even though these are preliminary studies, it is yet one more reason older adults need to adopt a diet rich in vitamins and nutrients, and to take advantage of community-based senior nutrition programs for support.
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by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Jun 24, 2014 | Caregiving, Healthy Aging, Uncategorized
When you are a caregiver for a Michigan senior, the many safety issues you face can feel overwhelming. You worry about how well they manage their medications, if they are eating right and their overall health. And it isn’t just the cold Michigan winter that puts seniors at greater risk. Hyperthermia is just as much of a concern as hypothermia.
Our aging loved ones are often at higher risk for heart-related illnesses because of health conditions like high blood pressure or heat disease. Even some of the medications seniors take have side effects that make them more susceptible to sunburn and sun poisoning. In this week’s article, we thought it would be helpful to share the warning signs of dehydration and heat stroke in an older person.
Many caregivers have the misconception that a senior needs to be out in the sun for an extended period of time before they are at risk for a heat-related illness. In fact, dehydration and heat exhaustion can quickly lead to heat stroke if left untreated. How hot and humid it is makes a difference, as does how much hydration the person has been taking in and how physically active they are in the sun.
Knowing the warning signs of dehydration can help prevent a serious heat-related illness or even heat stroke. Here are a few symptoms to be on the lookout for this summer:
- Dry, sticky mouth
- Feeling tired and fatigued
- Decreased urine and lack of sweating
- Muscle weakness
- Headache
- Rapid heartbeat
- Fever despite how hot it is outdoors
- Slow or low blood pressure
- Confusion and disorientation
- Problems speaking or putting together sentences
If you or a loved one you are a caregiver for exhibits any of the symptoms above, seek medical assistance immediately. Don’t delay calling 911 to see if they feel better. Heat-related illnesses that are detected early can be treated before they cause permanent damage.
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by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Jun 20, 2014 | Caregiving, Uncategorized
For older adults who call a Michigan assisted living community “home,” part of the sense of belonging comes from being surrounded by fellow residents and staff who care for one another. When a resident receives the news that they have a life-limiting illness, their community of friends can offer a strong support system. When the time comes, hospice services can be brought to them to provide an additional layer of care and services.
The Medicare Hospice Benefit
The Medicare hospice benefit has four levels of care. Most people are more familiar with “routine care.” It is when hospice services are provided in whatever setting the patient considers home. That could be their private home, the home of an adult child, or an assisted living community. A senior loved one can receive the same hospice services in their assisted living apartment that they would if they were still in their own home.
In addition to routine care, there are several other levels of care hospice offers to meet each patient’s unique needs. For example, if a high fever or infection leads to complications that require more support, hospice can increase services to what is known as “continuous care.” It is a short-term solution that provides more concentrated care until the crisis has passed. In most cases, the hospice patient can remain in their assisted living apartment and have the additional support come to them.
The Services Hospice Brings to an Assisted Living Community
The Medicare Hospice benefit will pay for a variety of services, medications related to the life-limiting illness and any necessary medical equipment. The services hospice will bring to the resident of an assisted living community include:
- Skilled care of nurses and nurse aides
- Spiritual care support for the resident and for family members
- Pain and symptom management
- Alternative therapies that range from massage therapy to art therapy
- Social work support
- Dietary counseling
To learn more about the Medicare Hospice benefit, download this publication from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid.
