Senior Health
Could You Be Missing These Lesser-Known Symptoms of Parkinson’s?
When most people think of Parkinson’s disease, tremors or difficulty moving likely come to mind first. But if you’re caring for a loved one with Parkinson’s, you may have noticed they’re dealing with so much more than just movement issues. Lesser-known symptoms of Parkinson’s, such as depression, sleep problems, and cognitive changes, can have just as much of an impact on daily life, but often go unnoticed or untreated. Understanding these symptoms is crucial to providing the best possible care for someone you love with Parkinson’s disease.
Mental Health and Cognitive Changes: Parkinson’s disease can affect the brain in ways that go far beyond movement, often causing mental health and cognitive issues. The person diagnosed may experience depression, anxiety, or apathy, which can make it hard for them to find joy in daily activities or even get motivated to move … Read More »
Steps You Can Take Today to Overcome Senior Nutrition Barriers
With the holidays approaching, you might be thinking about festive meals and family gatherings centered around favorite foods and traditions. But what about the rest of the year? Is everyone in your family—particularly older loved ones—getting proper nutrition on a regular basis? While holiday feasts might be an exception, many older adults quietly struggle with senior nutrition problems for a variety of reasons. The first step to helping older loved ones stay nourished and healthy year-round is learning about the challenges they may be facing.
Health Conditions and Medications
For many older adults, chronic health conditions and the medications used to treat them play a significant role in their struggle with malnutrition. Conditions such as heart disease, cancer, or digestive disorders can limit food intake or reduce the body’s ability to absorb essential nutrients. Additionally, medications commonly prescribed for … Read More »
What Is Word Salad in Seniors, and Why Does It Happen?
Have you ever eaten a bowl of alphabet soup? As you’d expect, the letters float around in a chaotic mix. What’s not expected, and can be quite alarming, is when someone you love speaks in a similarly chaotic manner, using a jumble of random words and phrases. This disorganized speech, known as word salad in seniors, can arise from a variety of causes. Understanding this condition is the first step toward helping the person you love and bringing yourself peace of mind.
What Is Word Salad?
Word salad refers to a pattern of speech where words are mixed together in a way that is incoherent and nonsensical. This disorganized speech often lacks clear connections between ideas, making it difficult for listeners to understand the speaker’s intended message. People experiencing word salad might string together unrelated words or phrases, use … Read More »
The Hidden Signs of Pain You May Be Overlooking
Recognizing pain isn’t always as simple as asking, “Where does it hurt?” Some older adults have difficulty describing what they’re feeling because of dementia or another cognitive condition. Others have spent years minimizing aches and pains because they don’t want to worry anyone or be seen as complaining. As a result, physical discomfort often goes unnoticed unless you know how to detect the hidden signs of pain.
Instead of talking about pain, an older loved one may begin acting differently. They may seem less interested in favorite activities, become more withdrawn, grow impatient over small frustrations, or experience changes in appetite or sleep. Although these behaviors are often blamed on aging, they may actually be clues that something is physically wrong.
Knowing how to recognize those clues can help your loved one get the attention they need sooner.
Notice … Read More »
Want to Reduce Chronic Pain? It Begins at Home.
Living with pain means accepting that some days will be better than others…and that finding ways to reduce chronic pain becomes paramount. While arthritis and other chronic conditions naturally have their ups and downs, everyday routines may also influence how much discomfort an older adult experiences.
The surprising part is that these pain triggers often have nothing to do with medication or medical treatment. Instead, they come from ordinary parts of daily life, including the furniture someone uses, the temperature inside the home, how well they sleep, and the way they move throughout the day.
Taking a closer look at these often-overlooked factors may help make each day a little more comfortable.
1. The chair you always choose.
It’s easy to understand why someone returns to the same favorite chair every day. It’s familiar, comfortable, and part of the … Read More »
Watch for These Common Comorbidities of COPD
Watching a loved one manage the daily challenges of COPD isn’t easy. You see them struggle with breathlessness and fatigue, and you want to do everything you can to help. What you might not realize is that COPD often brings along other health issues, known as comorbidities, which need to be addressed and managed in tandem with COPD. The best way to help someone with COPD is by learning about these potential comorbidities, and then supporting and advocating for the person to receive screenings and treatment as needed.
Here are some of the most common COPD comorbidities:
Cardiovascular Diseases. One of the most common comorbidities your family member might face is cardiovascular disease. People with COPD are at a higher risk of developing conditions such as heart failure, ischemic heart disease, and hypertension. The reasons for this increased risk include … Read More »
The Art of Decluttering Your Parents’ Home While They Can Still Join In
You’ve finally decided to bite the bullet and start working on downsizing and decluttering your parents’ home. As you begin sorting through the attic, you come across a box of old family photos, a stack of forgotten love letters, a collection of vintage toys. Each item holds a story, a piece of history, and a flood of memories.
Decluttering is so much more than just a housekeeping chore. It can be a memorable, emotionally charged occasion. It’s a task that should include your parents so that together, you can reminisce, rediscover treasures, and take a journey through time.
Why Declutter?
Aside from the sentimental, decluttering your parents’ home is important for several reasons:
Safety: Reducing clutter minimizes the risk of falls and injuries, making the home safer for your parents.
Organization: A decluttered space is easier to navigate and maintain, which … Read More »
Don’t Let a Diagnosis of Cancer Overtake Your Parent’s Life
After a cancer diagnosis, it can seem as though one word suddenly takes over every corner of life. It becomes the focus of conversations, fills the calendar with appointments, and influences decisions that never used to require much thought. Before long, you and your parent may find yourselves measuring life by what happened before the diagnosis of cancer and everything that has happened since.
As you settle into this new normal, you’ll likely discover that many of the biggest changes take place at home. Treatment understandably becomes a priority, but everyday life keeps moving forward. The garden still needs watering. The morning coffee still tastes best on the back patio. Your parent still wants to hear how the grandchildren are doing, ask about your week, or tell the same favorite family story that somehow never gets old.
Those moments … Read More »
If Mom Has Alzheimer’s, Will You Get It Too?
When Mom has Alzheimer’s and you watch her struggling to remember your name or losing track of her daily routine, an unsettling thought might creep into your mind: “Will this happen to me, too?” It’s natural to struggle with the fear of facing the same challenges as a loved one with dementia. We invite you to take a deep breath and consider the following facts about, causes of, and risk factors for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease to help empower you to navigate these worries and find some peace of mind.
Genetic Factors and Family History
One of the first things to consider is the role of genetics. Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, has a hereditary component. According to the National Institute on Aging (NIA), individuals with a family history of Alzheimer’s are at a higher risk … Read More »
How to Make Life Better for Someone With Alzheimer’s Using Routines and Reminders
When it comes to Alzheimer’s, it’s the little things that can make a big difference. Simple, thoughtful routines and reminders can transform life for the individual, bringing moments of calm and clarity. They help the person maintain their independence while creating a comforting rhythm that both of you can rely on. Here are some innovative strategies to make life better for someone with Alzheimer’s.
Consistent Daily Routines: A consistent daily routine provides a sense of stability and predictability, which is extremely comforting for someone with Alzheimer’s. Try to schedule activities like meals, bathing, and bedtime at the same times each day. This regularity helps to reinforce memory and create a calming environment. Keep the routine simple and avoid making too many changes, as this can be confusing and unsettling.
Visual Reminders: Visual reminders are effective tools for helping someone with Alzheimer’s … Read More »
