As the senior population in the United States reaches 25% of the total population, we are seeing more seniors who are not thinking about the future. Even the people in the over-65 crowd who are in good health are still not preparing themselves. What should be in the back of every senior’s mind? Exercising, eating right, and saving for long-term care. Many seniors claim to be feeling healthy, but they do not regularly exercise. Even if they are well now, they are putting themselves at risk for cardiovascular problems, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Even daily light exercise, such as
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Archives for Senior Care
Key to Good Senior Care is Planning
Are you providing senior care to a loved one? You are not alone. Today, there are nearly 67 million people in America providing care to a family member. Helping him or her age with dignity and independence can be overwhelming for the adult child. Here are some tips to help you cope: Devise an individual plan for care. Every senior is different and will need different resources for care. Make sure that you look for help when you need it. Just because a friend you know easily takes care of her parent at home, don’t think that you can do it all on
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Pets Help Seniors Stay Healthy
May was National Pet Month, a time to celebrate the faithful dogs and the people who care for them. Anyone who is a pet owner knows what happiness a dog can bring to a home. Not only are they excellent at keeping the home safe but they are also endless entertainment, excellent listeners, and want nothing more than to be loved. The benefits for seniors are even more than those mentioned. Retirement can be a lonely time of a person’s life. A dog can reduce some of that loneliness and can even be helpful to introduce the senior to others.
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The Long Term Effects of Seniors Falling
You most likely have heard this story before: a senior has a bad fall and gets injured. But instead of getting better, they seem to never be the same. They have such a fear of falling that they begin to only walk when they are holding on to something, or maybe not walk at all. They sleep less and seem consumed by the possibility that they may fall again. Eventually their health begins to decline. This series of events has a name: post-fall syndrome. It is a psychological condition that affects one out of five seniors who has fallen and
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Seniors Benefit from the Affordable Care Act
Confused about the Affordable Care Act? Join the majority of Americans. President Obama signed the healthcare reform law three years ago, and still most of us are unsure that we understand what it is. In fact, a whopping 41% didn’t even know that it was still the law. For whatever reason, the implementation seemed messy and many feel negatively about it. And bits of the law seem a bit murky. So, does the Affordable Care Act actually help seniors? To answer the question simply, yes. The new law reduces the risk of Medicare fraud. Many seniors have fallen prey to
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Lack of Care in Nursing Homes
Health care workers from across Minnesota came to the capitol earlier this month to demand more money from the state. Much like Illinois, Minnesota has a lack of care in nursing homes throughout the state due to inadequate funds and lowered quality of skilled professionals in the industry. Skilled health professionals are beginning to leave nursing homes in favor of a bigger paycheck. And who can blame them? They haven’t seen a pay increase in five years. What this means is that the quality of the nursing homes relying on the money to pay their staff will decrease. This reduction
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Senior Safety in Summertime
When you think of summer, thoughts of sunshine, swimming, and sitting on the porch with a cold ice tea in your hand may leap into your mind. You probably don’t think of the potential dangers related to summer. Summer weather, particularly in Illinois, really brings the heat. When we sweat, we lose precious water from our bodies causing dehydration if not replenished quickly. One of the early symptoms of dehydration is dizziness. If a senior is dehydrated and gets up too quickly, the resulting light-headedness can cause a dangerous fall. Keep in mind that if you feel thirsty, you are
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Finding Clues of Depression
Depression can happen to anyone, but some seniors are more susceptible than others. Unfortunately, it comes in many forms. If we are waiting until a parent or loved one tells us that they are depressed, it may never happen. Some forms don’t even have mood symptoms that we typically associate with depression. However, depression is dangerous if left untreated, leading to lower quality of life and possible suicide. So, what is the best way to determine if a senior is depressed? According to research done by the University of Missouri, there are a number of clues that can let us know that
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5 Ways for Seniors to Beat the Heat
Extreme temperatures can be particularly dangerous for the elderly. Freedom Home Care has compiled some useful tips to ensure your parents and loved ones are kept safe in the extreme heat this summer. buy cialis online without prescription 1. Hydrate. Make sure they drink plenty of water before, during, and after being outside in the heat. If a senior is on medication, it can become vital that he or she remains hydrated to keep the proper levels of the medicine in the body. Hydrate with water, not sports drink, soda, coffee, or alcohol. 2. Avoid the sun. Find a cool
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Seniors for Seniors Pet Adoption Program
Pets have been proven to lower health risks of their owners, not to mention they make excellent companions. But for some seniors, they don’t see getting a pet as a possibility. Often, they can’t imagine handling the care that a puppy or kitten deserves. Luckily many shelters have a “Seniors for Seniors” program. Seniors for Seniors matches older adults to senior cats and dogs for fostering or adoption. Having an older pet is helpful as they are often house-trained and more subdued than younger pets. If the elderly person is living at home, the pet can add safety and security
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