Senior Care Blog

Throughout the stages of our lives, our independence can mean very different things. Independence can come in significant stages, like moving out of your parents’ home or getting married, or less significant ones, like being able to complete tasks that had seemed insurmountable.

It is not a mystery that a nutritious diet is vital for good health. However many people don’t understand that an adult’s nutritional needs change with age. As such, the nutritional experts at Tufts University have designed MyPlate for Older Adults, which is an updated rendition of the former food pyramid, and which provides advice specifically for senior nutritional needs.

Caregiving for a senior loved one, although very rewarding, also can bring along with it a high degree of stress. The day-and-night pressure of meeting a family member’s needs can rapidly escalate to create caregiver burnout – a dangerous condition that often results in a loss of patience and in emotional outbursts, affecting not merely the caregiver herself, but her senior loved one as well.

Enduring and recovering from a stroke is both a physically and emotionally challenging undertaking, and the main thing the stroke survivor longs for is to return home to his or her typical life. However, considering that around two-thirds of stroke survivors usually have some form of disability (per the National Stroke Association) in-home safety alterations may be necessary to make life throughout the stroke recovery process safer and easier.

Home is where the heart is, and it’s for that reason that so many people make the choice to remain at home through their golden years. But oftentimes wheelchairs become a part of life when individuals or those with certain disabilities lose mobility. This can be a unique challenge when it comes to making sure the home is a safe place. But a few wheelchair home modifications for elderly and disabled persons can greatly improve safety.

“How could you possibly say that I have dementia? There’s not a thing wrong with me!” If a senior loved one with dementia expresses sentiments such as this, you might have thought to yourself that he or she was simply in denial and unwilling to accept such a difficult diagnosis. However, there could be another reason: anosognosia, or a person’s true unawareness that he or she is impaired by dementia.

Alzheimer’s disease is well known for its profound influence on the ability to effectively communicate. In addition to the disease affecting speech, it also causes difficulties in an individual’s ability to correctly use words, along with the understanding of the meanings of words. As the disease progresses into the later stages, using language as a way of communicating will become more challenging.

Sometimes, the most beneficial lessons in life come about by going through them firsthand; yet the wisdom we are able to glean from those who’ve walked a similar course before us is priceless. If you’re providing care for a family member with dementia and becoming a bit bogged down in this uncharted territory, the dementia care tips for caregivers below will help:

Accepting the truth that an aging loved one requires help at home can be tough. Even harder is speaking about the need for care with the older adult and getting him or her to acknowledge that assistance is warranted. If you have noticed changes in a loved one and you’re sensing the need to begin a discussion about the benefits of home care as a choice to maintain safety and independence in the home, try these conversation starters to raise the subject in a subtle, non-confrontational way.