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How to Handle Aggression and Agitation in a Loved One With Alzheimer’s
It’s one of the most heartbreaking aspects of dementia. The person who once greeted you with warmth and kindness now reacts with frustration or even anger. It’s confusing. It’s painful. And if you’re honest, when faced with aggression and agitation in a loved one with Alzheimer’s, it can feel like a personal attack. But it’s
Myths and Facts About Heart Health for Older Adults
Did you know heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, yet it’s surrounded by myths that could cost lives? If you’re caring for an older loved one, you’ve probably heard some of them. “It’s just a part of aging,” or “They’ll know if something’s wrong.” But here’s the truth: believing
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Make Home Safer for Seniors with These Fall Prevention Tips
While experiencing a fall is dangerous for all of us, for an older adult, a fall can be truly devastating, with serious injuries like hip fractures alarmingly prevalent. In fact, as many as a full 25% of all older adults who experience a fractured hip as a result of falling die within six months of
Why Reducing Saturated Fats May Not Be Enough to Improve Heart Health for Seniors
It’s hard to know how to maintain the best diet for heart health for seniors when the recommendations seem to change based on who you ask. For years, we were assured that the saturated fats found in butter, red meat and fried foods were bad; yet, guidelines then shifted, as there simply wasn’t enough evidence
Is It Depression or Dementia?
Visiting Mom recently revealed some concerning signs. She’s always been an early riser, but now she stays in bed until nearly noon. Rather than preparing her signature home-cooked meals, she resorts to simply heating up a can of soup; and only eats half of a serving. And perhaps most significantly, she’s lost interest in her
Eliminate Stress and Enjoy the Holidays!
What comes to mind when you think of the holiday season? While many of us have visions of sugar plums dancing in our heads, for family caregivers, a more accurate depiction may be one of overwhelming stress. In addition to the everyday challenges of providing care for a senior loved one, you now need to
Holiday Safety Tips: Ensure the Holiday Season Is Merry and Bright
The holiday season provides a wonderful opportunity for family members to spend quality time with the seniors they love. And, it’s also the ideal time to make sure that the holidays will be just as safe for your senior loved ones as they are celebratory. Since there are a variety of fall risks and other
Maintaining Senior Independence: How to Walk the Fine Line Between Helping and Hindering
When a senior we love is having difficulty completing a task, our natural instinct, with the best of intentions, is to step in and take care of it ourselves. But is this really helping the senior, or could it be hindering their senior independence? The truth is, there’s a fine line between ensuring an older
The Benefits of Seniors Staying Social
Ask a group of people what it means to be social, and the answers will be as varied as each individual: meeting friends at a restaurant each week for lunch, belonging to a club, taking classes. For seniors who find it difficult to leave home, however, socializing could be reduced to sporadic phone calls and
Senior Care in Oro Valley: Common Nutrition Problems in Older Adults
There’s really nothing better than sitting down with family for a hearty, home-cooked meal. Yet for many older adults, particular health concerns can hinder the enjoyment of meals or even the ability to shop for nutritious foods, which in turn leads to malnutrition. Senior HomeCare of Tucson shares tips to overcome some of the most
Alzheimer’s Tips to Better Manage Difficult Behaviors
Family caregivers know firsthand how fulfilling it can be to help their loved ones experience a higher quality of life. Yet they also know that providing care is not without its challenges, and this is particularly true when a senior loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. And with Alzheimer’s, the varied behaviors can
Tips for Avoiding Caregiver Burnout While Caring for an Aging Parent
The rewards of providing care for a senior loved one are incredible. Family caregivers share a bond with their loved ones that’s unlike any other, and this deepened connection, combined with the feeling that comes from knowing you’re making a real and lasting difference in someone’s life, provides a sense of meaning, purpose, and fulfillment.
How to Identify When to Stop Driving and Still Maintain Senior Independence
There’s nothing quite as freeing as hopping in the car whenever we please and driving off to whatever destination we choose. That’s why for many older adults, determining that it’s no longer safe to drive can produce feelings of great loss. Yet with effects of aging such as reduced vision, slowed reaction time, side effects
Signs of Dementia: How to Tell if A Senior’s Forgetfulness Is Something More
“I just had my glasses on a moment ago…where could they have gone?” “Is today Tuesday or Friday?” “Have I taken my medications yet this morning?” For older adults, questions like these can arise on a daily basis, and can raise concerns with family members about whether such memory lapses are simply part of growing
Keeping the Peace with Siblings While Caring for Aging Parents
The relationships we have with our siblings are unlike any other, and typically are the longest lasting relationships we’ll enjoy throughout our lifetime. Though we may have fought like cats and dogs as children, many siblings find that, in adulthood, they’ve formed strong friendships. Yet regardless of the bond you may have with your siblings
Top Tips for Helping Seniors Accept the Idea of In-Home Elder Care
Think through some of the little everyday tasks you’ve taken care of today without giving them a second thought: making the beds, running to the grocery store, stopping for coffee with a friend, preparing dinner. Now imagine no longer being able to accomplish these things independently, and the feelings of fear and frustration you’d experience.
Warning Signs to Watch For Over the Holidays: How to Tell if a Senior Needs Care at Home
We all look forward to the chance to spend extended, quality time with those we love over the holidays. And while the festive meals, bright decorations, gifts and laughter are vital components of family holiday celebrations, there’s another key aspect to be sure to include in your visiting: assessing older loved ones for any changes
The Sobering Facts on Senior Isolation
The latest information from the Administration on Aging indicates that about 13.3 million people 65 and older (29%) live alone. Almost half (46%) of all women ages 75 and older live by themselves. What’s worrisome is that, as people get older and more vulnerable, their odds of living alone increase. Senior isolation can have many