Older adults take longer to process information, but that’s apparently no indication of mental acuity, according to recent research. In a matched test, the brains of older people were not as fast as those in a group of younger people, but they performed just as well because their brains are wiser, say Canadian scientists.

When the young participants made a mistake and had to plan and execute a new strategy to get the right answer, various parts of their brains were recruited even before the next task began. However, when the older participants learned that they had made a mistake, these regions were only recruited at the beginning of the next trial, indicating that with age, we decide to make adjustments only when absolutely necessary. The older brain apparently is more impervious to criticism and more confident than the young brain.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, now is the time to address this looming epidemic that currently has no effective disease-modifying treatments that halt or delay the progression of the disease.

An overall healthy diet also is a proven preventative, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. Research suggests that high cholesterol may contribute to stroke and brain cell damage. And there is growing evidence that a diet rich in dark vegetables and fruits, which contain antioxidants, may help protect brain cells, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.

A mounting body of research also has shown that keeping the brain active is one important part of healthy aging. The Boston Home Instead Senior Care office has a number of resources for family caregivers at www.caregiverstress.com that can help keep seniors healthy and engaged.

Home Care Boston providing elderly services in Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville. Call us at 617.557.4600.

Even with the best of intentions and planning, seniors who are without companionship and assistance at home may jeopardize their own good health or recovery from an illness or surgery.

Research by University of Maryland nutrition expert Dr. Nadine Sahyoun revealed that 80 percent of hospital-discharged older adults recruited for the study who qualified for home-delivered meals had food in their kitchens, but they were unable to shop or utilize that food for cooking.

Cooking is an art, it’s been said, and dining both at home and out makes all the effort worthwhile, not only for seniors but their loved ones as well.

Make eating a happy event, Dr. Sahyoun said. We focus too much on what people can’t eat and don’t give enough attention to what food represents to us. Food is at the core of our lives–it’s the smell, color, feel, texture and social context. All of this is what makes a meal enjoyable. We have to pay attention to those things, she added.

To keep their daily menus interesting, and healthy, seniors will want to mix up their food choices—particularly within each food group—every day.

We know that we really are what we eat, said Elisabetta Politi, dietician director at the Duke Diet and Fitness Center. But each senior’s diet plan is individual, she noted. If Dad has reached age 75 and has not developed heart disease or cancer, you need not recommend any different food intervention than what he is already doing. Dad has found a meal plan that works.

Perhaps a senior’s dietary plan leaves room for improvement. Research shows that change is best done gradually. Encourage seniors to look at how they’re doing and focus on one thing to change.

Try these tasty recipes when cooking for your senior loved one.

Check out these delectable and nutritious recipes from the Duke Diet and Fitness Center made with the 12 Staples that Seniors Shouldn’t Live Without.

Home Care Boston providing elderly services in Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville. Call us at 617.557.4600.

The devastating effects of Alzheimer’s disease have taken their toll on your dad and now you are suffering, too. He wanders the house keeping you awake all night. Your brother refuses to discuss the situation. You’re thinking of putting Dad in a nursing home. Is that the best option?

You are in the throes of one of the most stressful caregiving situations. Those who care for Alzheimer’s patients are more likely to report a high level of emotional stress than those who care for seniors with other conditions, 40% versus 28%, according to “Caregiving in the U.S., A Focused Look at Those Caring for Someone Age 50 and Older.” In a survey of family caregivers conducted for the Home Instead Senior Care® network, 90% say they have episodes of feeling anxious or irritable, 77% say the needs of their seniors are overwhelming and 56% are ill more often.

For your own health, you need to address your situation immediately. First, contact the Alzheimer’s Association 24/7 help line at 1-800-272-3900 (e-mail info@alz.org). In Canada call the Alzheimer’s Society of Canada at 1-800-616-8816 (e-mail info@alzheimer.ca).

They can give you resources in your community and help you talk through the issues and determine what options are available to you. There are companies that provide respite care in the home that allow Alzheimer’s caregivers like you time away. Many communities also have wonderful facilities to care for an Alzheimer’s patient. By attending a local Alzheimer’s Association chapter, you can connect with others in the same situation and receive moral support and ideas for your own caregiving dilemma.

Home Care Boston providing elderly services in Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville. Call us at 617.557.4600.

Healthy aging is the top goal for seniors. We want to be healthy and a factor that plays a big part in that goal is good nutrition. It’s our first line of defense and helps older adults the most who strive to maintain independence. The Home Instead Senior Care® Network arms seniors and family caregivers with nutrition resources for healthy aging.

So, before you go grocery shopping, consider the types of healthy meals you need to prepare. Here are a few tips to help make a caregiver’s trip to the grocery store a successful one.

Make a list – Write out on your grocery list the foods your senior wants to eat for the week. When you make a list, it can cut down on the time and money you spend at the grocery market.

Eat before you shop. Don’t go hungry – When shopping hungry, we will be prone to buy more. So eat a snack or fruit before hitting the market.

Review store ads and clip coupons – This will help you save money, time and hassle at the checkout stand.

Invite a friend or family member – Have Mom bring a neighbor or friend along for the ride. Companionship makes grocery shopping more fun. If your senior can’t drive or shop alone, arrange for grocery delivery or a caregiver companion to help.

Sign up for a grocer’s bonus/discount card – You can get savings and specials when signing up for these programs.

Buy store brands – Most brands sit at eye level on the shelf. Store brands are cheaper and just as good. They are usually placed higher or lower on shelves.

Think variety – Encourage you senior loved one to try new foods.

Shop the perimeter of the store – That’s where you’ll find the fresh and healthier foods.

Stock up on sale items – Buy in bulk for quality and value, but serve healthy portions.

Use your food budget wisely – Buy a supply of fresh fruit in place of a bag of chips or cookies.

Home Instead Senior Care looks for ways to help seniors stay healthy and independent at home. We provide families with the resources they need to help older loved ones with the planning and preparation of nutritious meals. Learn more here Caregiverstress.com.

Home Care Boston providing elderly services in Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville. Call us at 617.557.4600.

One in five seniors say she or he sometimes, if not all the time feels lonely at mealtimes. Because seniors crave companionship during mealtimes; Home Instead Senior Care launched the Craving Companionship program, geared to promoting healthy aging by helping seniors eat nutritiously and stay connected socially. The program also encourages the revival of family mealtimes for the benefit of isolated seniors. that special dish Mom used to make? Chances are she or your dad does too. And what they may miss even more is enjoying that dish with you.

A study that was conducted for the Home Instead Senior Care network revealed that lack of companionship is the biggest mealtime challenge for seniors. In the United States, approximately 40 percent of the population age 75 and older – 6.7 million people – live alone, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Craving Companionship offers family caregivers tips and practical advice to encourage companionship and easy, healthy meals that can make life less stressful for seniors and their loved ones. As part of the program, the Homemade Memories Recipe Contest, which runs from July 15 to September 15, 2011, provides an incentive for family caregivers to retrieve that favorite family recipe, and prepare and share that dish with their senior loved one.

The submission period has ended and it’s now time for everyone to come out and vote for their favorite recipe. While you’re there selecting your favorite recipe, you’ll also be getting tons of new, tasty ideas for your own family.

The Grand Prize winner will receive a $500 Visa Gift Card they can use towards helping them make new “homemade memories” with their senior loved ones. All 50 recipe contest winners will be published both online and in the Homemade Memories Cookbook. Proceeds from sales of the cookbook will go to the non-profit Home Instead Senior Care Foundation, which makes grants that help improve the lives of North American Seniors.

Home Care Boston providing elderly services in Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville. Call us at 617.557.4600.

For an individual with Alzheimer’s, the disease affects every part of their life and will impact the lives of the family members and friends.

The disease affects lives in so many ways, a good example is; a man who once lived alone and was independent now requires 24-hour supervision just to ensure his basic safety. Or an articulate, highly educated woman does not even recognize her children, or becomes overwhelmed when choosing which blouse to wear. And the exhausted, anxious family members and friends struggling to cope with the responsibilities of Alzheimer’s care desperately seek the support of respite services.

We can all agree on this: those with Alzheimer’s disease always get worse and always end up needing full-time assistance with daily living.

So, what is Alzheimer’s disease? Alzheimer’s – the most common form of dementia – is a progressive, irreversible and incurable disease that causes the deterioration of brain cells.

It does this by creating a buildup in the brain of abnormal substances called amyloid plaques (which are harmful protein deposits) and neurofibrillary tangles – twisted fibers inside of brain neurons that inhibit their normal function.

As a result, people with Alzheimer’s typically exhibit behaviors such as anxiety, depression, short-term memory loss and withdrawal – with these early signs of the disease eventually progressing to more serious symptoms such as hoarding; pacing or wandering; restlessness; disorientation; and personality changes.

Home Instead Senior Care has teamed up with The George G. Glenner Alzheimer’s Family Centers in San Diego, CA., a prestigious organization to develop the first training program of its kind for non-medical caregivers. This manual provides CAREGivers with comprehensive, practical training in caring for Alzheimer’s clients at home. The materials cover these topics:

• The pathology and symptoms of the disease;

• Understanding other diseases similar to Alzheimer’s;

• Building a relationship with a client who has Alzheimer’s;

• Working within the person’s physical surroundings;

• Managing his or her difficult behaviors; and,

• Helping the client remain independent for as long as possible.

Home Instead Senior Care has helped those with Alzheimer’s do the things they’ve always enjoyed doing – and in the comfort of their own homes. If you need help caring for a loved one living with Alzheimer’s, please call Home Care Boston providing elderly services in Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville. Call us at 617.557.4600.

This 50-50 Rule Guide tells real-life family stories and give ideas and resources for ways to handle elder care conflict and situations before they damage sibling relationships. Each is backed by research conducted for the Home Instead Senior Care in the U.S. and Canada. Responses were developed in cooperation with Ingrid Connidis, Ph.D., sibling relationships expert from the University of Western Ontario.

The guide is based on research conducted with 46% of family caregivers in the U.S. and 40% in Canada who said their relationships with their siblings have deteriorated and blame unwillingness on the part of siblings to help. It gives siblings ways to approach your parents and each other gaining a sense of working together to find a solution rather than telling them what to do. Is the problem that your parents don’t have the money? Or are they just unable to manage the bill-paying anymore?

Speak to your parents about the issues that are relevant to avoid family conflict.

After assessing your parent’s situation, talk with your siblings and suggest what seems like a reasonable course of action to you. Be sure to ask their opinion as well. If you and your siblings disagree, try to find a compromise. Offer the help you deem appropriate to your parents. A united front is the ideal course of action, all concerned feel it would be best if you spoke to Mom and Dad on your own. Both you and your parents will benefit by keeping your siblings engaged in the process in a positive way.

Siblings are sometimes the only family relationships that endure. Friendships from our early lives often don’t last. So there is a depth of empathy we can tap into that goes back to that relationship. That sibling relationship will continue after your parents are gone. Research suggests that siblings don’t want to harm their relationships with each other.

Get Family Tips on Sharing the Care.

Home Care Boston providing elderly services in Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville. Call us at 617.557.4600.

You’ve just walked out of your mother’s latest doctor’s appointment and your head is spinning. The doctor wants to change the dosage on two medications, stop a third, and start a new fourth medication. Some of the medications need to be taken on an empty stomach and some with food. Some medicines your mother should take twice a day and some just in the evening. Keeping it all straight is making your head ache.

Even more importantly, however, is what can happen if your mother’s medications are not tracked properly. On average, seniors ages 85 and older take 34 prescriptions, including refills, per year, according to the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP). And adverse drug reactions (ADRs) or noncompliance are responsible for 28 percent of all hospitalizations of the elderly, the organization reports.

The Home Instead Senior Care^® network recognizes the importance of medication tracking. That’s why we offer medication reminders as one of our foundational services to introduce an information management toolkit and the Caring for Your Parents: Senior Emergency Kit^SM website at www.SeniorEmergencyKit.com.

These resources include checklists and worksheets for medications, conditions, allergies, doctors, health advisors and important documents. They provide you with a single place to store your senior loved one’s important information so you can easily find it when you need it most.

Home Care Boston providing elderly services in Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville. Call us at 617.557.4600.

As a senior-care professional, you’ve witnessed firsthand the many challenges of aging. But those “golden” years likely will look vastly different for the generations that will be joining the ranks of seniors in the years to come.

After all, the generation ready to embark on their senior years has been writing their own story since day one. They are the generation that led the charge to change the way society looked at so many things from civil and women’s rights to space exploration to technology.

Generations before them may have faced their senior years with apprehension, but not so for those trail-blazers waiting to join the senior ranks. They’ve changed everything else about our world.  Now they have the opportunity to change the face of aging. Perhaps you are among them or even younger. Regardless of your age, here’s your chance to tell it like it is, or like it should be. The Home Instead Senior Care^® network wants to help you spread the word.

Based on your experience working with older adults, what do you hope for as you move into those “golden” years?  A cure for Alzheimer’s disease? To work until you die? To vacation until you die? To look great? To remain at home with a good quality of life? We want to know what you think.

The Home Instead Senior Care network produced and just released a video that will provide you and others in your generation the opportunity to share ideas about aging and how you see yourself growing older.

Changing the perception of aging is important to a senior-care leader such as Home Instead Senior Care. That’s because Home Instead values the contributions that older adults have made to our world. The organization also knows that planning for their senior years is an important key to aging independently.

We invite you to participate and share the conversations that will make a difference in how aging is perceived for your generation and those you care about. Go to HowWillYouLive.org and tell us how you will change the way you age!

Home Care Boston providing elderly services in Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville. Call us at 617.557.4600.