Free and Unbiased Information Blog Focused on Helping The Aging

by  Dr. Jayashree Dasgupta, Clinical Psychologist (NIMHANS) & Co-Founder – Samvedna Senior Care Recently I was invited by a company to conduct a workshop for employee engagement to help the employees cope with anxiety, stress and uncertainties due to the coronavirus outbreak and the lockdown. A couple of months ago, who would have guessed that 2020 was going to turn out the way it has with the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns across the globe impacting each and every one of us. The social, psychological and economic ramifications of these events are huge and undoubtedly will have long lasting implications which we are only just beginning to get a glimpse of. As the global economy is thrown into turmoil, several thousands of employees are faced with impending salary cuts and lay-offs, creating an uncertainty about their future which is hard to imagine. But for others in sectors where working from home is possible, this previously privileged work arrangement that was offe...

Samvedna Senior Care Foundation organized an online Dementia Support Group Meeting on 2 nd May, 2020. The agenda of the meeting was ‘Caregiving during COVID 19’.  It was heartening to see participants logging in from different parts of the country.  The objective of the meeting was to understand how caregivers were managing their loved ones and coping with caregiver stress during the lockdown and also share experiences and suggest tips and solutions for better care management during this tough time. The talk was facilitated by Dr. Jayashree Dasgupta, Co-founder & Project Director, Samvedna Senior Care. Dr. Jayashree Dasgupta, PhD (NIMHANS) opened the meeting by explaining dementia and its symptoms. Some of the topics discussed were – caregivers facing difficulties in managing work and a loved one, disruption of daily activities, managing domestic work in absence of help, loss of routine and increase in challenging behavior due to mobility restrictions. Dr. Jayashre...

With lockdown restrictions now beginning to ease, liquor shops have got a go-ahead to open up and everyone is rushing to re-stock their supplies. One can see herds of people thronging the shops and all social distancing norms seem to have been thrown out of the window. With social confinement, no mobility and the overwhelming situation of corona virus has many reaching out for alcohol, nicotine or other substances to seek solace and comfort. Samvedna hosted a panel discussion on May 1 st , 2020 with Dr. Kislaya Mishra, Consultant Psychiatrist and Dr. Jayashree Dasgupta, Samvedna Senior Care, on Substance abuse during COVID19. The discussion was focused on understanding dependence on substances like alcohol, nicotine, tobacco. Knowing when to see the warning signs and what steps to take in case one is getting too dependent on alcohol or nicotine. The panelists provided insight both into the medical as well as psychological aspects of over use and dependence on Alcohol and nicotine. Yo...

No matter what age we are, there is always that desire to feel our best so that we can live the life we want. Our Gentle Chair Yoga Expert, Jyoti Nanda has been conducting Chair Yoga sessions for our audience to encourage physical fitness during the lockdown due to coronavirus. Gentle yoga poses and sequences can support and maintain the health of the lower body especially the hips by working on four areas – flexibility, strength, stability and mobility. Jyoti Nanda explains that to keep the bones, cartilage, muscles and ligaments of the hip joint healthy, we need to incorporate exercises that allow abduction, adduction, flexion and extension. Besides the hip also has the ability to rotate internally and externally. However, some of these movements are not recommended for people who have had hip replacements or knee replacements. Motion is lotion! So it is essential to move the hips in their entire range of motion. Watch the session here and introduce these simple exercises in you...

The old saying “cleanliness is a virtue” rings with new meaning these days in the fight against COVID-19. In fact, the relationship between proper cleaning practices and good health has never been more apparent and important than during this global pandemic. Given that the elderly and those with underlying health conditions are more at risk of severe coronavirus symptoms, protecting the vulnerable at home is imperative.    A study by the  New England Journal of Medic i ne  found that the virus can live on surfaces and in the air between a few hours to several days. It can remain viable in the air for up to 3 hours, on cardboard up to 24 hours and on plastic and stainless steel up to 72 hours. Some good news according to  John Hopkins University : the COVID-19 virus is fragile, with a thin layer of fat its only protection. Soap or detergent is the best offense, as it dissolves the fat layer and thus the protein molecule of the virus disperses and collapses. ...

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...