by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Nov 15, 2013 | Caregiving, Healthy Aging, Uncategorized
Like it or not, old man winter is making his way to Michigan. For older adults in colder climates like ours, winter creates additional risk factors. The aging experts from the Heritage Senior Communities offer these 3 winter safety reminders for seniors in Michigan:
Home Heating Sources
Rarely does a winter pass in Michigan that we don’t we hear about a family who loses their home or even their lives because of problems stemming from a heating source. Older adults that live on a fixed income may try to cut expenses and that makes them even more vulnerable.
- Be sure your aging loved one has their furnace inspected each year in the early fall.
- You also want to be certain their smoke detector is working and has good batteries.
- A carbon monoxide detector is a must in all homes.
- Space heaters can be a hazard. While they are great for warming up drafty rooms, fire safety experts say nothing should be placed within three feet of a space heater. Also make sure the heater has an automatic off in case it tips over.
Auto Safety
Winter can be tough on our vehicles. If the older adult in your life is still driving, remind them to schedule a winter tune-up. Specifically ask them to check tires and tire pressure, window wipers, and the battery. Don’t forget anti-freeze and wiper fluid.
Fall Prevention
Icy walkways and porches create fall risks for seniors in the winter. If a landscape service to clear sidewalks is out of the budget, there are a few ways to help keep seniors safe:
- Non-skid shoes and boots are a must. You can even add non-skids pads to your loved one’s everyday shoes and boots.
- If your older loved one still shovels their own walkways, consider investing in a shovel on a wheel. Sounds strange but it not only helps to maintain balance while shoveling, it can also prevent back strain.
- Call your local agency on aging. Many have budget-friendly programs to help seniors with snow removal.
Are you a Michigan caregiver for a senior loved one who lives alone?
What is your biggest worry for them in the winter months?
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by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Nov 4, 2013 | Caregiving, Dear Donna, Uncategorized
Dear Donna:
I am the primary caregiver for my 88-year old mother who lives in Saline, Michigan. I stop at her house every day either on my way to work or on the way home from work. When I had my annual physical last week, my physician told me she thinks care-giving is taking its toll on my health. My cholesterol is up, as is my blood pressure. She strongly encouraged me to find a respite program for my mother for a few weeks so that I can get some rest. Can you please explain to me what respite is?
Diane in Southeast Michigan
Dear Diane:
Many caregivers find themselves in your position. Juggling the care of an aging loved one with work and your own family can lead to increased health risks. In fact, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that at least half of all caregivers experience a decline in their own health. Respite is one way to get help.
In plain terms, respite is designed to give caregivers a break from their duties and allow them time to rest and renew. How respite works is that your mother would temporarily “move in” to a senior living community for a week or two. Any amount of time up to 30 days. She will have the full benefit of nutritious meals, life enrichment activities and outings, and all of the services every other resident enjoys. Some families even use respite on a regular basis.
Most health professionals, like your physician, stress how important it is for caregivers to take a break before they are exhausted. Because caregivers are often reluctant to admit that they do need help, researchers at California State University San Bernardino created a quick caregiver burden quiz . It only takes a few minutes to complete and it will assess the risk a caregiver is at for burnout or a serious medical condition.
Are you a family caregiver in Michigan?
Each of the Heritage Senior Communities across the state of Michigan offers respite.
Call the community nearest you for more information.
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by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Nov 1, 2013 | Alzheimer's and Dementia, Caregiving, Uncategorized
If you are a Michigan caregiver helping to provide for a loved one living with Alzheimer’s disease, you may be witnessing this behavior and not know what it is. As the sun begins to set, restlessness, agitation and anxiety in a loved one peak. Just as a caregiver’s energy level is at its lowest, your loved one’s pacing and wandering begin. Sundowners Syndrome, also referred to as sundowning, is one of the most challenging behaviors for caregivers to manage. Estimates from The Alzheimer’s Association are that about 20 – 25% of those living with Alzheimer’s disease will experience sundowning.
How can families keep a loved one with sundowning safe?
One of the difficulties in managing this behavior is that the cause remains elusive. Alzheimer’s experts believe it is somehow tied to a disruption in sleep patterns. But there are some tactics that are commonly believed to help minimize the symptoms:
- Plan your activity for each day in advance. Try to concentrate appointments and other activities that might be over-stimulating for early in the day.
- Keep afternoons more low key including the noise level from the television or radio. Also consider limiting caffeine and sugar intake in the afternoon.
- Consider taking a peaceful stroll around the neighborhood each day well before the sun begins to set. It will be good for you and for your loved one!
- Some experts believe sundowning may be the result of unexpressed needs such as hunger, thirst or the need to use the restroom. So be sure your loved one has enough to eat and drink throughout the day and that you show them to the rest room at least every few hours.
- This behavior often creates frustration for weary caregivers. But it is important not to lose your temper. Speak in a low voice and try to remain calm to avoid making the situation worse.
- Pull the curtains and blinds well in advance of it becoming dark outside. Turn on all of the lights. This may help prevent your loved one from experiencing the anxiety that seems to be linked to dusky skies.
- Consider the use of respite services a few times a month so you aren’t too tired to cope.
If you’d like to learn more about strategies for coping with Sundowners Syndrome, you can visit The Alzheimer’s Association Sleep Issues and Sundowning.
Is your loved one experiencing sundowning?
Have you found any approach that helps make it easier for them?
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by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Oct 1, 2013 | Alzheimer's and Dementia, Caregiving, Uncategorized
Flu season is making its way across Michigan again. Like the turning of the leaves, it is one thing we can count on returning every fall. For older adults and caregivers in Michigan, receiving the influenza vaccine is the best way to beat the bug. Because of our expertise in dementia care, families often turn to us with questions about the flu shot for loved ones living with Alzheimer’s disease.
Q: Will Medicare or private health care insurance pay for the flu shot if my family member receives it in the Alzheimer’s care community where they live?
A: Medicare will pay for the vaccine. While private insurance coverage and co-pays vary by plan, most do pay for the flu shot. You may have to pay a deductible or co-pay. Check with your insurance provider to be sure.
Q: Will the vaccine cause my aging parent to get the flu?
A: Families often believe this myth and are especially concerned for a loved one who may already have a compromised immune system. The influenza vaccine does NOT cause the flu. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), “The viruses contained in flu shots are inactivated (killed), which means they cannot cause infection.”
Q: Who has priority in receiving a flu vaccine?
A: In years where the vaccine is predicted to be in short supply, this is always a concern for families who have an elderly loved one. The good news is that the vaccine for the 2013-2014 flu season doesn’t seem to be in short supply. But in years where it is, The Center for Disease Control (CDC) establishes the priorities for the vaccine. Among those who typically have priority are:
- Children aged 4 months to 59 months
- Adults over the age of 50
- Those who live with a chronic pulmonary, cardiovascular (except hypertension), renal, hepatic, neurologic, hematologic, or metabolic disorder (including diabetes mellitus)
- Residents of nursing homes
- Healthcare personnel
- Caregivers and those who live with a caregiver
Q: Does Medicare require an order from a physician for the flu shot?
A: No. Medicare does not require a physician order for the flu shot.
Q: Is there anyone who shouldn’t receive a vaccine?
A: Those who have had a previous adverse reaction to the influenza vaccine should not receive it. The CDC typically recommends that “people with Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) that occurred after receiving influenza vaccine and who are not at risk for severe illness from influenza should generally not receive vaccine.” If you are in doubt call your loved one’s primary care physician.
Are you a caregiver who regularly receives flu shot?
Has it prevented you from contracting the flu in years past?
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by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Sep 24, 2013 | Caregiving, Healthy Aging, Uncategorized
The physical toll the role of caregiver takes is well documented. Caregivers have weaker immune systems, increased risk of heart disease, and a greater chance of developing high blood pressure. All of these factors can lead to a stressed out, unhealthy caregiver. Maintaining a balanced diet is one of the keys to keeping our Michigan caregivers healthy. And recent studies indicate the Mediterranean Diet may help.
What is the Mediterranean Diet?
The underlying premise of the Mediterranean Diet is very simple. It focuses on eating very little processed foods and opting instead for a diet rich in fruits, lentils, fish and vegetables. Olive oil is one of the main components of the diet. Breads are multi-grain and low in carbohydrates. Dairy should be consumed in moderation. And the best news is that the diet includes a glass of wine or two each day.
When researchers at The University of Louisiana evaluated people who had adopted the Mediterranean Diet they discovered the following:
- A reduction in bad cholesterol. Believed to be the result of reducing fat and carbohydrates and increasing foods rich in soluble and insoluble fiber.
- Improved brain activity. They attributed this to the benefits of olive oil and omega 3 fatty acids in the fish.
- Lower risk of cancer. Researchers credited consuming lower red meat and animal fats to the decreased risk of cancer.
- Decreased risk of stroke and heart disease. Blood pressure was also reduced.
- Lower incidence of Alzheimer’s disease. Experts agree that antioxidants are probably the reason. They help to decrease inflammation that is believed to contribute to decreased cognition.
If you are wondering how to get started, this Mediterranean Diet Food Pyramid might be of help.
Have you adopted the Mediterranean Diet? What benefits have you experienced?
by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Sep 16, 2013 | Caregiving, Healthy Aging, Uncategorized
According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), people over the age of 65 are 2.5 times more likely to be injured or die from a kitchen fire than the general population. That is a pretty frightening statistic if you are an adult child of an aging parent who lives alone. So why is the risk so much higher for seniors?
There are five areas where seniors get in to trouble in the kitchen:
- Not having a working smoke detector in the house. As important as that life-saving alarm is known to be, estimates are that between 10 – 15% of our nation’s seniors either don’t have a smoke detector or the one they have doesn’t work. That allows kitchen fires to get out of control before the senior may even realize there is a problem.
- Along the same lines is not having a fire extinguisher in the kitchen. Many older adults reach for a kitchen towel to try to extinguish a stove top flame. That can actually make the fire worse and put them in greater danger.
- Dementia can make seniors more forgetful. They may leave soup simmering on the stove or a casserole cooking in the oven then walk away and forget about it.
- Older equipment that isn’t safe. This is especially true of an older kitchen range. Many of them have on/off dials that are located at the back of the stove top. This forces seniors to reach over burners to turn them off. Loose sleeves can easily drop against the flame or burner and ignite.
- Chronic health conditions can cause physical impairments that may make it more difficult for seniors to spot trouble and react quickly. This includes tremors from Parkinson’s disease or loss of dexterity in fingers and hands caused by Osteoarthritis.
What can adult children do to decrease the risk of a kitchen fire for aging parents?
- Make sure they have working smoke detectors on every level of their home and a small, easy-to-use fire extinguisher in their kitchen. Review with them how to operate both. Make sure to test the smoke alarm batteries when you visit.
- Remind them not to wear clothing with loose sleeves while cooking, but to instead wear short sleeves or keep long-sleeves tightly rolled up.
- Consider replacing their stove if they have to reach across burners to turn temperature controls on and off. Most newer ranges have the dials on the front of the stove.
- New to the consumer safety market but gaining in popularity are stove alarms and stove guards. They use sensors to sound an alarm when a pan is left on the stove or in the oven too long.
Are you an adult child of an elderly parent?
Have they had a close call with a kitchen fire?
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