Growing old alone: More seniors at risk of becoming elder orphans - Chicago Tribune: The term "elder orphans" was coined in part by Dr. Maria Torroella Carney, chief of geriatrics and palliative medicine at Northwell Health in New Hyde Park, N.Y., who co-wrote a July analysis on adults increasingly aging alone, with multiple chronic illnesses and geographically distant family and friends. By referring to these seniors as orphans, Carney hopes to bring awareness to their loneliness and isolation, which correlates with increased risk of heart disease and mortality.
Elderly with no nearby family to help them need safety net, experts say
Last month, the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging and AARP launched a national education campaign to address the growing problem of loneliness, estimating that 1 in 5 people older than 50 are affected by isolation, which is associated with higher rates of chronic disease, depression, dementia and death. Research finds prolonged isolation to have an equal effect on health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, AARP President Lisa Marsh Ryerson said in a news release.
Sunday, June 18, 2017
Finding A Hobby - Activities for Seniors
Finding A Hobby - Activities for Seniors: Finding A Hobby
Activities For Seniors
Finding a hobby (a new one?) just right for you can give you a lifetime of enjoyment, far into your retirement years. The main thing to consider is what do you really like? Not what your family tree or best friend thinks you should like - It is for you!
Do you think you’re not very good at anything? If that sounds like you, here are questions to ask yourself about what you’ve really wanted to do.
If you’re still working, now is the time to develop a hobby and to plan for future senior activities.
Activities For Seniors
Finding a hobby (a new one?) just right for you can give you a lifetime of enjoyment, far into your retirement years. The main thing to consider is what do you really like? Not what your family tree or best friend thinks you should like - It is for you!
Do you think you’re not very good at anything? If that sounds like you, here are questions to ask yourself about what you’ve really wanted to do.
If you’re still working, now is the time to develop a hobby and to plan for future senior activities.
Saturday, June 3, 2017
The New Aging Dilemma, Growing Older At Home Alone | HuffPost
The New Aging Dilemma, Growing Older At Home Alone | HuffPost
Worries of Those Alone
Some of the worrisome concerns discussed in the group and handled by members:
- Ageism — just because we’re growing older, doesn’t mean we should give up on aging well. We desire recognition for our strengths and given a chance to offer our skills and to give back and be a productive member of society.
- How to remain healthy without resorting to medication or surgery — we would enjoy learning alternatives to going under the knife or consuming various meds.
- Find out how others cope with issues and create one’s solutions — we want to hear how others deal with challenges; what worked for them and then decide if it’s a good fit for us. And if the solution is not a fit, what other options might work?
- Discover useful local and national resources — we’d like to learn about community services, especially the ones that help us age in place. We don’t have advocates or family members who can research for us, so, we depend on others for direction.
- Navigate health, care issues, and chronic illnesses - we want to thrive and be well even when living with diabetes, dementia, heart diseases, cancer and other diseases.
- Gain social interaction — our toughest challenge. Most of us want connection and to make new friends but have difficulty leaving our house due to immobility concerns.
- Select a health care proxy and surrogate - we need help and direction when choosing someone to speak on our behalf if we should become too ill or incapacitated.
These topics are a few of what the group addresses, plus a few more. Most of us are not health care professionals, so the practical tips and advice come through other’s experiences.
However, at the local community-based services and medical teams, the professionals can do so much more. Just recognizing the fact that we’re living alone, and then assess the risks, would help the older person understand what’s needed to remain safe, healthy, and independent even when no one is around to check on us.
In recent medical research about elder orphans, geriatricians found several risks that affect the elderly:
Social support
Low social support affects the physical and psychological health and in some instances, will increase mortality. A decreased social interaction stems from little support which correlates with depressed affect and arousal, reduced cognitive and social skills, and altered mental functioning.
And for some members of the Facebook group, it’s their only source of social interaction and connection. While for others, they make great strides to maintain face to face interconnections and build friendships. But overall, social detachment is a huge concern.
Isolation and loneliness
Isolation is the state of having minimal contact with others. Even though being isolated can cause loneliness, both are not equal, and both are the risk factor for a physical and cognitive decline.
The online activity that some members find on Facebook is their only source of communications and reaching out to other people. It’s not one’s preference to be alone all the time, but the physical immobility is their greatest burden that keeps them in the house.
Childlessness
It is an important risk factor for social isolation. Like the study mentioned earlier, childless adults often do have support networks, usually consisting of relatives, friends, and neighbors. However, these systems are less likely to provide the long-term commitment and comparable high level of support that children give to parents.
Most members of the group do not have children, but for those who do, they’ve lost communication with the family, they live a long distance away, or they’re forgotten.
Services needed
Community-based aging resource centers and senior organizations must have goals that assist with our medical, functional, social, and safety needs.
- Help prevent hospital admissions and help us understand how to avoid them
- How to create advanced directives and choose a reliable, and trusted health care surrogate
- Teach elder abuse education and where to find support and help
- Show how to create a care plan far in advance of needing acute care
- Instruct how to build a personal care team of friends we can count on
- Give us options and ways to build social connections and help us avoid isolation
- Help us find transportation when needed
It is challenging for clinicians and social services and even the patients who live alone. But when recognized and assessed properly, the aging singles have potential to struggle less with managing health conditions and the complexities involved in care.
Friday, May 26, 2017
Friday, May 19, 2017
What does Home Health Care Cost in Massachusetts?
What does Home Health Care Cost in Massachusetts?
If you or a family member needs home health care, and you live in Massachusetts, plan on it costing about $25 per hour. That's the average cost in the state for a Health Aide, according to a survey published by the MetLife Mature Market Institute*. The yearly cost of about $26,000 is based on an estimate of 4 hours per day, 5 days per week.
https://www.dibbern.com/about_us.htm
If you or a family member needs home health care, and you live in Massachusetts, plan on it costing about $25 per hour. That's the average cost in the state for a Health Aide, according to a survey published by the MetLife Mature Market Institute*. The yearly cost of about $26,000 is based on an estimate of 4 hours per day, 5 days per week.
https://www.dibbern.com/about_us.htm
Tuesday, March 7, 2017
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Trump's speech could be early sign of Alzheimer's disease, says study | Society | The Guardian
Long-winded speech could be early sign of Alzheimer's disease, says study | Society | The Guardian
Alzheimer's / Dementia is fraught with confabulation speak.
From my notes I quote: Prepared by: Leilani Doty, PhD, Director, University of Florida Cognitive & Memory Disorder Clinics (MDC) Confabulation People with anosognosia will often confabulate. Confabulation is making up an answer or responding with remarks that link pieces of information, time, places, and people that do not belong together. Sometimes people will combine memories from different events and insist that the event unfolded that way. They may describe an event as recent but it actually happened decades ago with different people. Sometimes they mix information from the newspaper or television with a personal event. A confabulation is not a lie. People who confabulate believe that their words are true. The response is essentially false, sometimes a mixing of past events, sometimes a mixture of past real events with imaginary details.
The confabulation may be simple or hold great detail and elaboration. Sometimes the confabulation has such rich details such as describing a festive family gathering. Sometimes it is a simple, unimportant remark such as what was eaten at lunch a couple of hours before. To a stranger the remarks make sense; to the family member, who knows the person well, however, the remarks are distorted or untrue. The purpose of the confabulation is not to mislead or lie. Typically, the person is trying to answer a question or contribute to a conversation.
To those who do not know the person, the responses are reasonable, believable, socially acceptable (usually they are not outrageous or extremely bizarre), and appropriate. However, the significant other will testify that the statements are inaccurate or never occurred.
Alzheimer's / Dementia is fraught with confabulation speak.
From my notes I quote: Prepared by: Leilani Doty, PhD, Director, University of Florida Cognitive & Memory Disorder Clinics (MDC) Confabulation People with anosognosia will often confabulate. Confabulation is making up an answer or responding with remarks that link pieces of information, time, places, and people that do not belong together. Sometimes people will combine memories from different events and insist that the event unfolded that way. They may describe an event as recent but it actually happened decades ago with different people. Sometimes they mix information from the newspaper or television with a personal event. A confabulation is not a lie. People who confabulate believe that their words are true. The response is essentially false, sometimes a mixing of past events, sometimes a mixture of past real events with imaginary details.
The confabulation may be simple or hold great detail and elaboration. Sometimes the confabulation has such rich details such as describing a festive family gathering. Sometimes it is a simple, unimportant remark such as what was eaten at lunch a couple of hours before. To a stranger the remarks make sense; to the family member, who knows the person well, however, the remarks are distorted or untrue. The purpose of the confabulation is not to mislead or lie. Typically, the person is trying to answer a question or contribute to a conversation.
To those who do not know the person, the responses are reasonable, believable, socially acceptable (usually they are not outrageous or extremely bizarre), and appropriate. However, the significant other will testify that the statements are inaccurate or never occurred.
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
Sepsis and Urinary Tract Infections - Sepsis Alliance
Sepsis and Urinary Tract Infections - Sepsis Alliance: Donate Now Anything You're Looking For? Urinary tract infections, or UTIs, are a common infection that affect more women than men. Most often, they are treated quickly and effectively with antibiotics, the infection becoming a distant memory. Unfortunately, not all UTIs are treated quickly and some aren’t even identified quickly, particularly in people who have limited or no sensation below the waist or who are unable to speak for themselves. An untreated UTI may spread to the kidney, causing more pain and illness. It can also cause sepsis. The term urosepsis is usually used to describe sepsis caused by a UTI. Sometimes called blood poisoning, sepsis is the body’s often deadly response to infection or injury. Sepsis kills and disables millions and requires early suspicion and rapid treatment for survival. People shouldn’t die from a UTI, but if sepsis begins to take over and develops to severe sepsis and then to septic shock, this is exactly what can happen.
More than half the cases of urosepsis among older adults are caused by a UTI. Worldwide, one-third of people who develop sepsis die. Many who do survive are left with life-changing effects, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), chronic pain and fatigue, and organ dysfunction (organs don’t work properly) and/or amputations.
Urinary tract infections, or UTIs, are a common infection that affect more women than men. Most often, they are treated quickly and effectively with antibiotics, the infection becoming a distant memory. Unfortunately, not all UTIs are treated quickly and some aren’t even identified quickly, particularly in people who have limited or no sensation below the waist or who are unable to speak for themselves. An untreated UTI may spread to the kidney, causing more pain and illness. It can also cause sepsis. The term urosepsis is usually used to describe sepsis caused by a UTI. Sometimes called blood poisoning, sepsis is the body’s often deadly response to infection or injury. Sepsis kills and disables millions and requires early suspicion and rapid treatment for survival. People shouldn’t die from a UTI, but if sepsis begins to take over and develops to severe sepsis and then to septic shock, this is exactly what can happen. More than half the cases of urosepsis among older adults are caused by a UTI. Worldwide, one-third of people who develop sepsis die.
Many who do survive are left with life-changing effects, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), chronic pain and fatigue, and organ dysfunction (organs don’t work properly) and/or amputations.
More than half the cases of urosepsis among older adults are caused by a UTI. Worldwide, one-third of people who develop sepsis die. Many who do survive are left with life-changing effects, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), chronic pain and fatigue, and organ dysfunction (organs don’t work properly) and/or amputations.
Urinary tract infections, or UTIs, are a common infection that affect more women than men. Most often, they are treated quickly and effectively with antibiotics, the infection becoming a distant memory. Unfortunately, not all UTIs are treated quickly and some aren’t even identified quickly, particularly in people who have limited or no sensation below the waist or who are unable to speak for themselves. An untreated UTI may spread to the kidney, causing more pain and illness. It can also cause sepsis. The term urosepsis is usually used to describe sepsis caused by a UTI. Sometimes called blood poisoning, sepsis is the body’s often deadly response to infection or injury. Sepsis kills and disables millions and requires early suspicion and rapid treatment for survival. People shouldn’t die from a UTI, but if sepsis begins to take over and develops to severe sepsis and then to septic shock, this is exactly what can happen. More than half the cases of urosepsis among older adults are caused by a UTI. Worldwide, one-third of people who develop sepsis die.
Many who do survive are left with life-changing effects, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), chronic pain and fatigue, and organ dysfunction (organs don’t work properly) and/or amputations.
Monday, December 12, 2016
Mayo Clinic Diet: What To Know | US News Best Diets
Mayo Clinic Diet: What To Know | US News Best Diets
How does Mayo Clinic Diet work?
DOS & DON'TS
Do: Raid the produce section of your supermarket.
With the "Mayo Clinic Diet" book as your guide, you’ll work your way through two parts: “Lose it!” and “Live it!” Part 1 focuses on 15 key habits – ones to add and ones to ditch. You don’t count calories, and you can snack all you want on fruits and veggies. After two weeks, you begin part 2, learning how many calories you should eat to either lose or maintain weight and where those calories should come from. No food group is completely off-limits –
How does Mayo Clinic Diet work?
DOS & DON'TS
Do: Raid the produce section of your supermarket.
With the "Mayo Clinic Diet" book as your guide, you’ll work your way through two parts: “Lose it!” and “Live it!” Part 1 focuses on 15 key habits – ones to add and ones to ditch. You don’t count calories, and you can snack all you want on fruits and veggies. After two weeks, you begin part 2, learning how many calories you should eat to either lose or maintain weight and where those calories should come from. No food group is completely off-limits –
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
Tuesday, December 6, 2016
Senate committee calls for ban on surgeons doing simultaneous operations - The Boston Globe
Senate committee calls for ban on surgeons doing simultaneous operations - The Boston Globe: A powerful Senate committee wants all hospitals to explicitly ban surgeons from overseeing two simultaneous operations, weighing in on a controversy that has roiled Massachusetts General Hospital and spurred a national debate on patient safety.
The new Finance Committee report, scheduled to be released Tuesday, follows a Spotlight Team series in 2015 on the issue. The committee will urge hospitals to clearly prohibit “concurrent surgeries,’’ which it defined as two operations, managed by the same surgeon, whose critical parts occur at the same time.
The new Finance Committee report, scheduled to be released Tuesday, follows a Spotlight Team series in 2015 on the issue. The committee will urge hospitals to clearly prohibit “concurrent surgeries,’’ which it defined as two operations, managed by the same surgeon, whose critical parts occur at the same time.
Monday, November 28, 2016
Tuesday, October 25, 2016
ECRI: Be vigilant to prevent copy-and-paste errors
ECRI: Be vigilant to prevent copy-and-paste errors
Copy-and-paste also contributes to “note bloat,” in which notes become overwhelming in length with redundant information, which can lead to diagnostic error.
Preventing these problems requires documentation that’s accurate and concise, attributing the source when copy-and-paste is used, and providing context where appropriate, Possanza and Giannini said.
Copy-and-paste also contributes to “note bloat,” in which notes become overwhelming in length with redundant information, which can lead to diagnostic error.
Preventing these problems requires documentation that’s accurate and concise, attributing the source when copy-and-paste is used, and providing context where appropriate, Possanza and Giannini said.
Friday, October 14, 2016
What You Need for Live-In Overnight Home Care
What You Need for Live-In Overnight Home Care
Read more: http://www.griswoldhomecare.com/blog/what-you-need-for-live-in-overnight-home-care/#ixzz4N5twqP6q
Other Considerations Before You Hire a 24-7 Caregiver
It’s not always easy to come to terms with a loved one needing round-the-clock care. Once you’ve made that decision, there are other things to keep in mind that go far beyond just having space in your home devoted to your caregiver.
- Have you discussed having a live-in caregiver with your loved one yet? Your loved one needs to feel as safe and secure as possible and by making them a part of the process, they will feel heard and in control instead of simply having the whole in-home caregiver concept thrust upon them.
- Is your caregiver qualified? Before hiring a caregiver, you need to make sure they are a good fit. You should have a clear understanding of what their experience is and what skills they have. In addition, they should be carefully vetted with a criminal background check.
- Is your caregiver kind / a good fit personality-wise? One of the most important aspects of the caregiver is their personality. This person is going to be spending long periods of time with your loved one. You want to make sure that they are kind and patient and actually enjoy spending time with senior adults.
- Has your loved one met their caregiver yet? What do they think of them? Beyond that, you should consider the personality of your loved one and take the time to find someone that they would enjoy spending time with. You will want to get your loved one’s opinion about possible caregivers as well as their thoughts on having someone in their home overnight.
- Do you have a contingency plan in place in case your live-in caregiver has an emergency of their own? Finally, don’t forget that a caregiver is a person, too. Although it is their job to care for your loved ones, they do have their own problems and emergencies in their life. You will want to have an alternate plan in case your caregiver becomes sick or has a family emergency to deal with. Give some thought to who will step in to take over their duties should an emergency or illness arise. If you are working with a home health care agency they can arrange for a replacement, but if you’re not, then you will need to determine ahead of time if you have a family member that can step in.
Making the leap to overnight care can seem a little overwhelming, but with the right plan and the right help, it can give both you and your loved one peace of mind knowing someone is there to help if they need it.
What do you feel is most important about finding the right in-home, round-the-clock care for your loved one? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
Read more: http://www.griswoldhomecare.com/blog/what-you-need-for-live-in-overnight-home-care/#ixzz4N5twqP6q
Friday, September 23, 2016
Thursday, September 22, 2016
Friday, July 29, 2016
Thursday, July 28, 2016
The Mega-List of Caregiver Support Resources | Caregiver Stress
The Mega-List of Caregiver Support Resources | Caregiver Stress:
The Home Instead Senior Care network has been delivering in-home care for over 20 years. All of our highly trained CAREGivers℠ are bonded and insured for your peace of mind. We offer many different types of in-home care that can be individualized to meet the needs of your family members.
You probably see them every day: the adult daughters, sons or spouses hovering over their senior loved one, gently smoothing a collar or asking a question of the doctor. But you might not have a chance to ask those family caregivers how they’re doing. You probably focus on your senior client, not the people in the background. However, those caregivers likely could use your help, too.
The Family Caregiver Alliance reports dire statistics culled from numerous studies into the issue of caregiver stress:
• As many as 26 percent of family caregivers say taking care of a family member is “hard on them emotionally.”
• As many as 70 percent of caregivers report symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of major depression.
• More than one in five family caregivers feels “exhausted” when they go to bed at night.
Call 888-741-5172 for Home Instead Senior Care services in your area.
Meet the Home Instead, Inc. executive team whose vision, passion, and dedicated leadership guides this organization to do good while doing well.
http://www.caregiverstress.com/wp-content/themes/caregiverstress/newsletter-subscribe.php?loc=article&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.caregiverstress.com%2Fgeriatric-professional-resources%2Fshare-clients%2Fthe-mega-list-of-caregiver-support-strategies-and-resources%2F%3Futm_medium%3DEmail%26utm_source%3DExactTarget%26utm_campaign%3D10445760
The Home Instead Senior Care network has been delivering in-home care for over 20 years. All of our highly trained CAREGivers℠ are bonded and insured for your peace of mind. We offer many different types of in-home care that can be individualized to meet the needs of your family members.
Alzheimer's Care & Training Support
Home Instead Senior Care developed the highest quality dementia caregiver training program available. We have helped change the way people live with Alzheimer’s and other dementias.You probably see them every day: the adult daughters, sons or spouses hovering over their senior loved one, gently smoothing a collar or asking a question of the doctor. But you might not have a chance to ask those family caregivers how they’re doing. You probably focus on your senior client, not the people in the background. However, those caregivers likely could use your help, too.
The Family Caregiver Alliance reports dire statistics culled from numerous studies into the issue of caregiver stress:
• As many as 26 percent of family caregivers say taking care of a family member is “hard on them emotionally.”
• As many as 70 percent of caregivers report symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of major depression.
• More than one in five family caregivers feels “exhausted” when they go to bed at night.
Call 888-741-5172 for Home Instead Senior Care services in your area.
Meet the Home Instead, Inc. executive team whose vision, passion, and dedicated leadership guides this organization to do good while doing well.
http://www.caregiverstress.com/wp-content/themes/caregiverstress/newsletter-subscribe.php?loc=article&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.caregiverstress.com%2Fgeriatric-professional-resources%2Fshare-clients%2Fthe-mega-list-of-caregiver-support-strategies-and-resources%2F%3Futm_medium%3DEmail%26utm_source%3DExactTarget%26utm_campaign%3D10445760
Thursday, July 7, 2016
Alzheimer's Cafes Worldwide
Alzheimer's Cafes Worldwide
Cafes come by a number of names, Memory Cafes, Alzheimer's Cafes, Dementia Cafes.
The concept is to provide a social occasion, a meetup, for anyone with dementia / Alzheimer's, their care givers and family.
They are informal and generally free. Activities vary. Support and funding depends on the host-provider and contributions.
Cafes come by a number of names, Memory Cafes, Alzheimer's Cafes, Dementia Cafes.
The concept is to provide a social occasion, a meetup, for anyone with dementia / Alzheimer's, their care givers and family.
They are informal and generally free. Activities vary. Support and funding depends on the host-provider and contributions.
Saturday, June 25, 2016
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