The holidays are meant to be a time of joy and happiness, and this is the season that seniors can find themselves feeling the most lonely and isolated, especially at a time of year where there’s Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukah and Christmas all right around the corner. Whether you’re a senior who finds yourself feeling down at this time of year, or a family member, caregiver, or friend who exhibits signs of the holiday blues, try these tips to prevent emotional distress during the holidays:
• Don’t expect too much – if big family get togethers haven’t been a big part of holidays recently, don’t expect them or you’ll only face disappointment
• Don’t do things that are too stressful – holidays are meant to be a time of enjoyment, so if there are certain tasks that surround the holidays that stress you out, avoid them!
• Volunteer – surround yourself with others in the community by volunteering and giving back
• Don’t isolate yourself – when holidays aren’t the way they used to be, seniors might become isolated; join in on activities in the community, get together with friends and make sure you don’t have to be alone
• Maintain a healthy lifestyle – to keep your spirits up, take care of yourself. Exercise, eat well and limit alcohol consumption
As a family caregiver, you might address your loved one’s basic needs when they’re suffering with Alzheimer’s. You dress them, you bathe them, you serve meals, and you manage their finances, but do you actually go the extra step to inspire and enlighten them? If the answer is “no”, then it’s time to make a change, and introducing them to art can be the change that they need because of the following benefits:
Extensive benefits that can truly change their lives in the following ways:
1. Communication – seniors with Alzheimer’s often struggle to communicate verbally; art gives them a method to communicate non-verbally, expressing their feelings in a way that can act as an emotional release
2. Improved memory and concentration – Alzheimer’s doesn’t eliminate memories, it just limits the pathways that seniors have to access them. Art can help seniors to access some of these memories, and it generally taps into the skills and abilities that seniors still have, rather than focusing upon what they’re lacking
3. Better sense of well-being – seniors with Alzheimer’s can be difficult when dealing with their caregivers due to lingering frustrations that come with the disease. Art has calming effects which can benefit not only the well-being of the senior, but also the caregiver through increased cooperation
4. Forms a bond – by allowing the senior with Alzheimer’s to tap into elements of themselves and show their abilities, caregivers and family members are reminded that there’s someone that’s still in there
Q – I live a plane ride away from most of my grandchildren, and while there’s no way to physically bridge the gap, I feel like I’m missing out on all of the little things that they do. Talking on the phone or sending an email helps to bring us closer, but sometimes, I just want to be able to see what my granddaughter is wearing, or watch my grandson’s facial expressions while he tells me what happened at school that day. How can I make the distance seem a little bit closer?
A – Try using a webcam; it will help to feel more connected. Here are some tips to get you started:
1. Get the webcam – many laptops that are sold today come with webcams, even a few computer monitors also have webcams built in. If your computer doesn’t have a webcam, you can buy one for as little as $20
2. Set it up – most webcams will come with software and drivers you can install to get it setup. Follow the instructions and put the webcam itself so it comfortably focuses on your face
3. Find a way to chat – to connect with grandchildren, you will need to both use the same type of program that supports webcam chat. Instant messengers like MSN and AOL have webcam chat, or other programs like Skype offer it as well. Choose one that will also be safe for your grandchild to use
Every day when you log onto the internet, you might think that social networking, searching for information, and answering your email are all simple mindless activities that you do to pass the time. But guess again, because for every hour you spend online you’re actually managing to enhance your mind and improve your memory. The greatest benefit comes from using the internet as a resource for information; simply reading through search results that derive from your inquiry creates complex cognitive processes that can strengthen your mind, but everything you do can have its benefits!
This comes as great news for older adults who are spending more and more time online, up to 6 hours a week, generally staying connected using everything the internet has to offer. Gone are the days when older adults were thought of as technophobes, and it works in your favor!
There was a time when if you weren’t under 30 and thin you weren’t beautiful, at least not according to ad campaigns and runway shows. Well, already the world of fashion and design is trying to change our conceptions of what it means to be beautiful by introducing models of different sizes and shapes, and more recently, they’ve also started using models with a wider range of ages. Older adults are finally being recognized for their beauty, just as the younger generations are. For their 2008/2009 Fall/Winter Collection, Mango fashion line used 65 year old model and actress Lauren Hutton in their ad campaign. While she might not appear as you’d picture your typical senior, dressed in haute couture and kept far away from anything knitted or crocheted .
But that’s the way aging looks today, like models, older adults come in all shapes, sizes and forms; redefining what we think of when we picture getting older. Today, the aging process is just like a fine wine; we only get better with age!
Talking about senior tracking technologies can open a can of worms. There are people who support the developments and others that are dead set against them because of the “big brother effect”. People on both sides of the argument are very passionate about their viewpoint. That being said, new technologies are constantly under development that leave room for discussion. The new Ambulatory Sneakers, which have tracking devices embedded in them (set for release in the spring) walk a fine line. While if used for their primary purpose, of preventing tragedy when 60% of seniors with Alzheimer’s wander away from their Minnesota homes and get lost, they can be lifesavers; those misusing the technology only create more ammunition for the critics of tracking technologies.
The sneakers, which discreetly track senior’s movements, transmit their location by GPS technology back to a computer, allowing someone on the other end to keep an eye on their every move. Although this product is being marketed towards seniors, it will naturally get a bad name when concerned parents start using the innovative fashions to track the whereabouts of their teenagers when they go out on a Saturday night. Sure, no matter which way you look at it, these technologies do make it seem like big brother is always watching, but if used correctly, they can save a lot of heart ache and tragedy for seniors with Alzheimer’s and their families.
Although abuse of medications can be an issue amongst the senior population, improper medication use isn’t just an issue who do it intentionally. Improper medication use can occur in seniors who have a daily drug cocktail that they’re prescribed and they forget to take their prescriptions according to schedule or double up on their dosages inadvertently. In order to help seniors manage their medications with proper use, seniors should check out a new smart prescription box.
uBox Smart Pill Box Features:
• Storage - 14 chambers for pill dispensing for 2 weeks worth of medication or multiple types of prescriptions
• Alert system – seniors who find themselves unable to remember when it’s time to take their medications are alerted with flashing lights and a buzzer
• Protection against duplication – so seniors do not accidentally take the same medication again, seniors cannot get the device to open unless it’s time to take a pill
Q – I find that the older my mom gets, the more time she spends confined to her Minnesota home. I’ve asked her why the change, and she says as far as she’s concerned, it’s just part of being a senior, because age makes it more difficult to get around. I’ve offered to take her out anytime she wants, but she says it’s just too difficult…is there anything available on the market that could improve my elderly mother’s mobility so she starts getting out again?
A – New technologies are coming out on the market that can help improve the lives of seniors greatly, and help give them back the gift of their independence. The latest innovation that certainly could reduce the challenges of mobility for your elderly mother is an electric walker.
About the ICIO Personal Transporter for Seniors:
• It has a convertible design
• Seniors can choose to use the personal transporter as a traditional 3 wheeled walker
• During periods when they’d like to move at a faster pace, they can stand on an attachable support and activate the electric function
• The device is suitable for seniors as their level of physical mobility changes, since it also converts into a mobile scooter with a seat
• With the personal transporter, seniors can venture out for exercise and convert the device if they get tired, giving them the security that they won’t be stranded
Animal therapy has been commonly used to enhance the lives of Minnesota seniors. Animals can help seniors to de-stress, relax, communicate and connect with another living being that offers unconditional love. But for some seniors, having a living animal just isn’t possible, and although many Minnesota nursing homes and retirement residences do bring animals in on a regular basis for the purpose of therapy, seniors just don’t get the benefits on a day-to-day basis. For this reason, Paro, a baby robot seal has been created to replicate the benefits that a real animal can provide to senior. The robotic seal is designed to interact with seniors, responding to touch and even demonstrating emotion.
Paro is expected to be available through retail soon, but currently, is touring expos around the country to introduce its benefits to the senior care industry!
Learn more about Paro the robotic and therapeutic baby seal here.
