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 18, 2015 | Healthy Aging, Uncategorized
The statistics on older adults and falls are frightening. According to the National Council on Aging, falls are the leading cause of both fatal and non-fatal injuries among seniors. One in three adults age 65 and older falls each year. Once a senior experiences a fall, they are more likely to fall again. Experts believe the key to fall prevention is a combination of strength training, balance exercises, and vision health. Creating a safe environment is also important.
Advice for Adult Children in Michigan
Here are a few steps adult children of Michigan seniors can take to help their loved one prevent another fall:
1. Have a Home Evaluation: Throw rugs, uneven stair treads, extension cords and cluttered hallways are a just a few of the hazards older adults may encounter in their own home. Our best advice is to hire an occupational therapist or a physical therapist to conduct an in-home safety assessment. Your family physician may need to write an order or make a referral for this service.
2. Get Physical: Older adults are often afraid that exercising will increase their odds of falling. But maintaining physical strength, flexibility and balance are among the best ways to prevent falls. Talk with your aging loved one and their physician to determine what type of exercise may be best for them. One to consider is Go4Life developed by the National Institute on Aging. The program that includes a variety of tools, guides and DVDs you can order at no cost.
3. Schedule an Eye Exam: Vision problems can lead to falls. Encourage your older family member to schedule an appointment with a board certified Ophthalmologist. They can help detect potential vision problems and make recommendations for treatment.
4. Encourage Compliance: The majority of falls and injuries seniors experience occur at home. But home is the place they are least likely to use their cane or walker. Encourage your senior to be complaint with whatever assistive devices their physician has recommended for them even when they feel safe in their own home.
We hope these tips help you find ways to prevent your Michigan senior loved one from experiencing another fall. To learn more about fall prevention, we encourage you to read Debunking the Myths about Older Adult Falls developed by The National Council on Aging.
Heritage Senior Communities newest community is now 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 on the same campus will open its doors to new residents later this spring.
Photo Courtesy http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Interiors_g380-Stainless_Steel_Stair_p72979.html
by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Apr 2, 2015 | Alzheimer's and Dementia, Healthy Aging, Uncategorized
60 million Americans suffer from insomnia, the nightly struggle to fall asleep and stay asleep. Research has already shown insomnia can be an early sign of Alzheimer’s. What scientists at several universities are exploring is whether chronic insomnia may actually be a cause of Alzheimer’s disease or if it is only the result of it.
Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and Insomnia
There are a variety of research projects that have explored the possible link between sleep problems and Alzheimer’s. Several are especially interesting.
- Johns Hopkins Sleep and Alzheimer’s Research
Researchers from the Bloomberg School of Public Health at The Johns Hopkins University examined the sleep patterns of adults aged 70 and older. They found that older adults who slept fewer hours and had a poor quality of sleep also had higher levels of the brain plaque, Beta amyloid. This plaque has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease.
The team at Johns Hopkins is continuing to research whether or not treating older adult’s sleep problems might help to prevent Alzheimer’s.
- Washington University Sleep Loss and Alzheimer’s Findings
Another study conducted at the Charles F. and Joanne Knight Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at Washington University also delved in to this issue. In their trial, 145 volunteers who were all considered to have normal cognitive function and were between the ages of 45 and 75 were recruited. 32 of the volunteers showed signs of preclinical Alzheimer’s but did not yet have any cognitive impairment.
Participants in the two-week long trial documented their sleep habits including naps. Each volunteer wore a sensor that allowed scientists to track their movement and probable quality of sleep. What they found was participants who were the worst sleepers were five times more likely to have preclinical Alzheimer’s disease than good sleepers.
Tips for Getting a Better Night’s Rest
If you are a Michigan senior or the caregiver of one and you know you fall in to the poor sleeper category, there are a few steps you can take that may help.
- Get 30 minutes of exercise during the day. Try to work out early in the day. Exercising too close to bedtime can actually make your insomnia worse.
- Have a consistent wake up and bed time each day, including weekends.
- If you don’t already know how, learn to practice meditation, Pilates or some form of yoga. Each of these help you develop better breathing techniques which can help lower stress and improve sleep quality.
- Make your bedroom a haven for rest and relaxation. That means keeping mobile devices stored in another room. Also keep the temperature cool. Experts typically recommend setting the thermostat to between 60 and 70 degrees.
- Try to avoid eating or drinking anything with caffeine in it past noon. Caffeine can disrupt your body’s natural sleep cycle.
Our final recommendation is to talk with your primary care physician if nothing helps you get a good night’s sleep. You may have a health condition like sleep apnea that may require professional intervention and treatment.
Photo Courtesy http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/man-sleeping-in-bed-and-holding-a-tablet-computer-photo-p308659
by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Mar 26, 2015 | Healthy Aging, Uncategorized
Last summer we shared information on gardening for Michigan seniors. We know many older adults in the Great Lake state enjoy gardening as a hobby. It provides many benefits for older adults ranging from helping relieve the pain and symptoms associated with arthritis to improving core strength and balance. As we head in to spring and back to the garden, we wanted to share a few tools we have found that can help seniors stay safe while enjoying a favorite pastime.
Tools for the Older Michigan Gardener in the Family
- Garden Rocker Kneeler Bench: This tool makes kneeling to plant or prune in the garden easier on aging joints. You can rest your knees on the bench and use the hand rails on each side to assist you in getting safely back on your feet.
- Garden Kneeler and Tool Pouch: A combination of seat and kneeler, this tool also has a pouch you can add to store tools in. That eliminates having to get up and down to search for tools while you are gardening.
- Coiled Garden Hose: One challenge older adults face in gardening is dragging heavy hoses around the yard. Coiled hoses make watering the garden easier. They are lighter in weight and made to stretch further.
- Ergo-Friendly Garden Tools: Friskars has a line of ergonomic garden tools that are senior-friendly. From weeding tools to pruners, they are easier on older hands.
- Garden Scoot: This heavy-duty garden scoot lets you work in your yard from a seated position. It also comes with pneumatic tires and a swivel seat to make it even easier to navigate through the yard.
- No Bend Weed Puller: Weeding is another task that can be more difficult for older adults. This no bending required tool allows you to weed the yard from a standing position making it easier and safer for older gardeners.
- Easi-Grip Tools: Another line of senior-friendly tools, the easi-grips allow hands to remain in a more natural position while gardening. That makes it easier for arthritic hands to maintain their grip.
We hope these tools help you and your senior loved ones safely enjoy another spring and summer in your Michigan garden!
The Village of Appledorn West in Holland is now open! If you or a senior loved one would like to tour our independent living apartments or learn more about our assisted living community that will be opening this spring, please stop by or call us at (616) 846-4700
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by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Feb 26, 2015 | Dear Donna, Healthy Aging, Uncategorized
Dear Donna:
My great aunt lives in a rural community near Grand Haven, Michigan. We made it up to see her during the holidays and I’ve been worried about her since we left. Physically she seems to be doing well. She is managing her medications on her own, is able to safely drive herself to the grocery store and necessary appointments, and prepare her own meals. But she doesn’t really do much else.
It feels like she is very isolated and lonely. While she was happy having our family around for a few days, my fear is that she is depressed. I think she needs to be around people more. She was always a very social person. My husband and I aren’t sure what to do to help her.
Calista in Ann Arbor, Michigan
Dear Calista:
You are probably right to be concerned about your great aunt’s well-being. In recent years, isolation among older adults has been proven to contribute to a variety of issues ranging from earlier mortality to malnutrition. Being isolated and lonely can also put a senior loved one at greater risk for becoming the victim of a fraud, especially door-to-door home repair scams.
If you are confident your great aunt is safe driving, you might want to begin by encouraging her to become involved in volunteer work. There is an organization called Volunteer Match you might want to explore on her behalf. The site allows you to search for volunteer opportunities by zip code and interest. If your aunt is a nature lover or children, for example, you can look for organizations near her who are seeking volunteers.
Senior centers are another great avenue for older adults to connect with their peers. You can find the one closest to her by visiting Michigan Association of Senior Centers. Members have the opportunity to participate in a wide range of events each month including Valentine’s Day luncheons, tax preparation workshops, and Chair Yoga. Most are free or relatively inexpensive.
A move to an independent living community might be another avenue to explore. Residents have their own private apartment or cottage, but still have friendship and support nearby. It gives older adults the opportunity to enjoy life enrichment activities, wellness programs, and transportation services. All without the worries about home repairs or maintenance tasks!
I hope this gives you a few ideas for helping your great aunt become more active and engaged with life.
Best regards,
Donna
Our newest community, The Village of Appledorn West in Holland, is open! If you or an older loved one would like to tour our independent living apartments or learn more about our assisted living community that will open in the spring of 2015, please stop by or call us at (616) 846-4700
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by trevor@addfuelfire.com | Feb 18, 2015 | Healthy Aging, Uncategorized
Keeping the relationship between the older generation and the younger one strong is important. It helps kids develop healthy attitudes about aging and to appreciate the positive contributions older adults can play in their lives. For the senior generation, having children and young adults in their lives can elevate mood and decrease rates of depression. Finding ways to help foster those bonds can sometimes be challenging. Because of that, we have pulled together a list of ideas to help you get started.
Creating Meaningful Inter-generational Activities
The winter weather in Michigan may limit inter-generational activities to just those that can take place indoors. Here are a few suggestions:
- Wii Games: Invest in a Wii for your senior loved one to keep in their home. The two generations can use it to work out or play games together. You can even set up some Wii challenges among the three generations of your family.
- Puzzles: Purchase a puzzle that the two generations can work on over the winter. Store it on a small card table in a corner between visits. Puzzles are available for every age group and in a variety of sizes and themes. The time spent trying to assemble the puzzle will gives the two generations a chance for small talk and bonding.
- Magic Kit: Another fun project can be to learn how to perform a few magic tricks together. Most hobby and toy stores have magic kits and supplies you can purchase relatively inexpensively.
- Karaoke: Having a regular karaoke night might be another activity the two generations would enjoy. You can often find used ones at good prices on local community garage sale sites on Facebook.
- Game Night: Board games or card games are usually a hit with both generations. Depending upon the age of the children, they can play anything from Go Fish to Monopoly together. This Best Seller List might give you a few ideas for new winter games.
- Scrapbooking: This continues to be a favorite hobby for all generations. Scrapbooking is especially easy to do if your children or senior loved one has a smart phone with a camera. They can take pictures of their daily activities and outings to add to and decorate in their scrapbook.
- Watching Wild. If your senior loved one’s home has a window where they can see wildlife, another idea might be for them to volunteer for the Watch the Wild Volunteers of all ages track wildlife they see in their own backyard and submit it to Nature Abounds. The information is used to help detect changes in our eco-system.
Finally, never underestimate the fun of an old-fashioned movie marathon. Grandparents.com has a variety of reviews to make it easier to select DVDs that both generations will enjoy.
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