While it goes without saying that abusing an older adult is something that would never even occur to most people, it is a tragically prevalent circumstance in the U.S. Elder abuse can occur in many forms, from physical to emotional, and it affects the most frail and vulnerable among us.
Insights and Tips for Enhancing Care at Home
What to Do in the Event of a TIA
Slurred speech. Numbness on one side of the body. Confusion. Seems like a stroke, right? However, if those stroke-like symptoms abate rather fast and are rather minor, they may be caused by a TIA (transient ischemic attack). But prior to breathing that sigh of relief and getting back to life as usual, it is crucial to recognize the facts about TIAs and why they ought to always be brought to…
Understanding and Overcoming Dysphagia Symptoms
On a hot summer day, there is nothing more satisfying than a tall, cold drink, but for a senior with dysphagia symptoms, this simple pleasure could be dangerous. Dysphagia – or trouble with swallowing – affects millions of older adults, due to weakened mouth and/or throat muscles. Alzheimer’s, MS, cancer, and stroke are all root causes as well.
Is It Caregiver Burnout or Compassion Fatigue?
Care providers devote so much of themselves to those they care for – both physically and emotionally. It’s common to become worn down and to start to experience feelings such as apathy, weariness, and a detachment from the person in your care. Referred to as compassion fatigue or secondary traumatic stress, it can be harmful to your own health and wellbeing but may also impact your ability to be as…
Top Tips for Minimizing Family Caregiver Stress
Family caregiver stress is unavoidable, and in reality, not always a bad thing. Basically, as they say, “A diamond is just a piece of charcoal that handled stress exceptionally well.” But particularly for family caregivers, the level of stress can quickly intensify and become overwhelming, and if not handled properly, bring on serious health concerns.
Know the Warning Signs of Senior Depression
Everyone goes through times when they just want to be by themselves for a bit with their thoughts, to work through issues in their lives without distractions, or simply to experience some downtime. For seniors, however, being isolated for an extended period of time may be indicative of a more serious condition: depression.
Know the Difference Between Dementia and Depression in Seniors
A visit with Mom recently revealed a number of unsettling signs. Even though she’s always been up at the crack of dawn, now it is hard to wake her before lunchtime. Rather than fixing an elaborate home-cooked meal, she prefers to simply warm up a can of soup; and can barely finish a small bowlful. Not only that, but she’s lost interest in spending time with her beloved friends from…
Is Aging at Home an Option?
A large proportion of seniors are set on aging at home, instead of relocating to an assisted living facility or nursing home – nearly 90 percent of them, based upon research conducted by AARP. And who can blame them? The comfort of familiar surroundings, the freedom to come and go as you would like, the freedom to prepare the meals you want when you would like them are all invaluable…
The Health Advantages of Senior Socialization
It is intuitive to most of us that senior socialization improves health and wellbeing. It connects seniors to other people’s experiences, beliefs, challenges, humor, opinions, and various other human occurrences. Now, however, scientific studies are confirming seniors socializing with others actually can enhance the wellness of both their minds and bodies.
How to Make Nutritious Meals for Seniors
Our aging care professionals in Burlington understand that it’s not easy to make the right choices for nutritious meals for seniors when the guidelines for nutrition appear to constantly change. We had been told that saturated fats from sources including butter, red meat and fried foods were harmful and could affect a person’s odds of developing heart issues, but later studies indicated there isn’t enough evidence that those who gave…