by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Jun 12, 2015 | Caregiving, Healthy Aging, Uncategorized
Summer provides seniors in Michigan more opportunities to enjoy outdoor activities. But it also increases their risk of life-threatening dehydration. Older adults are already prone to dehydration in large part because age-related changes weaken their ability to sense when they are thirsty and to easily adjust to changes in temperature. Summer’s heat and humidity add to that threat. Both can lead to serious complications and even death. When a senior loved one is too hot, they lose fluid through perspiration. Added humidity prevents sweat from evaporating and cooling the body, further increasing the need for fluids.
The Centers for Disease Control recommends that adults of all ages consume 48-64 ounces of liquid each day. This includes fruit and vegetable juices, soups, and milk. Sodas, coffee and tea do count toward that total, however, medical professionals usually don’t recommend them because of the added sugar, calories and caffeine.
Here are some ideas for making sure your senior loved one gets adequate fluids year-round:
- Always provide a beverage with meals. If the person in your care chooses caffeinated coffee or tea, insist they include a small glass of water or juice to counteract the diuretic affects.
- Urge them to drink a full glass of water when taking daily medications. A phone call reminder at medication times might be necessary.
- Schedule hydration into their daily routine. For instance, if they watch a particular television program each day, prompt them to get a glass of water or juice before it begins. If they exercise, ask them to drink an 8-ounce glass of water before and after.
- Encourage your senior to drink throughout the day rather than waiting until they are thirsty. Remember, if an older adult is thirsty, they are likely already dehydrated. You might try designating a specific cup, glass or water bottle for drinking water and challenging them to finish it and refill it two-to-three times throughout the day.
- Dress up their drinks. Add fresh lemon slices, other fruits or even mint sprigs to water for a refreshing change. You can also use a water infuser to create a homemade fruity water beverage. Offer sparkling seltzers and flavored waters, which are available in the water aisle of the grocery store. A colorful straw can ensure your senior drinks more quickly.
- Provide access to plenty of water-rich fruits and veggies. Drinking isn’t the only way to stay hydrated. Melon, grapefruit, cucumbers, celery, tomatoes, bell peppers, strawberries, oranges, spinach, squash and broccoli are all high in water content. Offer them with meals and as snacks. Raw is best, as cooking removes water.
You can also reduce fluid loss through perspiration by helping your senior loved one stay cool.
- Make sure they dress in lightweight, breathable clothing. Cotton is ideal.
- Encourage them to stay in an air-conditioned building on hot days.
- Older adults should avoid direct sunlight. Staying indoors or in the shade between 11am and 4pm is best.
We hope these tips will help you keep your senior hydrated and safe this summer and throughout the year.
Photo Courtesy
by trevor@addfuelfire.com | May 28, 2015 | Caregiving, Dear Donna, Uncategorized
Dear Donna:
My brother and I both went home to visit our parents in western Michigan over the Easter holiday. Our Dad contracted pneumonia this past winter and is slowly been getting back on his feet. What my brother and I weren’t aware of until this visit is how bad my mother’s driving has become. Before this illness sidelined him, Dad was the primary driver.
We aren’t sure if there are ways to adapt their car to make driving easier for my Mom or if it is just time for her to hang up the keys. She has arthritis in her spine and I think it is a big part of her struggle. She just isn’t very flexible. With my brother and I both living far away, transportation would be a real challenge if neither of them can drive any longer.
Are you aware of any resources that can help us?
Anne
Dear Anne:
Concerns about an aging parent’s safety behind the wheel are at the top of the list of questions we hear from adult children. Many feel like you do. They know their aging parent needs to be able to get to physician appointments, the grocery store and more, but aren’t quite sure how to assess if their older loved one is safe.
We know it can be difficult to objectively evaluate if a senior driver might be fine driving during non-rush hour times, if driving aids can be utilized to help them adapt their car to accommodate the physical changes created by aging or if it is time to stop driving altogether.
Here are links to a few online resources you and your brother may find to be of help in evaluating your mother’s fitness for driving:
- Senior Driving: This site was created by AAA. It is rich with information that ranges from cars that are more senior-friendly to the AAA Interactive Driving Evaluation Online Test. The latter is a good tool to encourage both of your parents to take.
- Michigan’s Guide for Aging Drivers and Their Families: This free publication was developed by the Michigan Department of Transportation. In it you will find resources covering a variety of topics including a self-assessment tool, tips for having a conversation with a senior about giving up driving, and medical problems that put drivers at higher risk for an accident.
- Tools to Aid Older Drivers in Michigan: If you think a driving aid might make your mother safer behind the wheel, this article will be of interest. It shares suggestions such as a swivel seat cushion, mirror adapters, foot pedal extenders and more.
- Exercises to Help Older Michigan Drivers: This article shares exercises developed by MIT Age Lab and The Hartford Center for Mature Market Excellence. They are designed to help improve older drivers’ range of motion and flexibility. Both abilities are necessary for safe driving.
I hope this information is helpful to your family, Anne!
Donna
by trevor@addfuelfire.com | May 20, 2015 | Alzheimer's and Dementia, Caregiving, Uncategorized
When a loved one is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease, legal issues are probably the last thing on anyone’s mind. But because dementia will eventually render them unable to make financial and medical decisions, the Alzheimer’s Association urges families to begin legal planning right away.
Here are the key terms you will encounter as you prepare for the future:
Dementia patients should appoint a Durable Power of Attorney (DPOA), a responsible person to act as their Agent in financial and legal matters. This legal document gives the agent the immediate authority to manage banking and investments, sell property, and more.
Advance Directives allow the Alzheimer’s patient to take an active role in their end-of-life planning. These are written documents that express their wishes related to their health care.
An important advance directive is the Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care (DPOA-HC), which names the person chosen to make decisions for your loved one when they no longer can. In Michigan, this person is known as the Patient Advocate. Michigan law also allows patient advocates to make decisions about mental health care and to donate organs upon death.
Another advance directive is a Living Will, a document that communicates a patient’s intentions about whether they should be kept on life-support. This also grants the patient advocate authority to make this decision. Michigan is one of three states that do not consider a living will legally binding, but can be useful to the patient advocate when making end-of-life decisions.
A DNR, short for “do not resuscitate,” is a medical form informing medical personnel not to perform CPR if the patient’s heart stops. A copy should be given to physicians and caregivers. Michigan law states that DNR orders are only valid when the patient is at home or in an assisted-living facility. Hospitals and nursing homes may or may not honor the document, depending on their policies.
Sometimes these directives are not enough to ensure the Alzheimer’s patient is healthy and safe, and the caregiver must seek Guardianship from a judge. This requires filing a petition in probate court to take power over a patient’s financial, medical and other life decisions as guardian or Conservator.
For more information about planning ahead, visit the Alzheimer’s and Dementia Caregiver Center
by trevor@addfuelfire.com | May 10, 2015 | Caregiving, Healthy Aging, Uncategorized
Hearing loss is one of the most common and most significant health challenges facing older adults. One in three people over the age of 65 and half of those over 85 have some degree of difficulty hearing.
This “invisible disability” can have major effects on a senior’s quality of life, on their relationships, and on their physical and mental health.
While hearing issues associated with aging cannot be cured, family members and caregivers can help in a number of ways.
- Start the conversation about hearing loss
An important step in addressing a loved one’s hearing problem is helping them recognize it. Often seniors don’t realize that they are hearing impaired.
Find a quiet distraction-free place to talk. Begin by sharing a desire for your loved one to enjoy social situations, and discuss safety concerns like the inability to hear a car horn, the smoke detector, or another loved one’s cries for help. Gently point out the tell-tale signs of hearing problems: keeping the TV and radio at excessive volume, asking people to repeat what they have said, and difficulty following a conversation in a noisy restaurant.
The chances are good that they will admit that they aren’t hearing like they once did.
- Change the way you communicate
The Centers for Disease Control offers several recommendations for talking with hearing-impaired seniors:
- Address the person face-to-face and speak clearly, articulating your words.
- Adjust the volume of your voice as necessary, but be careful not to shout, which makes understanding a message more difficult.
- When interacting in groups, ask others to take turns speaking. Overlapping conversations are tough to follow.
- Limit background noise. Most hearing-impaired individuals cannot hear speech over television, music, air conditioners and fans.
- Change your attitude
It’s easy for your patience to wear thin from constantly repeating yourself and raising your voice in order to be heard. This frustration can lead to negative feelings and to resentment that might further isolate the person suffering from hearing loss.
Remember, your loved one cannot control this situation and is likely just as irritated as you. Rather than getting angry or giving up, take a deep breath and try again.
- Be Conscious of Enabling
While a loving caregiver should be willing to work to make sure that a senior can understand, helping too much might allow them to avoid seeking help. If you find that you always have “be their ears,” encourage them to seek help.
- Encourage your loved one to see an audiologist: A doctor of audiology licensed in the state of Michigan will administer painless tests to determine the degree of hearing loss. He or she will screen for medical issues and related balance problems that could lead to debilitating falls. If the hearing loss is moderate to severe, the doctor is likely to prescribe a hearing aid.
- Invest in Assistive Technology
Hearing aids aren’t the only electronic devices that can improve your loved one’s ability to hear. Products like TV sound amplifiers, captioned telephones, and microphones can help older adults enjoy life and communicate with others.
Visual ‘flashing light” doorbells, phones and smoke detectors ensure that your loved one can function safely in their home.
Finally, if your loved one does purchase a hearing aid, you might suggest they consider a Bluetooth-equipped model that transmits from a TV, computer, and MP3 player directly to the device.
by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Apr 24, 2015 | Caregiving, Uncategorized
Spring cleaning is a ritual many adult children and seniors tackle together every year. If you are a Michigan caregiver trying to encourage an older loved one to move to a senior living community this year, spring cleaning might also include downsizing.
The logistics of helping a parent or other senior loved one prepare for a move may be overwhelming. Helping them decide what to take with them to their new home and what to do with everything that is left can be a challenge. This is especially true of this generation of seniors because typically didn’t move a lot. Many have been in their same home for decades. Spending that much time in the same home often means they have accumulated a lot of possessions. Parting with them can be difficult.
Downsizing Tips for Michigan Seniors
Here are a few suggestions that can help you and the older adult you love downsize their home in preparation for a move to a senior living community:
- Plot the Layout: If you already know what senior living community your loved one will be moving to, ask the staff for a copy of the apartment’s floor plan. Make sure you have the dimensions for each room. It will help you figure out what furniture will fit and what will need to find a new home or be donated.
- Set Realistic Goals: Unless your aging parent or senior loved one is in the midst of a crisis and needs to move quickly, try to work on downsizing over a period of weeks or months. It will be less stressful for you and your senior loved one.
- Organizing and Sorting: When downsizing means sorting through a lot of old treasures and belongings, it can be tough to stay organized and on track. It is usually best to begin in the rooms where your senior loved one spends the least amount of time. Label boxes or bins with “Keep,” “To Determine,” “Donate,” “Family” and “Trash.” As you work your way through a room, place items in one of these five boxes.
- Document the Memories: If your older family member will be parting with some of their favorite belongings, create scrapbook or video as a keepsake. Include photos or video of how their home looked before you started downsizing, pictures of their favorite roses and any other special places around their home. It might also help to include photos or video of how the belongings they gave to family or friends look in their new home.
Our final piece of advice is to spend extra time preparing for the actual day of the move. Create a “Moving Day Survival Kit” full of the items you will need right away. Include valuables, important papers, and medications in the box or suitcase. It should also include toiletries, a coffee pot and supplies to make it, and personal care items. This should stay with you at all times on moving day and not given to the movers to transport.
Heritage Senior Communities is pleased to announce that our newest independent living community is open in Holland, Michigan. The Village at Appledorn West offers adults over the age of 55 one- and two-bedroom apartments. An assisted living community will also be opening on the campus later this spring.
Photo courtesy: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/3d-cardboard-boxes-photo-p258549
by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Apr 10, 2015 | Caregiving, Uncategorized
Parkinson’s is a neurodegenerative disease that can strike in adults as young as 30. Estimates are that nearly 60,000 people are diagnosed with the disease every year. Because people with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) are often in the prime of their life, the burden it places on families can be considerable. The caregiving spouse often works outside the home and has young children to care for. Trying to provide assistance to a loved one with PD and juggle all of the family responsibilities alone can be difficult. Families often turn to senior living providers for help.
What is Parkinson’s Disease?
PD is caused when the body stops producing the necessary amount of dopamine, the chemical required to keep messages between the brain and the body flowing. These relayed signals are what coordinate smooth muscle movements throughout the body.
When the body fails to produce the dopamine that it needs, the result is problems walking, speech issues, stiff muscles, movement disturbances, and hand tremors. While typically not fatal, these symptoms make self-care difficult for a person with Parkinson’s. Many are forced to rely on loved ones for assistance with even the most basic activities of daily living.
How Assisted Living Can Help People with Parkinson’s Disease
When the family caregiver needs a short-term break, respite care in an assisted living community might be the answer. The loved one with Parkinson’s disease can stay for a week or two so the caregiver has time to rest and renew.
Families who have a loved one living with Parkinson’s disease often find an assisted living community to be a good long-term solution as well. Their family member can maintain their privacy in an apartment or suite while still having caregivers nearby to help attend to personal care needs.
The physical environment of an assisted living community is also a plus for someone with physical impairments caused by Parkinson’s. The overall community design is intended to support independence and safety for adults with a variety of health conditions.
An assisted living community also offers adults with Parkinson’s disease:
- Assistance with laundry and housekeeping services.
- Personal care support including help bathing, dressing, and attending to personal hygiene.
- Healthy, well balanced meals.
- Medication reminders and assistance.
- Life enrichment activities and programs designed to meet the unique needs of adults with a variety of different health conditions. Family is also welcome to join in on these activities.
Because Parkinson’s often causes dementia in its final stages, finding a senior living community with staff experienced in working with people with memory loss is important. If the need for a memory care support does occur, the transition can be much easier in an already familiar environment.
If your Michigan loved one has Parkinson’s disease and you would like to learn more about respite care or assisted living, please call the Heritage Senior Community nearest you. Our caregivers will be happy to help answer your questions and make recommendations for managing their care.
