Caregiver Stress
While family caregiving often is a rewarding and bonding experience, it also can be stressful and cause tension within families. A quarter of adults presently care for an aging parent or relative while taking care of their immediate family. Caregiverstress.com is an educational site designed to help family caregivers take care of themselves while taking care of their senior loved one. Visit this interactive caregiving Web site to complete an individual online stress assessment test and discover resources that can help you cope with the stress of caring for a senior.
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Get Mom Moving
Growing frailty can be the beginning of a downward spiral, and loss of independence is at top of the list when seniors discuss their worries about aging. But there is some good news. While staying physically active may be a challenge for seniors, getting Mom (and Dad) moving can help prevent and even reverse signs of frailty, according to one of the nation’s foremost authorities and researchers of mobility, balance disorders, and falls in older adults. To learn more about reversing and preventing frailty related issues, visit our Get Mom Moving website.Read more
Cooking Under Pressure
Healthy aging is a goal we all share and good nutrition is the first line of defense for older adults who are striving to maintain their independence as they age. Now the Home Instead Senior Care Network is arming seniors and family caregivers with nutrition resources for healthy aging.
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Cutting Corners
Pinched by the economy, some older adults are putting themselves at risk. Evidence is mounting that older adults are cutting everyday expenses to keep up with the economic downturn. Local senior-care experts warn families to be on alert to make sure seniors aren't cutting too deeply.
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Running on Empty
There are no easy answers about how to care for an elderly loved one on a typical day. A new survey shows the dramatic toll of stress on those who provide home care for older adults: 76 percent reported that their elderly loved one's needs are overwhelming, 91 percent said they have anxiety and irritability, 73 percent have disturbed sleep patterns, and 56 percent seem to become ill more frequently.
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40-70 Rule
Home Instead Senior Care established the 40/70 Rule, a public education campaign to help adult children address difficult conversations with their parents, such as driving, finances, independence, and even romance. The rule means that if you are 40, or your parents are 70, it's time to start talking about these trying topics.
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Encourage Seniors to Pursue their Favorite Pasttimes
A recent lifestyle-interest survey found that active recreational pursuits have become favorite lifestyle interests for the over-55 crowd. While not all seniors are going to be inspired to undertake an afternoon of river rafting or hiking, knowing that many do might provide some much-needed encouragement for less-active older adults to resume some of the pursuits they used to enjoy.
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Blue Mood Be Gone
According to a 2006 University of Michigan study, nearly 60 percent of more than 500 seniors experience some form of loneliness. Emotional experiences of sadness, grief, response to loss, and temporary "blue" moods are normal, but persistent depression that interferes with a senior's ability to function is not.
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Night Fright
During the day, Alzheimer's related dementia regularly sends elderly people into states of confusion. But at night, their situations worsen considerably. In the dark, they are terrified and often don't know where they are or whom they are with. The Home Instead Senior Care network has found that nighttime can be very frightening for seniors -- especially for those who live alone.
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Gardens Brighten Seniors' Lives
Home Instead Senior Care teamed up with Rebecca's Garden star Rebecca Kolls for a public education campaign to bring the joys of gardening back to seniors. The initiative's primary component, a four-color gardening guide, includes simple problems with helpful tips for projects they can easily complete either by themselves or with family members or a caregiver.
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Use It or Lose It
New research found that mentally stimulating pursuits, like brain games, can help seniors ward off symptoms of dementia. Unfortunately, a deterrent for many seniors who would like to stay mentally active is a lack of companionship, particularly for older adults living alone. Home Instead's CAREGivers are specially trained to identify clients' interests and find ways to mentally engage them.
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New Resources Can Help Identify Depression in Seniors
Home Instead Senior Care is finding that an increasing number of Baby Boomers and other grown children of seniors are looking for ways to help identify signs of depression in seniors. Depression is common and often undiagnosed afflication, but it is not a normal part of aging.
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New Study Reveals Advantages of Senior Exercise
Though many of us can empathize with these senior adults, Home Instead Senior Care has found that an increasing pool of data spells out the inevitable fact that exercise is vital to the good health of seniors. In fact, a recent study found that exercise rejuvenates muscle tissue in healthy seniors.
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Seniors Should Heed Home Safety Cautions
Most seniors enjoy keeping neat, clean houses. But as older adults become a bit less steady, they also can become less sure of their ability to continue cleaning. Home Instead Senior Care and the Home Safety Council compiled a list of safety tips for seniors.
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