Rhode Island

As we age, we become more concerned about certain things, such as health care and financial responsibilities. The Baby Boomer generation is now entering their senior years and has many concerns about their future. A recent research project conducted a survey of American adults turning 65. The following information was gathered and represents what Baby Boomers are looking at in their senior years ahead.

1.            More than 59% of American Baby Boomers have a serious concern about the health care system that is in place. The majority of these individuals believe their generation will overload the system.

2.            A large portion of Baby Boomers will work past the retirement age in fear of possible financial restraints. Baby Boomers are actually being encouraged to continue working for as long as they can.

3.            69% of working Americans feel it is their responsibility to provide for people of the generations that came before them.

4.            These statistics were gathered from a study that was conducted by the Home Instead Family Care network. 1029 American adults participated in the study. The information paints a picture of what members of the Baby Boomer generation will face as they enter retirement.

Source: Home Instead

Home Instead Senior Care in Rhode Island provides non medical home care services for seniors and the elderly who choose to live at home instead. Please call us for more information on our in-home care services at 401-667-2923.

How Seniors Can Get Organized

Organizational skills are needed by everyone. When a senior is organized, their daily life is much more structured. This allows for less stress and anxiety that many seniors experience when they have to take care of things. Being organized can also be responsible for increasing mood and keeping seniors happy. Below is a list that contains some tips for seniors on organization.

1. There is no one way to be organized. People have different needs, so they will need to find an organizational system that works best for them.

2. Make use of organizational products. Written lists on paper are easy to lose, so try a dry erase board on the fridge to remember certain things.

3. Becoming organized is a process. It will not happen in one day. Begin by setting priorities and always know what things must be taken care of before others.

4. After finding a system that works, the challenge is maintaining it. Many seniors will go through the planning steps but often fall short when maintaining their organizational system.

5. Do not be afraid to ask for help. Friends and family members can offer some great ideas that will help seniors get organized and save time and money.

Source: NAPO

Home Instead Senior Care in Rhode Island provides non medical home care services for seniors and the elderly who choose to live at home instead. Please call us for more information on our in-home care services at 401-667-2923.

Home Care Baton Rouge helps seniors remain active and healthy in their own homes.

Many members of the elderly population are affected with coronary heart disease. While this disease can be treated, there are some other things that can be done to reduce the risks of developing other heart issues. Many seniors are trying new medications, or combinations of medications, to treat their current disease while reducing other risks. The following list contains some facts and tips for using medications to reduce heart risk.

1. Increased doses of Lipitor or other cholesterol lowering medications has been shown to reduce the risk of developing heart related health problems.

2. In combination with medication, lowering bad cholesterol can reduce the chances of heart disease.

3. Seniors who have coronary heart disease should try to get their bad cholesterol levels below 100mg per each deciliter of blood.

4. High doses of statin has been shown to lower cholesterol levels to 70.

5. In addition to reducing the chances of developing heart disease, seniors can also reduce the likelihood of stroke and heart attack.

6. Regardless of the current heart condition, lowering bad cholesterol can have many health benefits for seniors, including lower blood pressure, lower mortality rates and the reduction of risks of coronary heart disease.

7. Seniors who are currently taking medication to lower their cholesterol should speak to a doctor regarding the possible benefits of increasing the dosage.

If you are a caregiver, or know anyone with a heart condition, you could benefit from watching the following clip, which features a modified form of CPR called CCR that is easier to learn, easier to do and can save even more lives!

Source: reuters.com

Home Instead Senior Care in Rhode Island provides non medical home care services for seniors and the elderly who choose to live at home instead. Please call us for more information on our in-home care services at 401-667-2923.

As January continues, New Year’s resolutions start to be forgotten. Here at Home Care Rhode Island, we know that older generations especially face challenges with changes to old routines or habits. Those changes alone can cause seniors to get off track with their New Year’s resolutions. However, seniors can prove to themselves that resolutions can be kept past January.

• Keep Your Resolutions To A Minimum—If you have a laundry list of resolutions staring you in the face, discouragement will eventually follow when all goals are not met. Try to only make one or two resolutions for the New Year.

• Goals Should be Realistic – Weight loss or spending resolutions with large goals tend to fly out the window past January. Start small with any resolution. Losing a small amount of weight a week in comparison to setting a 20-pound goal for the month will be much easier to keep going.

• Be patient and don’t get discouraged—The saying “old habits die hard” could not be truer when it comes to New Years resolutions. Correcting old habits will take a while to change. Setbacks may present themselves, so do not get discouraged and punish yourself for falling back on an old habit.

• Give Yourself a Pat on the Back—When you accomplish a goal, reward yourself. Being proud of your accomplishments will give that additional incentive to keep up your resolutions just for how good it makes you feel.

Source:  ehow.com

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Home Instead Senior Care in Rhode Island provides non medical home care services for seniors and the elderly who choose to live at home instead. Please call us for more information on our in-home care services at 401-667-2923.

Each and every day many seniors wish for better health, more happiness, and improved quality of life. There is no better time than now to take action and set goals so that if these are dreams you have, you can make them come true. You don’t have to do it alone, and you’ll find more success if you don’t. Ask a Rhode Island caregiver, family or friend to read through the ways outlined below that they can help you find success.

1. Help form a support team – you don’t have to do it alone! Help your loved one form a support network that will help them reach their goals. If it’s to eat better, consider hiring a nutritionist and encourage friends and family to adopt healthier eating habits around them too. If it’s exercise, attend classes with your senior and ask others to do the same.

2. Remind him/her it’s not always going to be easy – especially for seniors who often face so many challenges later in life, it’s easy to give up on something that’s not coming easy. Often, resolutions that will drastically change their life aren’t going to be easy. Certain goals can be physically and emotionally challenging, so give them a friendly push when needed

3. A slip up doesn’t mean give up – as part of overcoming the challenges that can come with new goals, seniors need to keep on going even if they slip up along the way. In that situation, encourage them to learn from what they were doing wrong, then put it behind them and move forward. Ask them if there’s anything you can do to give them a hand with starting new!

Via: Associated Content

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Home Instead Senior Care in Rhode Island provides non medical home care services for seniors and the elderly who choose to live at home instead. Please call us for more information on our in-home care services at 401-667-2923.

If your goal is to boost your brain health in 2010, then here are some simple lifestyle changes that you can incorporate into your daily routine:

1. Choose fruit – instead of chocolate bars, try blueberries and almonds

2. Dance – ballroom dancing can help prevent Alzheimer’s

3. Choose healthy crunch – in salads, instead of croutons try walnuts for texture

4. Walk daily – reduce blood sugar with a 20 minute walk daily

5. Try Chinese vitamins – use Chinese moss

6. Become a tour guide – at a hospital, museum or historical place guide tours to help you remember facts

7. Use video games – use brain teaser games and practice hand-eye coordination

8. Try new things – don’t stick to the same old logic puzzles you’re used to

9. Deal with stress – seeking support helps reduce the effects of shrinking to your brain’s memory center

10. Look around – take in your surroundings closely

11. Notice details – really look so you could recount your surroundings

12. Try special tea – gotu koala tea protects brain cells

13. Use other herbal teas – teas with ginseng and holy basic can protect from cortisol

14. Choose a calming word – focus on a word that calms you as a form of meditation

15. Stay focused on time – keep calendars in every room

16. Take a course – take a class at a college

17. Wear a helmet – if you ride your bike, protect your head

18. Drink red wine – drink 2 or 3 glasses of red wine per week

19. Have thyroid testing – thyroid problems can hamper the brain, receive testing and get it under control

20. Choose lean foods – skip the burger and fries

21. Choose healthy sweets – fruits can satisfy a sweet tooth like candy

22. Try oats and cinnamon for breakfast – oats prevent plaque in brain arteries and cinnamon improves blood sugar

23. Listen to music – turn off the TV, turn on the music

24. Try Indian food – ingredients in curry have great antioxidants for brain health

25. Eat regularly – break for food throughout the day

Via: AARP

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Home Instead Senior Care in Rhode Island provides non medical home care services for seniors and the elderly who choose to live at home instead. Please call us for more information on our in-home care services at 401-667-2923.

As families gather around for the holidays, concerns may arise in regards to your senior’s mental and physical health. One of the most widespread health problems for the elderly can be depression, making it vital for families to know the symptoms and where their senior can receive help.

• Loss of appetite—A change in appetite usually results in the most common sign a senior is depressed of unintentional weight loss.

• Generally disinterest—Seniors may lose interest in daily activities they once enjoyed or found pleasing.

• Sleepless nights—A depressed senior may have trouble sleeping through the night. This can also explain another sign your senior is depressed, increased fatigue.

• Increased Irritability—Some seniors’ personalities turn increasingly agitated or dispirited when feeling low or depressed.

• Unusual thoughts about death—Abnormal notions about death and dying arise in a down senior.

• Where to get a geriatric assessment—Seniors and senior caregivers can receive help and more information on these depression signs by visiting their primary care physician or other outlets such as hospitals, senior centers, religious affiliations, Medicaid offices, or a local Area Agency on Aging.

Source: National Pace Association

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Home Instead Senior Care in Rhode Island provides non medical home care services for seniors and the elderly who choose to live at home instead. Please call us for more information on our in-home care services at 401-667-2923.

For many seniors and their caregivers, the holidays just aren’t a joyous time. The holidays can be a source of stress and act as a reminder of things from the past that no longer exist. The holiday blues can be overcome, even in seniors and their caregivers. Instead of saying “bah humbug”, with these tips, they might soon be joining in on the celebrations.

1. Surround yourself with people – even if you don’t have family or friends around that you can spend time with, do join other social events taking place in your community

2. Volunteer – no matter what’s happening in your life, you’ll feel great when you volunteer and give back to those in need

3. Join a support group – sometimes it’s not easy to talk to family about the emotions you’re struggling with, so join a support group that allows you to share your feelings

4. Don’t put pressure on yourself – it’s okay if you don’t feel like celebrating over the holidays, don’t push yourself. Get involved with those things that make you happy, and don’t get down on yourself if you don’t feel joyful

5. Avoid alcohol – alcohol can depress your mood, so even though the wine and eggnog is flowing over the holidays, stick to the non-alcoholic stuff!

6. Know the signs of depression and seek treatment – the holiday blues are one thing, but you also need to recognize depression and get help

Via: Health in Aging

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Home Instead Senior Care in Rhode Island provides non medical home care services for seniors and the elderly who choose to live at home instead. Please call us for more information on our in-home care services at 401-667-2923.

Shopping for seniors can be a big challenge, especially after so many years of holidays and gift exchanges. This year, think about the things that they could really use; here are a few suggestions to get you shopping!

• Items that allow them to pamper themselves – seniors on a budget are not likely to splurge on things they consider non-essentials. Buy them candles, soaps and body lotions that allow them to feel pampered at home. Gift cards to restaurants or spas are added luxuries

• Gift baskets – gift baskets with a combination of items, including some of the above, as well as seasonal foods, books, and craft supplies that they will enjoy and make use of are all great things to include! Gift baskets can be bought pre-fabricated or can be created at home

• The gift of companionship – seniors will most appreciate the company of their loved ones. If this is not possible, senior care services can be gifted for companionship and assistance at home

• Take an elderly loved one out for the day – a trip out for lunch around the holidays to see a movie or a musical event can be a very enjoyable way for them to spend a day and it will be memorable!

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Home Instead Senior Care in Rhode Island provides non medical home care services for seniors and the elderly who choose to live at home instead. Please call us for more information on our in-home care services at 401-667-2923.

Seniors are not in the highest risk group for contracting H1N1, but those 65 and older are at a greater risk for complications if they contract the virus, especially if they have pre-existing health conditions. Those at greater risk for problems that result from H1N1 can include seniors aged 65 and older who have blood disorders, cancer, chronic lung disease, diabetes, heart disease, kidney disorders, liver disorders, as well as neurological and neuromuscular disorders that can cause weakened immune systems.

Complications that can develop for seniors who end up with Swine Flu can include the following, and seniors who exhibit these signs should seek immediate medical assistance:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen

• Sudden dizziness

• Confusion

• Severe or persistent vomiting

To prevent H1N1 all seniors can try the following safeguards:

• Wash hands often or use alcohol based hand sanitizers that don’t require water

• Get plenty of rest to increase the immune system; ensure you get enough sleep on a nightly basis

• If recovering from surgery or another illness, focus on recovery. Hire a professional care agency or talk to a family member to step in to help out around the home so you can decrease your stress and get plenty of rest

Home Instead Senior Care in Rhode Island provides non medical home care services for seniors and the elderly who choose to live at home instead. Please call us for more information on our in-home care services at 401-667-2923.