Senior Independence
Senior Finances: The Emotional Issue of Money and Caregiving
Having a frank discussion about senior finances is important for long-term planning.
Family financial matters are oftentimes a taboo subject, and in addition, the root of many different controversies, heightened emotions, and misunderstandings. And for a number of today’s older adults, who maintain a “Depression era mentality” from many years of saving for a rainy day and learning to “waste not, want not,” it may be hard for them to grant access to finances to adult children, and to acknowledge the necessity to spend some of those personal finances on caregiving needs.
Talking with an aging parent about finances is most efficient when begun before the need arises, appreciating it might take numerous discussions before an understanding can be reached. These conversation starters can certainly help:
“Dad, at some point, we have to make some choices in regards to … Read More »
The 6 Best Coronavirus Resources for Seniors and Family Caregivers
Our team is here to provide the best resources for seniors and keep your family safe
Researching where to turn for the current, most dependable information about COVID-19, especially as it relates to older adults and people who take care of them, is extremely important – and can be difficult. Because of so many sources and differing opinions on this serious subject, we wanted to help make it more straightforward to locate what you need by building the following list of trusted Coronavirus resources for seniors and family caregivers.
COVID-19 Guidance for Seniors: The CDC’s COVID-19 Guidance for Older Adults web page includes a great deal of information, including help determining who is at higher risk, symptoms, how to protect yourself, a checklist for the household, stress and anxiety coping advice, and much more.
Coronavirus: What Seniors and People with … Read More »
Why You Should Seek Help from an Aging Life Care Professional
Make the best care choices with the help of Hired Hands Homecare and an aging life care professional.
We all desire the best for our loved ones – it’s only natural. Yet in some cases when families are involved in an older person’s care, feelings about what is best may clash. This can cause family members to fight with each other as opposed to working together. This is when it’s often a good idea to enlist the help of an outside person like a geriatric care manager (GCM), one who realizes what seniors need for long-term care and how to accomplish getting this care.
Options for Helping Older Parents Age at Home
Hired Hands Homecare is experienced in helping older parents live comfortably and safely when aging at home.
Ask most older people if they wish to age at home, even if they are struggling with aging-related issues, and the response is in most cases a resounding “yes!” Having to move away from their home, a place with so many memories, can be distressing, even if they admit that it’s getting more difficult to cope. Yet, wishing to continue to be at home and having the ability to stay at home, all alone, are two separate things. So what can you do? Even as a 24/7, around-the-clock family caregiver, you are not able to do it all by yourself. You need help and it could be that in-home care is the solution for aging at home.
4 Safer Alternatives to Sleep Medication for Seniors
Sleep medication for seniors can, in some cases, be dangerous.
What could be better than waking up well rested after a full night’s sleep, feeling energized and ready to face the day? For some seniors – as many as one in three – getting sufficient sleep is something that only happens in their dreams. And sadly, it’s a common assumption that lack of sleep is something we just need to accept in our later years – a misconception that Preeti Malani, M.D., chief health officer and professor of medicine at the University of Michigan wants to dispel. According to Dr. Malani, “If older adults believe that these changes are a normal, inevitable part of aging, they may not think of it as something to discuss with their doctor. And not discussing it can potentially lead to health issues not … Read More »
The Surprising Hazards Associated with Pill Organizers and Medication Management
Medication management using pill organizers isn’t as easy as you may think for seniors.
Older adults, on average, take as many as 15-18 different prescriptions each day, so it’s no surprise that so many seniors end up missing doses or taking incorrect doses of their medications. And there are serious health complications that can occur as a result of these medication errors. One solution is the pill organizer: such a basic idea to simply put the right medications into the right little boxes each day. However, there are surprising hazards of pill organizers that people don’t realize.
Which Diet for Seniors Is Better: Nutritional Supplements, or Natural Foods?
Find the information you need to choose the best diet for seniors.
Determining the best diet for seniors can be challenging. With the many factors that impact an older adult’s ability to maintain a healthy diet, it’s important to know how to obtain the most nutritional punch for the foods your older loved ones are willing or able to consume.
Nutritional supplements, such as Boost and Ensure, are often recommended for the elderly, in order to ensure necessary vitamins and minerals are consumed each day, but many people wonder how these drinks stack up to real, natural foods. We decided to find out!
We first looked at two healthy food options that are easy, convenient, and low in cost for seniors to enjoy for breakfast or a snack: low-fat yogurt, and an orange. Together, these foods offer … Read More »
Senior Malnutrition Is Surprisingly Common. Learn How to Detect and Prevent It Here.
Keep your loved one’s safe from senior malnutrition.
Remember getting together for Sunday meals at Grandma’s house, when everyone gathered around the table for a home-cooked meal, conversations, and laughter? Unfortunately, with so many families now living at a distance from their elderly loved ones, and with so many varying needs pulling us in multiple directions, it’s hard to maintain this tradition – and it may be just one of the factors contributing to a recent dramatic increase in senior malnutrition.
In fact, as many as 25% of all adults over age 65 in the U.S. are malnourished, triggering critical health concerns. For some seniors who live alone, they simply aren’t inclined to want to prepare nutritious meals for themselves. Others are undergoing feelings of grief, depression, anxiety, cognitive difficulties, poverty, medication side effects, and many other influencers … Read More »
Good Nutrition for the Elderly Begins with Asking These 5 Questions
Ensure good nutrition for elderly loved ones with these tips.
A mother’s love for her children has no age limitations. And parents of all ages want more than anything to protect their children from problems, which can sometimes mean concealing their own concerns. Moreover, when family live at a distance, it can be especially challenging to ensure good nutrition for elderly loved ones. Contact us online or call us at (866) 940-4343 to learn about how we can help your loved ones thrive.
One of the top challenges in aging is a decline in meeting nutritional needs. If you suspect that your older loved ones may not be getting the nutrients they need to stay healthy and well, this quick assessment can help pinpoint potential red flags that could indicate a problem with nutrition:
Has your loved one mentioned … Read More »
Which Is More Effective: Senior Workouts or Medication? The Answer May Surprise You!
Senior workouts may be even more beneficial than medication.
If you made a New Year’s resolution to exercise more this year, hopefully you’re continuing to stick with it! As it turns out, adding more physical activity to your daily routine is one resolution we should all be keeping – and this is even more important for older adults, many of whom take multiple medications for a variety of conditions.
Research is showing that, surprisingly, doctor-approved senior workouts can be as effective as many typically-prescribed medications in treating or preventing some of the leading causes of death. In the study, scientists compared how effective various medications and exercise routines were in reducing deaths among those who had been diagnosed with several common and serious health conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes. The results consistently indicated that both … Read More »
