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 KitSM 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.
Home Care Boston providing elderly services in Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville. Call us at 617.557.4600.
A common concern for families and siblings are denial and refusal to discuss the fact that aging parents may need more help at home. Caring for aging parents can put siblings at odds.
Denying elder care planning is common within families, nearly half (46 percent) of people surveyed who expect to eventually be caring for an elderly loved one had not taken any action to plan for this care. This survery was produced in a Harris Interactive® poll conducted for the Home Instead Senior Care® network. In addition, 70 percent had not spoken with the parent or relative they anticipate needing to care for about what their wishes might be, while 76 percent had not discussed the issue of caring for elderly relatives with other family members.
Denial or sweeping elder care concerns under the carpet is a prevailing emotion and action when it comes to the care of senior loved ones. But refusing to address the issue won’t prevent the unexpected from happening. That’s why it’s important to talk with your parents and siblings as soon as possible and plan for the future.
The first step of letting go denial is to ask your relatives what they would want to do if the time comes for them to need special care in their lives. Ask specific questions such as: “If you fell and were injured, where would you want to go to rehabilitate?” If the answer is “home,” which is where most seniors prefer to be, then look into the types of services that can help your loved ones remain where they live. Discuss whether your parents would benefit from these services now. Many home health care companies are available in communities of all sizes to provide medical caregivers at home.
Oftentimes, a Home Instead Senior caregiver also is well-equipped to help seniors at home. For example, Home Instead Senior Care now has more than 900 offices throughout the world. A Home Instead CAREGiverSM is trained to assist elderly individuals by providing companionship and medication reminders, and help with meal preparation, light housekeeping, errands and shopping.
Check out these tips about communicating with family members. And go to www.4070talk.com and www.solvingfamilyconflict.com to learn more.
Many older adults are being cared for by an adult child. When there are siblings, most of them will want to be involved in the care in some way. While it is great that there is an interest, the involvement of more than one person can create conflicts in the family. Siblings who are caring for an aging parent often do not split the caretaking responsibilities equally.
1. To address some of the common problems experienced when siblings are sharing care responsibilities, The Home Instead Senior Care Network has introduced a 50-50 Rule Program to offer assistance to these caregivers.
2. The first 50 represents the average age of most caregivers caring for a parent. The second 50 refers to how adult siblings can divide the responsibilities.
3. Research has shown that 43% of families that have shared caregiving responsibilities will have disagreements and problems relating to the care of an aging parent.
4. One study revealed that a surprising 2% of all siblings in the United States who are caring for an aging parent are actually splitting the caregiving equally.
5. CaregiverStress.com is a great website offering valuable tips for siblings who are sharing the role of a caregiver.
Finding a caregiver in Boston is not always an easy task. If there are no family members willing to perform the task, it may be necessary to hire a caregiver. Seniors who are in this position should always work with an agency. This will ensure that the caregiver is properly trained, has passed a background check and genuinely wants to work with and help senior individuals.
1. The most common form of senior abuse is financial abuse. Many caregivers, and others who provide services to seniors, will financially take advantage of the individual. Many seniors are very trusting and do not even realize this is happening.
2. Seniors who are in need of a caregiver will benefit from using a senior home care agency. All of the caregivers employed will have passed a background check.
3. Many people believe it is easier and cheaper to hire their own caregiver. While this may seem true at first, it usually ends up costing more. There will also be issues of quality care. When not using an agency, it is possible to hire someone who does not have a genuine interest in the well being of the senior.
4. Being a good caregiver involves trust and respect. Caregivers should have a passion for helping the elderly and not be looking for personal gain in any way. Aside from a check from the agency, caregivers should not be paid for the services they provide.
Seniors need to be aware that there are many untrusting people just waiting to take their money. It is common for seniors to be approached with an offer for a financial investment. Seniors should take caution in these situations because there are many scams that are affecting recent retirees. More information on this troubling issue is provided in the list below.
1. Seniors who are isolated or have disabilities are often the target of these schemes.
2. One out of every five retiree over the age of 65 has been a victim of a financial scam. More than 7.3 million seniors have been taken advantage of each year.
3. Older people are targets because they are more willing to invest in something that is supposed to help them through their retirement years. The elderly are also much more trusting than the younger generation.
4. Many of the people doing the scamming are retirees as well. This is how they know who to choose for a target. Elderly con artists are more common than most people believe.
5. Veterans are also a target. There are many groups who offer to help a former soldier. While many of the programs do actually exist, these seniors are being told they must liquidate all of their assets to become eligible for benefits, which is not true at all.
Home Care Boston enables seniors to live happy, healthy, and independent lives in their own homes.
Many times seniors will make a resolution that will affect their over-all health. While these resolutions provide great outcomes, they are often difficult to keep. There is no harm asking friends and family for a little help as you try to make some small changes in your daily life. The list below provides some useful tips for seniors on how to keep their resolutions.
1. Have a support network, Friends and family can provide emotional support. This can be beneficial if the resolution included some drastic changes to daily living. If you have made some tough resolutions, you may benefit from being in the company of others who are also making changes to their lives. This can help seniors stay on track. Positive support groups are essential.
2. Resolutions can be difficult to keep, depending on what they are. Many seniors choose to lose extra weight or start an exercise program. The key to being successful with these resolutions is to just do them. If you have a new diet, stick to it. If you have a new exercise regime, make time for it each day. These changes can greatly improve health and mood, so stick with them regardless of how it feels at the time.
3. If you slip up on your resolution, do not quit completely. Many people make little mistakes. This does not mean the time you have already put into keeping the resolution needs to be thrown away. Just count that day as a loss and pick up where you left off.
At Home Care Boston, we realize that many seniors are not aware of their daily sodium intake. If seniors are affected with high blood pressure, this is one thing that should be a concern. Monitoring the amount of sodium intake each day can help combat high blood pressure and other health issues. The list below provides some helpful tips and facts about sodium.
1. The government passed regulation to label products differently. Anything with more than 480 mg will be labeled as high in sodium.
2. When you reduce sodium intake, you will notice foods taste differently. Do not give up. In a short time, your taste buds will adjust!
3. Do not cut out sodium completely. The body does require some intake. For adults, the minimum amount is 200-500mg/day. Those with high blood pressure should not exceed 1500mg/day.
4. Lower intake by reading food labels and being aware of sodium contents, make records of daily sodium intake, change some eating habits and find low-sodium alternatives to what you normally eat.
5. When dining out, eat from the salad bar and avoid soups and sauces. Also ask for a low-sodium menu.
6. Read labels. Manufacturers are required to tell you how much sodium is in a product based on a serving size. Look at the serving size and then at how much sodium is in each size.
7. Keep in mind that many of your medications may contain sodium. Check with your doctor for tips on how to lower sodium intake. Also remember that tap water contains sodium as well, so try to drink bottled or filtered water.
High blood pressure is a common problem in the senior population. While most people believe they have to take a medication to lower their blood pressure, there are other ways to go about it. Making some changes to your diet and your daily life can have positive effects on lowering blood pressure.
Home Care Bostonwants to remind all seniors that they should consult their doctor before making any drastic changes to their diet and exercise. The following tips however are a good starting place for anyone looking to lower blood pressure.
1. Reduce sodium intake. Daily intake for seniors or anyone over 50 should be less than 2,300 mg per day. Take the saltshaker off the table and try to eat foods that are low in sodium.
2. Change cooking habits and do not use salt. There are other ways to get great flavor when cooking. Use herbs and spices and avoid using bullion and prepared sauces. They contain high amounts of sodium. When dining out, ask for food to be prepared without salt or request a low sodium menu.
3. Check the medications you are currently taking. Many of them do contain sodium. Talk to your doctor about adding an aspirin to your daily regime. This can reduce chances of stroke and heart attack.
4. Reduce stress, add some exercise and quit smoking. All of these will lower your blood pressure. Losing a few pounds will also be beneficial.
5. If you can, monitor your blood pressure at home. If these changes do not work, you may have to ask for a prescription medication. Doctors will also suggest increasing your potassium intake.
This year, don’t fall in the trap of those same old resolutions that are surrounded by the fear of failure like weight loss or exercise goals. Instead, do things that really motivate you; we here at Home Care Boston encourage you to try a different approach, using some of the great ideas below!
1. Educate yourself – you’re never too old for learning. Pursue an interest; go back to school and take advantage of the discounts for seniors who want to return to college. Or take a class that teaches you more about another hobby like a craft or physical activity like dance
2. Expand your career – if you’re a senior who’s still in the workforce, make the best of your last few years in a career and do something you really enjoy. Even if you’re not working for an income, volunteer somewhere that fulfills you
3. Take a trip – if you’ve been dreaming of getting away somewhere, make it your goal this year. You can take the opportunity to plan and save. It doesn’t have to be something glamorous; even a journey to visit family that normally comes to you makes for a change of pace
4. Work on organization – sometimes with age, people become more sentimental. You may find that your home is becoming more cluttered. Take the opportunity to get your home organized for a safer and more comfortable environment
5. Develop new relationships – whether it’s romance you have in mind, or just feel you’d benefit from increasing your social circle; get out there and network!
Home Care Bostonknows that achieving new goals can be difficult for many seniors. They will often require some help from friends and family, even if that is just moral support. There are many websites that can offer tips and resources to help seniors achieve their goals this year. The sites listed below are a few that are commonly used by those who wish to get a little help in achieving their goals.
1. ResolutionsReminders.com – This is a free site that can help you stay on track and attain your resolutions. The site was established in 1997 and has been going strong ever since. It contains valuable resources and users can sign up to receive email reminders.
2. DietTV.com – This site is great for anyone who has set diet goals for the New Year. A personalized program can be created, including a customized diet plan. The site has many areas that will help with all diet and exercise needs, such as an exercise finder and support groups.
3. StopSmoking.net – Many seniors still smoke, and many members of the senior population make resolutions each year to quit smoking. This is one of the hardest goals to achieve, especially for seniors who have been smoking for many years. The site also offers tips on how to quit as well as the option of creating a personalized stop smoking plan.
