Free and Unbiased Information Blog Focused on Helping The Aging

Are you taking care of an ICU patient at home? Whether a person gets early discharge from ICU or the extended ICU treatment needs to be given at home, the task can be quite demanding. There is constant care, time, and attention that an ICU patient requires. From taking care of the medicine schedule to the meal timings, managing everything end to end can get challenging. It can be even more concern worthy during the COVID-19 pandemic times when extending the hospital stay can pose a health concern and seeking external help at home becomes equally daunting. Understanding your situation and concerns, we at Samvedna Senior Care , an elder care home in Delhi , provide you some professional tips that can come useful during these times in setting up and following the norms of ICU at home . Maintain Hygiene: When caring for an ICU patient at home, it is essential to focus on the hygiene standards. Keep everything clean and sterile as an ICU patient is at high risk of contracting infectio

Are you taking care of a loved one with dementia? It is hard enough during normal times and the pandemic may leave you more anxious and confused. The global health crisis may be leaving you overworked and stressed. Mostly, dementia does not increase the risk of COVID-19. However, dementia-related behaviour, the increased age and other health conditions can leave you more concerned and worried. Like people with dementia may forget to wash their hands frequently or thoroughly or may not take other required precautions. If you are taking care of a family member with dementia at home, here are specific tips that can reduce your stress and help you sail through these challenging times. To Explain the Virus or Not? Are you pondering whether to discuss about COVID-19 pandemic with your elderly with dementia? Your concern is genuine. However, it will be difficult for someone with a memory loss problem to understand and remember the precautions. It might also trigger panic or leave them w

At 80, I am alone at home, but am enjoying every bit of that solitude and expressing my joy through colours and bold strokes. In a way the social distancing has been a blessing for me as I got to revive my original passion. After passing out from Kolkata College of Art, I came to Delhi looking for a job with only Rs. 200 in hand, way back in 1960. After a bit of struggle, I finally managed to establish myself as a graphic designer, but the work pressure didn’t allow me too much time to pursue my love for painting. I got into the rut of daily work, and over the next few years my hard work helped establish myself professionally and personally. One of the most memorable highlights of my life was being nominated for a French Govt. scholarship to study typography in Paris for two years. But a long administrative tussle between French and Indian governments resulted in my scholarship being denied. As this scholarship was close to my heart, the loss pushed me to depression. To overcome the

Here’s  something to keep in mind: Occasional forgetfulness – aka “having a senior moment” – is a normal process of aging. K eys are easy to lose,  so  there’s  no need to panic when you or your elderly loved one misplaces them. The same goes for forgetting names or mixing up words.  Likewise, an yone can forget an appointment,  fail to recall  that one word “on the tip of their tongue” or become easily distracted.  Still, signs of memory loss can trigger significant worry for aging adults and their families considering about  5.5 million Am e ricans   are living with  Alzheimer’s  and that one in three seniors dies with the  disease  or another of the  70  known  types of dementia.   Something else to keep in mind:  There is a difference between normal age-related memory loss and serious memory impairment. As we age, our memory makers and keepers (our brains) change. The adult cortex  starts to  shrink in our 40s, neurons in the brain atrophy, aging brains get less blood flow, and so

With over four million dementia cases and the figure set to grow substantially in the coming decade, there is research taking place to find a cure for this neurocognitive disease. Although, at present, there is no cure for this condition, some drugs and different therapies can slow progression of the illness and improve the wellbeing of your loved ones living with this condition. One such therapy that can help those in the early or mid-stages of dementia is Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST). It is one of the most frequently recommended therapies for those diagnosed with dementia as it is known to improve quality of life of the person significantly. Before we know about the benefits of CST, let’s understand what is CST? The Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) A series of exercises and activities are part of CST and these are designed to stimulate the memory and communication skills of a person with dementia. These activities are usually related to everyday chores or interests, r

Leading senior care franchise aims to hire thousands of caregivers in response to increased demand for in-home care Always Best Care Senior Services, one of the leading senior care franchise systems in the United States, announced today the launch of an aggressive nationwide caregiver recruitment campaign to meet an increased demand for in-home care amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Always Best Care provides essential services to seniors and disabled adults, including non-medical in-home care and assisted living referral services, as well as skilled home care for clients that suffer from illness or injury. Always Best Care delivers its services through an international network of more than 200 independently owned and operated franchise territories throughout the United States and Canada. “It’s widely recognized that the elderly population is extremely vulnerable to the novel coronavirus, and as a result, the landscape of senior care will likely be changed forever,” said Jake Brown, Presid

Did you know  June is  Men’s Health Month  and Father’s Day anchors Men’s Health Week ?   Celebrate dad on Father’s Day and thank him for all he  has  done, but  also  make sure to seize an opportunity sometime this month to have a conversation with him about his health. This awareness campaign has the critical purpose of informing men   that avoiding preventive healthcare puts them at real and serious risk of  contracting a disease or  acquiring  a chronic condition.   Studies consistently  show the numbers go against men , particularly as they advance into their senior years.   Even with dramatic advances in diagnosis and treatment over the past 100 years, men’s life expectancy still lags significantly behind women. According to  Harvard Health ,  the gap is widening. In 1900, the life expectancy for women was 48.3 years vs. 46.3 for men. In 2017, it was 81.1 years for women vs. 76.1 for men. Harvard Health reports that at age 65, for every 100 American women there are only 77 men.

COVID-19 cases in nursing homes and assisted living facilities have been devastating, as the virus spreads like wildfire through our most vulnerable population living together in such close quarters. As a result, many families are moving elderly parents home, which raises a number of considerations to work through. Heaven at Home Senior Care , the experts in elderly care in Plano and the surrounding area , is here to help with the information you need to ensure a smooth transition home for your older loved one. A good place to start is by answering these questions : Do you have enough room for the senior to have designated space for privacy? How will the move impact other members of your family? For instance, will one of your children need to give up his/her bedroom and share with a sibling? If you work outside of the home, who will care for your loved one while you’re gone? How will vacations be handled? Will the senior be able to travel with you, or is there a plan you can imp

It has been two days that we heard the unfortunate news of actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death by suicide. It came across as a shock to everyone since no one expected such an event to take place. He was a terrific actor and a decent human being with a bright future ahead. However, his demise put a full stop to a life that might have been filled with happiness and success. His sudden death made us stop and realize how fragile life is and how one decision can starkly affect one’s life in so many ways. Celebrities are people who we idolise. They are people with whom we feel a connect. They remind us of well, us. This can be as specific as their connection to a moment in our past, or as general as the fact that they are about our age or have something else in common to us. Whether it is cancer, suicide, overdose, accident or any other type of death, it can hit a nerve.  It may be because we have struggled with the same thing, or it may be because we lost someone in the same way. When a ce

Retirement is often conjured with a vision of a free life and being on vacation. Sleep late, pursue long lost hobbies, meet friends and acquaintances, spend time with grandchildren and more. Finally, it is time to catch-up with everything that you fancy. However, after the initial phase of enjoyment and connecting with your dear ones, adjusting to retirement can become challenging. A sudden loss of identity, an erratic routine and curtailed finances can affect you psychologically. Suddenly, you have more time and less money, making it difficult for you to cope. If you are experiencing anxiety, depression, or finding the transition difficult for any other reason, then here are some tips for transition, adjustment, and retirement planning. Experience the Stages of Emotions: When adjusting to retirement, you may undergo a series of emotions. The initial phase of freedom and relaxation may wear off, leaving you feeling bored and anxious. To suppress your feeling, you need to find healt

It’s  no secret that adults of the sandwich generation  – typically people in their 40s and 50s –  are busy. Careers, multiple children with extra-curricular activities, and caring for an aging parent are just a few of the things that take up their time.  Adult daughters and sons of aging parents  are feeling the crunch  even more so with t he COVID-19 pandemic . Many are at home working virtually, home-schooling their children and being family caregivers for elderly parents.   As states are opening back up and adult daughters and sons start filing back to their places of employment, many are realizing they need to figure out care options for their parents.  In fact as lifespans have lengthened, baby boomers in their 60s and 70s are increasingly caring for elderly parents in their 80s and 90s, according to  Kaiser Health News .   Since more than two-thirds of those over 65 will  need assistance to deal with a loss in functioning  at some point, there’s a good chance that many adult c

With the recent spread of COVID-19, people are starting to ask, is the Alzheimer’s gene tied to a higher risk of getting coronavirus? Our staff at Freedom Home Care has looked into studies discussing it. From the studies that have been conducted, here is what doctors and universities have to say. The APOE ε4 gene variant that gives people a greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s has been found to link to COVID-19. A study showed that carrying two copies of the variant, APOE4, could make people two times as likely to develop a severe form of the disease, same which is causing coronavirus. Now that doesn’t necessarily mean there is a direct connection between the two diseases. Jef Askt wrote: The result isn’t due to nursing home settings or to a greater likelihood of having a diagnosis of dementia, which none of the 37 people with two copies of  APOE4  who tested positive for COVID-19 had. “It is pretty bulletproof—whatever associated disease we remove, the association is still there

It’s been proven time and again that exercise is good for seniors’ physical and mental health. Regular exercise, even in small amounts, can improve mood, relieve stress and improve health. According to the CDC, four of the five most expensive health conditions older adults face can be prevented or managed with physical activity. But, only about 35% of adults over the age of 65 are physically active. Any senior starting a new exercise plan should consult with their physician. And, it is helpful for family and members of the care team to assist and support physical activity in any way they can. For those that are physically able to begin an exercise program, regular movement can help them live a more vibrant and healthy life. Some of the health benefits include: Improved mental health, mood and outlook Prevention, or improvement of, diseases such as diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and osteoporosis Reduced pain from arthritis and minimizing its severity Decreased risk of falls