If you’re living with hearing loss, conversations can be a challenge. But sometimes “the most effective aids are small lifestyle changes,” says Rosellen Reif, a counselor in Raleigh, N.C., who helps people with physical disabilities. Here are some things that can help. Ask for a heads up. Have loved ones say your name and get your attention before they start…
According to the National Institute on Aging, as Alzheimer’s progresses, people dealing with the disease may become agitated or aggressive more often. Here’s a look at some reasons and how caregivers can help and cope. Agitation means that a person is restless or worried. He or she doesn’t seem to be able to settle down. Agitation may cause pacing, sleeplessness,…
While there’s no single diet to follow for arthritis, including anti-inflammatory foods in a senior’s diet can help restore the body’s natural defenses. Here’s a look at the foods to avoid: Fried and processed AGEs Sugars and refined carbs Dairy Alcohol and tobacco Salt and preservatives Corn oil Bottom line Inflammatory foods “Arthritis” is a general term encompassing conditions that…
Our Caregiver Of The Year for 2017 is a real jewel! Jane has worked for the same client for more than two years. The client is now on hospice and rarely sleeps. Jane spends the night in the client’s room talking with her, rubbing her hands and generally working to ease her anxiety. There really are no words to describe…
Advice for families and caregivers Arthritis means joint inflammation and refers to over 100 different diseases of the joints. These diseases are chronic and cause swelling and sometimes pain and heat in the joints, resulting in reduced mobility. More than 50 percent of seniors 65 and older have one specific form of arthritis, osteoarthritis, in at least one joint. One…
When someone has a hearing loss, the first step in coping with it is simply acknowledging its reality. This may not be easy to do, but you can’t take effective measures to minimize the impact of a hearing loss if you deny it. You are not alone. Help is available. When someone has a hearing loss, the first step in…
May is National Arthritis Awareness Month. For seniors with arthritis, participating in low impact, joint-friendly activities can improve pain, mood, and quality of life. If you have arthritis, participating in joint-friendly physical activity can improve your arthritis pain, function, mood, and quality of life. Joint-friendly physical activities are low-impact, which means they put less stress on the body, reducing the…
It is an unfortunate fact of life that women are more likely than men to have eye-related problems. Two-thirds of blindness and other visual impairments worldwide occur in women. Glaucoma, cataracts, and Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) are more likely to be an issue for women. There are various reasons for this: women generally live longer than men and women…
For most of my life, I took my body for granted. As a young woman, when I ate a piece of cheesecake, my metabolism devoured it with a fiery determination. When I exercised on January 1st, my overindulgence on New Year’s Eve was a distant memory. All of my senses were assumptions and my memories were set in stone. Then,…
How does occupational therapy differ from physical therapy? Occupational therapy during early stages of memory care Occupational therapy during late stages of memory care Occupational therapy is a treatment that incorporates meaningful activity to promote participation in every day life. [Occupational Therapy] Occupational therapists work with seniors in different settings including assisted living facilities, nursing homes, adult day care centers…
