Free and Unbiased Information Blog Focused on Helping The Aging

Like you, we here at AgingOptions are scouring the headlines just about every day, trying to make sense of the coronavirus pandemic and its aftermath. People like to talk about “the new normal,” but no one seems to be able to predict what normalcy will actually look like in the months and years ahead. Still, it seems clear that many aspects of American life will be permanently transformed by the COVID-19 outbreak – and according to this thought-provoking column from the Washington Post , some of the biggest changes may be in the category of senior housing. Aging and COVID-19: The Pandemic is a Stark Wake-up Call The column by opinion contributor Michele Norris should represent a stark wake-up call to seniors, their families, and those who serve them. “In the aftermath of the pandemic,” Norris predicts, “aging in America may never be the same. The spiraling death toll in the nation’s patchwork of nursing home facilities has revealed just how broken the system already was — understaff...

The World Health Organization reports that each year throughout the world millions of deaths from infectious diseases are prevented simply through the use of immunizations. While many people think of immunizations as something that only children need to get to stay healthy, the reality is that these are important throughout the lifespan to maintain health, prevent serious illnesses and infections, and keep people stronger. Evidence has even shown that regular and consistent use of immunizations can help to reduce antibiotic resistance throughout the community, which means that germs will not get excessively strong and cause further complications. As a family caregiver it is important that you help your parent understand the value of immunizations and seek out the ones that are most beneficial. While each senior is different, some of the immunizations that are most often recommended for elderly adults over the age of 65 include: • Influenza, for protection against the flu • Herpes zo...

There is an old saying that says “March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb .” March of 2020 came in like a lion, but we are still patiently waiting for the lamb to emerge and it’s already April! Like the roar of the lion, the roar of the COVID-19 virus has dominated our news, our minds, and our everyday lives. We are diligently working together through social distancing, protective practices, and common-sense measures to halt the spread of the coronavirus so we can resume our normal way of life. Senior citizens, especially those with chronic health conditions and compromised immune systems, are in the highest risk group for contracting the coronavirus and other contagious illnesses such as the flu or viral pneumonia. How can we protect our vulnerable aging population and keep them as safe as possible? There is a way to keep our senior safe using new technological developments. Let’s familiarize ourselves with the new way of accessing health services while minimizing the health ...

Our Gentle Chair Yoga Expert, Jyoti Nanda has put together a demonstration of exercises for relieving pain due to a frozen shoulder. Frozen shoulder is stiffness, pain and limited range of motion in the shoulder. The tissues around the joint stiffen, scar tissue forms and shoulder movements become difficult and painful. So mostly to avoid the pain, people stop the use of the affected joint. But this leads to ‘if you don’t use it you lose it’. So deliberate movement is necessary to gradually bring back the full range of movement. Movement can be used to improve blood flow in these muscles, which will help to lessen the pain. With continual range of motion movements, the muscles and fascia surrounding the shoulder will increase in flexibility so that the shoulder can function. Here is a demonstration of swim strokes like exercises to ease the pain in the shoulder joint. Swim strokes moves Roll one shoulder back as head turns in that direction. Repeat on other side. Palms face u...

There’s a lot of conflicting information out there regarding which foods are healthy and which are unhealthy. One food that many people feel uncertain about is meat. Red meat is an excellent source of protein and iron, yet some studies suggest that eating meat can be bad for heart health. In fact, a recent study reinforced the evidence suggesting meat is a food that should be eaten in moderation. Red Meat and Processed Meat Negatively Affect Heart Health Many past studies have indicated that eating too much red meat can compromise heart health. However, a recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine reported that researchers could not definitively say that eating red meat or processed meat (hot dogs, deli meats, bacon, sausage, etc.) could cause health problems like cancer, type 2 diabetes, or heart disease. Many people took that study as being an indicator that it was fine to eat as much meat as they like. However, this latest study adds more evidence to the side of tho...

Family caregivers can understand why they typically are the preferred providers of their senior loved ones’ long-term care. Not only are they trusted and familiar, but in the best cases they are proven to have the authentic love and concern that caregiving requires. Therefore, it can be difficult for seniors and families to open this close circle of trust to additional help. But when caregiver burnout or financial constraints limit the amount of long-term care a family can provide, sometimes the only option left is to trust someone else with the task. With the COVID-19 global pandemic is putting some extra stresses on family caregivers, they may want to consider getting some support while sheltering at home to minimize exposure. Caring for a loved one at home already has its challenges, especially when it involves a health condition such as Alzheimer’s or dementia, diabetes, Parkinson’s, hypertension, COPD or CHF. A professional caregiver from an agency like Amada Senior Care can pro...

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed life for everyone, everywhere. The fear of getting infected, living in a lockdown state, and in isolation is increasing stress among people of all age-groups. Along with daily stressors, coronavirus is adding to the woes of people. The older adults who are vulnerable are also experiencing increased stress. Other than the age-related stress issues like health concerns, financial planning, and loss of a loved one, in present times, elderly are looking for a silver lining in the dark clouds. April being the stress awareness month, let us get an insight into causes, symptoms, and ways to mitigate stress in the elderly. Often referred to as the “fight or flight response” of the body, if you notice any of the below signs, then you can be in a stressed state. Signs of Stress in Elderly Constant worrying Irritability Problems with digestion Difficulty sleeping Increase in bodily aches and pains Frequent headaches Difficulty concentrating Health Co...

We all know by now that staying at home is the best course of action seniors can take to minimize risk of exposure to COVID-19. After hunkering down at home these past few weeks, many seniors can’t help starting to feel some loneliness and perhaps isolation. These times of self-quarantine may be particularly traumatic for a senior in a residential community that has had to restrict visitors and suspend social activities and dining room meals. Even seniors who are being assisted by a family caregiver or a paid caregiver in their own home also may start experiencing loneliness from social activities being curtailed or grappling with some stress or anxiety from watching or reading news about the virus. If you or a senior loved one is starting to experience the negative effects of being confined to home, try some of these suggestions for feeling less stress and anxiety and finding ways to maintain positive connections with others. A family member or a friend to an older person can also a...

When you’re a family caregiver, it’s easy to get lost in a pattern of 24/7 care and thoughts that no one understands what you’re going through. Many do, which is why a support group is so important. Here are four famous figures in history who provided care to others. 1 – Eleanor Roosevelt When Franklin D. Roosevelt was diagnosed with polio, his wife cared for him. Later on, President Franklin D. Roosevelt was diagnosed with high blood pressure and congestive heart failure many years later, his daughter would help provide his care. After his death, Eleanor Roosevelt continued to advocate for causes ranging from civil rights to women’s rights. She also was the first chair of the UN’s Commission on Human Rights and JFK’s Presidential Commission on the Status of Women. 2 – Nancy Reagan After his presidency ended, Ronald Reagan would be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. It was his wife Nancy who spent years providing his care. Not only did she push for stem cell research as a way to ...

As of this writing, COVID-19 continues to spread across the U.S. Nursing homes, and senior care facilities are becoming the new dangerous battle centers in the novel coronavirus pandemic war; this is now clear how coronavirus is devastating senior living centers. There is no other word for it — it’s quite a devastating crisis. The number of COVID-19 cases continues to sweep through senior living centers across the country, putting the seniors, staff, families, and the entire community at risk. With the virus spreading pretty fast, we can only imagine the possible worst-case scenario. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are about 1.5 million seniors who reside in 15,000 registered nursing facilities in the U.SAs of the first week of April, more than 400 long-term care facilities were affected, with hundreds of seniors testing positive for COVID-19. Media reports indicate the results are likely higher. Coronavirus Spread in Senior Living Centers T...

Are you taking care of a loved one with dementia? With the present lockdown state, is it getting overwhelming? Managing the household chores and taking care of your older adult with dementia can become taxing. As dementia affects the memory, comprehension, language, orientation and judgement ability, you have to take complete care of your elderly. You will have to manage their hygiene, meals, medication and more, which can start affecting you in ways you may have never thought during this quarantine period. With the coronavirus pandemic, you cannot get any outside help. In fact, you may be spending more time with your older adult with dementia. Is it leading to stress? Are you feeling anxious or disturbed? Well, by taking care of your elderly, you are doing a great job, worthy a thousand applauds. However, you need to take special care of yourself too. If you are experiencing any of the below symptoms, then it’s time you pause and think. Feeling overwhelmed all the time Getting ti...

By Archana Sharma, Founder & MD, Samvedna Senior Care Samvedna has been working with senior citizens since 2013, our organization’s mission is to promote active ageing for all. Over the past years we have done numerous programs with elderly and have encouraged them to step out, socialize, learn new things and be healthy. The lockdown due to COVID19 has impacted us all in more ways than we could have ever imagined. This morning PM Narendra Modi announced that the lockdown will be in effect till 3 rd May, 2020. He appealed and emphasized on focusing on seven key areas: Taking care of the elderly Practice Social Distancing, use homemade masks Build your immunity Download Aarogya Setu App Help the poor and needy Show compassion towards your workforce Respect and honour for the corona warriors It is not surprising that the first appeal was to take care of the elderly in the family, considering that many elderly have a weaker immune system and suffer from chronic ailments. ...

If you are a caregiver for a senior, or even just have elderly people in your life, you may wonder about their sleeping habits. It sometimes seems that the elderly don’t need as much sleep as the average person. You may feel like the elderly in your life are sleeping a lot, or sleeping too much during the day. Unfortunately when it comes to sleep in the elderly, what is normal may not necessarily be what is healthy. Excessive sleep or daytime sleeping in the elderly are all related to sleep disorders and can be helped. How Many Hours of Sleep Does an Elderly Person Need? A pervading myth related to sleep claims that elderly adults need less sleep than the average adult. It’s not quite clear how this myth began. Perhaps because elderly adults tend to nap in the afternoons and sleep less during the night. Perhaps because the elderly tend to wake up earlier in the morning, it appears they do not need to sleep as much. Whatever the reason, it remains a myth. From the mid-’20s onward, do...

As a family caregiver one of your most important priorities is keeping your parent safe. When you think about this need it is likely that your mind immediately goes to issues such as reducing fall risk, preventing wandering, keeping their home secure, and reducing poisoning risk. It is important, however, that you keep in mind that these are not the only potential risks that your elderly parent faces as they age. One that you might not immediately think of but that is quite pressing is the possibility of identity theft. Some things that you should know about identity theft and your elderly loved one include: • Approximately 16 billion dollars was stolen through identity theft in 2016 • This accounts for more than 15 million victims • Identity theft has increased 47 percent since 2014 • More than 49 percent of identity theft cases involve government documents or benefits fraud • Nearly 16 percent of identity theft cases involve credit card fraud • Approximately 10 percent of iden...

One of the things the CDC recommends is that people sterilize surfaces in their homes each day. When you go through your parent’s home cleaning for them, are you forgetting any surfaces? Sometimes in the rush to clean, some household items are forgotten. These are the rooms and items you need to sanitize regularly. Bathroom Most people think of the toilet, sink handles, and sink when they’re sanitizing surfaces. When was the last time you wiped down the light switches, shower/tub knobs, and hairdryer handle and switches. You should clean your toothbrush handle and sanitize the head in hydrogen peroxide daily. You should also wipe down regularly-used beauty products. If your parents have a shower curtain, you should wash that with the towels. Use a bleach bathroom cleaner to wipe down the liner when you clean the tub or shower. Bedroom Ideally, sheets need to be washed weekly. If your parents are sick, they should be washed more often. While the sheets wash, vacuum the mattress ...

By Michael Robirds, special guest blog contributor and Amada Senior Care franchise owner     A ll of us have scrambled to adjust  to the new  C OVID – 19  lifestyle that  has  taken over   every sector  of our society.  Certainly, w e’re  all hoping and praying that this virus will soon  be contained and managed so that  we can get back to  regular  life as we know it.  U ntil that happens,  we a re left to embrace  this “new normal.”  But that might be okay ,  because facing this challenge and recovering from its adversities can only build our resiliency .  A s we push through our fear s  and negativity, we can perhaps gain a  more  profound appreciation  of our  life’s blessings . We might  even reinstate some forgotten good habits that  can only strengthen  our society  and fuel its continued success.     Thinking of ...