Category Archives: Senior Living & Lifestyle

How to Talk to Your Elderly Loved One

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NJ Senior Living & Lifestyle

In general, there is a difference between seniors in their 80s and older, and those who are now in their 70s.  For example:

Seniors in Their 80s

Seniors in their 80s, who lived through the Depression, have often spent frugally and saved as much as possible. They focus on wanting to leave a legacy to their children, are less willing to spend money on themselves, and less inclined to talk about future plans.

Seniors in Their 70s

Seniors now in their 70s are more questioning, more discerning and less amenable to institutional, assisted living alternatives. This new wave of “young” seniors is beginning to ponder difficult questions that do not have easy answers, such as, “Where do I want to live if I’m no longer able to stay at home? Who do I want to take care of me in the event I become ill? What are my wishes regarding end of life care?”

Align the Conversation to Your Senior’s Values

Knowing the seniors’ priorities can help their loved ones know what to say to convince them to get the help they need. For someone in his 80s, who doesn’t want to spend money on services for himself, having his children (and grandchildren) tell him they prefer that he spend it on his own needs and not gift it to the kids, might really free the parent up to take care of his own needs.

For someone in his 70s, having the children (and grandchildren) talk with him about his different options and help him identify the ones that best fit his needs and financial situation, might be helpful. This can be complicated due to the fact that seniors are often reluctant to discuss their finances with their children. Nevertheless, having an outline of your senior’s assets so you can know which options are available, is important.

When children have conversations with their parents about the future, they must first reassure the senior that they will be in control and have the final say and that the children just want to help them think about future possibilities and understand their preferences.

Posted by: Frank Esposito, Vice President of Expert Home Care.  New Jersey’s Expert Home Care provides professional and reliable home health care and companion care for NJ elderly, helping them with their daily living activities since 1984. Please call us toll free at 800-848-2336 when you have home care related questions or need assistance for a loved one. Get a Free Home Care Assessment (a $375 value!) when you mention this post.

Elderly Relocation – Help Your Senior Move with These 10 Tips

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NJ Senior Living

Moving is physically and emotionally difficult for anyone, particularly the elderly.  Here are some things to consider when helping an elderly person move:

1. Be kind. When helping to sort and pack your elderly loved one’s possessions, keep in mind that their eyesight and an inability to do everything they used to do can result in poor housekeeping habits. Offer to clean as you pack and try not to criticize.

2. Help sort. Seniors tend to keep things they don’t necessarily need or will ever use. Be gentle when suggesting to get rid of possessions. Ask them if they use the item and if they would mind if you donate it. If it’s a treasure or something they would like to keep but the new space can’t accommodate it, suggest keeping it in the family by giving it to a child or grandchild.

3. Take pictures of the inside of their home. As close as possible, try to place objects in a similar way so that their new home will feel very much like the old one. Be as detailed as you can from arranging the bedroom furniture to placing the family pictures on the bureau. This will help make the new place feel like home.

4. Obtain a room layout of their new place. Find out before you move how much space the new place has. If your senior is moving from a three bedroom house to a one bedroom condo, then together you will need to decide what will fit and how much can be kept.

5. Start small. Take a day to spend with your senior to talk about the move and what to expect. Give them small tasks to do such as going through a desk drawer or a box from the attic. Ask them to spend only 15 to 20 minutes a day on one task. Let them decide what they would like to do and what they might find hard to do. Taking small steps will help your senior get used to the idea of moving.

6. Pick a room that has less sentimental attachment. Have your elderly loved one start sorting through the bathroom or kitchen drawers; pick a place in the house that doesn’t hold the same emotional attachment as the bedroom or living room or a photo box kept in the attic.

7. Plan the move. Allow enough time that your senior doesn’t feel rushed. Sorting through years of stuff is difficult and sometimes emotionally painful. Give them time to absorb the change.

8. Hire outside help. Sometimes it’s easier for your senior to work with an outside party rather than with members of their family. There are many companies that specialize in moving seniors.

9. Be patient. Allow your senior time to say goodbye. If they take longer to clean out the desk drawer because of a stack of pictures they found, let them take the time to remember. This is a very important part of the process. Be patient. Listen to their stories.

10. Get them involved. Take your senior to their new home ahead of the move on their own time and when they are ready. Let them tell you how they would like it to look and make a plan to prepare the space accordingly.

Posted by: Frank Esposito, Vice President of Expert Home Care.  New Jersey’s Expert Home Care provides professional and reliable home health care and companion care for NJ elderly, helping them with their daily living activities since 1984. Please call us toll free at 800-848-2336 when you have home care related questions or need assistance for a loved one. Get a Free Home Care Assessment (a $375 value!) when you mention this post.

Relaxation Techniques for the Elderly

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NJ Senior Health & Fitness

Relaxation techniques can reduce anyone’s stress level, including seniors.  Here are some good exercises for your elderly loved ones to consider:

Tense the muscles in the body, one by one, then relax them, one by one.

This technique takes the mind off of anxiety-provoking thoughts and images and enables one to feel somewhat in control of his or her body.

Slow, rhythmic breathing combined with images of beautiful, peaceful places

This refocusing onto positive and peaceful images,  helps diminish any pain and reduces anxiety.

Meditation, focusing on a word, image or concept

This technique takes the mind off of pain or anxiety and focuses on something calming, such as ocean sounds, the thought that “I will get better,” or an image of a child smiling.

Prayer

This appeal to a higher power relaxes and calms some people.

Biofeedback plus relaxation

Biofeedback uses electrical equipment to help one learn how to control the body’s heart rate, blood pressure and muscle tension. It is normally used in conjunction with other relaxation techniques and helps reduce pain and anxiety.

Hypnosis

In hypnosis, the goal is to achieve a state of relaxed concentration, during which the mind is more receptive to suggestions that block the awareness of pain, or to change the sensation of pain to something that is positive. The hypnotist should be a trained psychologist or psychiatrist.

Massage

A massage therapist kneads the body into a state of relaxation, which can reduce pain and anxiety, stress and exhaustion. Different people find various massage techniques helpful. Try different techniques to see which works most effectively.

Posted by: Frank Esposito, Vice President of Expert Home Care.  New Jersey’s Expert Home Care provides professional and reliable home health care and companion care for NJ elderly, helping them with their daily living activities since 1984. Please call us toll free at 800-848-2336 when you have home care related questions or need assistance for a loved one. Get a Free Home Care Assessment (a $375 value!) when you mention this post.

Elderly Breathing Problems – 20 Tips to Help Your Senior Live Better

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NJ Senior Health

People with chronic bronchitis are at increased risk of developing infections, and those with other breathing problems (such as emphysema or COPD) are at risk of having infections further these problems. To prevent infections, encourage your senior to:

  • Wash both hands frequently.
  • Stay away from people who are ill.
  • Take a daily vitamin.
  • Eat lots of fruits and vegetables, which contain vitamins and will build up their immune system.
  • Try a zinc supplement, which may help reduce infections.

Reducing indoor air pollution can help strengthen your elderly loved one’s lung health.  Here are some things to consider:

  • Central air conditioning is essential in warmer months for older people.  Make sure the filter is changed often.
  • Check for mold which can irritate the lungs.
  • Use only vacuum cleaners with HEPA air filters that trap the dust.
  • Wash bed linens, pillows, and curtains in hot water to kill any dust mites.
  • Remove any pets from the home.
  • Do not paint the inside of the house or redo the floors with polyurethane coating, as paint and polyurethane can irritate lungs.
  • Always run a fan that vents to the outdoors for at least 20 minutes when cooking or showering, as this will help avoid moisture buildup which can lead to mold.
  • Aerosol sprays and scented products should be avoided as they can cause breathing problems.

Learn how to conserve your senior’s energy. Here are some things to consider:

  • Exercising can help tone your senior’s muscles.
  • Seniors should rest for an hour after each meal to give the body time to digest the food eaten before using energy on something else.
  • Your senior should keep often used items within reach of his or her chair, so that it isn’t necessary to move very much to get them. Silverware should go from the sink or dishwasher to the table rather than cabinets. Pots and pans should be placed back on the stove after washing
  • If your senior lives alone, find someone to prepare meals, shop and do chores for him or her.

Clothing can also play a role.  Here are some tips to consider:

  • Your senior should avoid anything tight in the chest or abdomen that could restrict breathing, such as belts, bras and girdles.
  • Heavy clothing, such as coats and sweaters, can be exhausting, as these items require extra energy to wear.
  • Trying on clothing can itself be tiring. Instead, encourage your senior to measure him or herself with a tape measure or be measured by someone. Knowing these measurements will enable your senior to buy clothes either on line (thereby saving the energy needed to shop) or in a store, without trying them on.

Posted by: Frank Esposito, Vice President of Expert Home Care.  New Jersey’s Expert Home Care provides professional and reliable home health care and companion care for NJ elderly, helping them with their daily living activities since 1984. Please call us toll free at 800-848-2336 when you have home care related questions or need assistance for a loved one. Get a Free Home Care Assessment (a $375 value!) when you mention this post.

Get Your Elderly Loved One To Quit Smoking – 6 Key Tips

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NJ Elder Health

Does your elderly loved one smoke cigarettes?  If so, you should try to get them to quit as soon as possible. The American Cancer Society, Nicotine Anonymous and the American Lung Association can help you help your senior.

Here is what you can say to your elderly loved one to help them quit smoking:

  • Let your senior know how important he or she is to you and your family, and that you want him or her to be around to participate in your family’s life.
  • Smoking increases the risk not only of having a first stroke, but also of having another one. Smoking increases the risk of having a heart attack, as well as of developing many other health problems.
  • Smoking can double one’s chance of developing macular degeneration, one of the major causes of vision loss in seniors.
  • If your senior smokes, tell them that if they quit smoking they will reduce their chance of a heart attack and death from heart disease by 50 percent. The nicotine in cigarettes causes less oxygen to go to the heart, increases blood pressure and heart rate, as well as blood clotting, and damages cells that line the arteries and other blood vessels.
  • In addition to increasing the risk of getting diabetes, smoking also increases a senior’s chance of developing complications from diabetes, such as retinopathy, heart disease, stroke, vascular disease, kidney disease, nerve damage, neuropathy (problems with feet), and more.
  • Some studies suggest smoking has been found to greatly accelerate the rate of mental decline in Alzheimer’s patients.

Posted by: Frank Esposito, Vice President of Expert Home Care.  New Jersey’s Expert Home Care provides professional and reliable home health care and companion care for NJ elderly, helping them with their daily living activities since 1984. Please call us toll free at 800-848-2336 when you have home care related questions or need assistance for a loved one. Get a Free Home Care Assessment (a $375 value!) when you mention this post.

Elderly ‘Home Accident’ Prevention Tips

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NJ Elder Safety

Making the necessary changes in your home or elderly loved one’s home

Is your senior citizen moving in with you or are they finding it hard to get around their own house? Here are some tips to help reduce the likelihood of accidents and give you some piece of mind:

Outside the house:

  • Add a ramp to replace steps. Maximum slope should be 1 inch for every 20 inches of length with a bolt in place for stability.
  • Add rails on both sides of steps.
  • Add non-slip, contrasting color strips on exterior stairs to help your senior with reduced vision to easily identify steps.
  • Add lighting along walkways and pathways, plus motion detectors.

Inside the house:

  • Replace door knobs with flip handles.
  • Replace swinging doors with pocket doors.
  • Visual-signaling smoke detectors have a light that flashes when smoke is detected to alert a person who is hard of hearing.
  • Increase the size of door openings.
  • Fasten rugs and mats to floors to reduce tripping with double-sided tape.
  • Add handles on both sides of stairwells.
  • Consider installing a chair lift on stairway.

In the bathroom:

  • Though it can be expensive, consider installing a roll-in shower or low-rise step-in tub.
  • Add handles and grab-bars in tub and toilets. Add hand-held shower heads.
  • If your senior is in a wheelchair, install roll-up cabinets.
  • Make sure faucets have anti-scald temperature controls.

In the kitchen:

  • Again, if your senior is in a wheelchair, install roll-up cabinets.
  • Install pull-out shelves for low or deep shelves.
  • Lower the light switches.
  • A side-by-side refrigerator/freezer will allow for easier access.
  • Install a wall-mounted oven for easier access.

General tips:

  • Be sure furniture is stable, and has no sharp corners.
  • Remove scatter rugs and clutter.

Posted by: Frank Esposito, Vice President of Expert Home Care.  New Jersey’s Expert Home Care provides professional and reliable home health care and companion care for NJ elderly, helping them with their daily living activities since 1984. Please call us toll free at 800-848-2336 when you have home care related questions or need assistance for a loved one. Get a Free Home Care Assessment (a $375 value!) when you mention this post.

Preventing Type 2 Diabetes

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NJ Senior Health

Americans 60 and older have the highest rate of type 2 diabetes among all age groups.  However, before type 2 diabetes occurs, the body develops pre-diabetes, a condition in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not yet at the level for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.

With pre-diabetes, the pancreas is usually producing enough insulin, but the body cannot use that insulin effectively – a condition called insulin resistance. With this condition, blood sugar gradually increases, often slowly enough that you don’t notice any symptoms.

Common symptoms include feeling tired or ill, unusual thirst, frequent urination (especially at night), weight loss, blurred vision, frequent infections, and slow-healing wounds. These symptoms happen over time, so many people don’t see them as warning signs.  The American Diabetes Association says one-third of people who have diabetes don’t realize they have the disease.

A Harvard School of Public Health study found that nearly 5,000 people (with an average age of 73) who were less likely to develop diabetes  (a 90 percent lower risk, in fact) had several traits in common. They included the following:

  • were physically active
  • ate more fiber and polyunsaturated fats
  • ate fewer sugars, starches and trans fats
  • didn’t smoke
  • used alcohol moderately
  • maintained a healthy weight

Older adults with pre-diabetes can still prevent full blown diabetes and those that have diabetes can still improve the quality of their lives.  Here’s how:

  • Assuming your doctor says you are overweight, lose 5 to 7 percent of your body weight (which is approximately 10 to 14 pounds for a 200-pound adult)
  • Participate in physical activity for 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. Brisk walking will cover this.
  • Eat a healthy diet, limiting calories and fat.

Posted by: Frank Esposito, Vice President of Expert Home Care.  New Jersey’s Expert Home Care provides professional and reliable home health care and companion care for NJ elderly, helping them with their daily living activities since 1984. Please call us toll free at 800-848-2336 when you have home care related questions or need assistance for a loved one. Get a Free Home Care Assessment (a $375 value!) when you mention this post.

Best Senior Activities – Gardening Keeps You Young!

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New Jersey Senior Living

Gardening can do wonders for an elderly person.  The benefits are endless.

Gardening involves walking, bending, pulling and lifting, which is a great workout. When we work on a garden, we burn calories and increase flexibility, relieve stress and lower blood pressure. Fresh nutrition is also a benefit.

A garden can also bring happiness.  Knowing that they just weeded the garden or planted some flowers offers a feeling of accomplishment.

Here are some safety tips for those seniors who choose to garden:

  • Stop gardening when you’re sore, tired, hot or bored. You want to avoid hurting or injuring knees, back, arms or legs.
  • Take sensible precautions: Use sun block; wear long pants; use repellant to keep bugs at bay; wear gloves, sunglasses, and clothes that don’t constrict your movements.
  • Garden for short periods: one to two hours maximum, unless you are in shape.
  • Start the right way: Exercise or stretch gently first.
  • Avoid the hottest parts of the day: Work in the garden early in the morning or late in the day.
  • Make access easy: Seniors in wheelchairs or who can’t get up and down easily can still work in raised planting areas or pots. Smooth, wide pathways accommodate canes, wheelchairs and walkers.
  • Use the right tools: Tools with grips wrapped with rubber or plastic are easier on the hands, and many new ergonomic garden tools reduce strain and injury.
  • Stay hydrated: Be sure water is easily accessible for both drinking and watering.

Posted by: Frank Esposito, Vice President of Expert Home Care.  New Jersey’s Expert Home Care provides professional and reliable home health care and companion care for NJ seniors, helping them with their daily living activities since 1984. Please call us toll free at 800-848-2336 when you have elder care related questions or need assistance for a loved one. Get a Free Home Care Assessment (a $375 value!) when you mention this post.

NJ Senior Living & Your Seniors Social Life

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New Jersey Senior Living & Lifestyle

Loneliness is one of the most common problems affecting seniors who live alone and away from family.  How can seniors connect with others?  Here are some places and situations that can work well:

  • Local senior centers usually offer lectures, classes, and meals.
  • Libraries offer book discussion groups for seniors, as well as lectures and concerts.
  • A community bulletin may list adult education classes.
  • Colleges and universities may have senior classes, lectures and concerts. Some have special classes or activities for seniors, while others encourage seniors to take regular classes at a discounted rate.
  • The YMCA or JCC may offer movement classes for seniors.
  • Health clubs may offer exercise, tai chi, dancercise or yoga classes for seniors.
  • If your elderly loved one likes to volunteer, you should look into civic, political, medical, educational or arts organizations.
  • Look for local hobby clubs such as guitar players, singers, memoirists, walkers, hikers, environmentalists, amateur theatre actors, etc.
  • Support groups.
  • Religious organizations tend to offer adult education, social action groups, and are always seeking volunteers.
  • Alumni groups.
  • Widowed or divorced seniors looking for companionship should consider online dating.
  • Create your own hobby group on a topic of interest. Seniors can go to Meetup.com and create a group on any topic, such as Lovers of Musical Theatre or Foreign Films. You will have to pay a monthly fee of $25 (the fees go down if you contract for more than one month at a time) to advertise there, but you can then ask the group members to share the cost with you. You can also create your own group and advertise at no cost on Craigslist.com. Or you can consider starting a group at your local church or through your local adult education organization.

There are plenty of opportunities for seniors to connect with their contemporaries.  Staying home and being miserable should not be an option.

Posted by: Frank Esposito, Vice President of Expert Home Care.  New Jersey’s Expert Home Care provides professional and reliable home health care and companion care for NJ seniors, helping them with their daily living activities since 1984. Please call us toll free at 800-848-2336 when you have elder care related questions or need assistance for a loved one.

Senior Citizens Bedroom Safety Checklist

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NJ Elder Safety

For seniors, the bedroom can become a place for accidents.  Here are some things to consider:

  • Lamps and light switches should be within reach of the bed. Lamps or switches located close to each bed will enable people getting up at night to see where they are going.
  • Night lights should be used. This is especially important if your elderly loved one makes frequent trips to the bathroom at night.
  • Ash trays, smoking materials, or other heat sources (heaters, hot plates, teapots, etc.) should be kept away from beds and bedding. Burns are a leading cause of accidental death among seniors. Smoking in bed is a major contributor to this problem. Among mattress and bedding fire-related deaths in a recent year, 42% were to persons 65 or older.  Remove sources of heat or flame from areas around beds.  Don’t smoke in bed.
  • Check for proper use of electric blanket. Tucking in electric blankets, or placing additional coverings on top of them can cause excessive heat buildup which can start a fire. Use electric blankets according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  Don’t allow anything on top of the blanket while it is in use. This includes other blankets or comforters, even pets sleeping on top of the blanket.  Don’t set electric blankets so high that they could burn someone who falls asleep while they are on.
  • A working flashlight should be kept close to the bed in case electrical power goes out.  Check the flashlight regularly to see if the batteries are still good.
  • The telephone should be close to your elderly loved one’s bed. In case of an emergency, it is important to be able to reach the telephone without getting out of bed.
  • Never go to sleep with a heating pad if it is turned on because it can cause serious burns even at relatively low settings.

With a little planning, you can prevent accidents that should never happen.

Posted by: Frank Esposito, Vice President of Expert Home Care.  New Jersey’s Expert Home Care provides professional and reliable home health care and companion care for NJ seniors, helping them with their daily living activities since 1984. Please call us toll free at 800-848-2336 when you have elder care related questions or need assistance for a loved one.