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.
Healthy Eating for Seniors Is Essential. Here’s Why.
In our last blog post, we featured some age-related issues that often prevent seniors from eating a balanced diet, but can poor eating behaviors lead to cognitive deterioration? Malnourishment in older people is more common than you might realize. The National Resource on Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Aging notes that 35% – 50% of the seniors living in long-term care facilities are experiencing malnutrition, and as many as 65% of…
Solutions for Typical Senior Nutrition Issues
The majority of us are eager to take a moment and enjoy a delectable meal – the comforting smells and tastes, the pleasing feeling of a full stomach. For a lot of older adults, though, a number of health problems can prevent their enjoyment of meals or even their ability to shop for nourishing foods, which can contribute to malnutrition in many instances. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has…
Overcoming Caregiver Guilt with Positive Affirmations
What to Avoid Saying to Someone with a Chronic Health Condition
Has anyone ever said to you, “Wow, you look really tired! Are you having trouble sleeping?” While you may have been feeling pretty lively up until then, suddenly you actually DO feel a bit worn out. What we say when we speak to other people and the way it’s interpreted can be powerful. This is good to keep in mind if you’re caring for a senior loved one, or talking…
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.
Exercise vs. Medication: What’s Best for Combating Common Senior Health Problems?
If you made a resolution back in January to work out more in 2021, ideally you’re continuing to stay with it! Adding more physical activity to your everyday activities is the one resolution we ought to all be implementing. For seniors, many of whom take multiple medications for a number of health problems, this is particularly true.
Music and Dementia: The Connection That Can Help Older Adults
Nowadays, music is more available than ever before. For those who take smartphones or tablets with them everywhere they go, hundreds of thousands – if not tens of millions of tunes – are simply a few touches or finger swipes away. If you are a caregiver for a senior, your smartphone can be one of the most helpful tools in your possession to help tap into the benefits of music….
2021 Senior Technology Trends to Enrich Quality of Life
This year, our home care services team saw firsthand how important the role of technology is in the lives of aging adults and seniors. As we move into 2021 and face the challenges of a new year, health and wellness are at the forefront of how we think about technology for older adults. In the new year, it’s predicted that these senior technology trends will be the ones to look…