Tag Archives: elders

Elderly Drivers Gives Up the Keys

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New Jersey’s Expert Home Care for Elders and Seniors provides care for your aging loved ones since 1984. Please call us when your loved one needs help – 800-848-2336.

Without wheels

“Many people can drive safely through their later years. As a group, older drivers are typically safe drivers. Drivers age 64 and older represent 14 percent of the driving population but just 8 percent of vehicular accidents,“ says Maureen Mohyde, director of Corporate Gerontology at The Hartford, and co-author of “We Need to Talk: Family Conversations with Older Drivers.”

About two-thirds of older drivers self-regulate or voluntarily restrict their driving to avoid night driving, slippery road conditions, rush hour or other difficult driving conditions, she adds.

As a concerned family member, relative or friend, it’s good to be proactive. There are positive things you can do to reduce driving risks and auto fatalities. The first step is to start talking about the subject before it becomes an issue.

You can broach the subject a number of ways. Talk about heavy traffic or road construction. Bring up news reports of an auto accident or announcement of a new senior transportation service. Deteriorating health, new medications or a recent fender-bender clearly mean it’s time to talk.

For help getting started, check out the free 24-page “ We Need to Talk: Family Conversations with Older Drivers,” produced by The Hartford in cooperation with the MIT Age Lab. The guide and video are available at: http://www.thehartford.com/talkwitholderdrivers/.

Key to any decision-making is driving  frequently enough with your elderly parent, relative, friend or client to know if they should still get behind the wheel. Some problems to watch for include: riding the break, hitting curbs, failure to stop at stop signs, running a red light, getting lost or confusing the gas and break pedals.

Finally, start investigating the options so that you can come to the table with transportation alternatives. Family members, friends, public transportation, taxis, senior services programs, non-profit organizations and churches offer a variety of ways to get around.

Most important of all, when it’s time to stop driving, be sure to let your loved one know they are only giving up their keys, not their lives.

Older Adults Feeling Young

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New Jersey’s Expert Home Care for Elders and Seniors provides senior care, home care & live-in care for your aging loved ones since 1984. Please call us when your loved one needs help – 800-848-2336.

A poll conducted by MetLife’s Mature Market Institute and Zogby International attempted to determine what age Americans believe is old.

If you’re under 30, you think age 61 marks the beginning of “old.”

If you’re between age 50 and 64, “old” doesn’t begin until age 71. No one 65 or older thinks 41 to 50 is old.

Men are almost three times more likely than women to say an age under 60 is old, and men are four times more likely than women to say that someone between 31 and 40 is old.

Republicans are more likely than Democrats or Independents to say that younger ages are old.

At Society of Certified Senior Advisors’ seminars, we ask people “how old do you feel?” Almost universally, people will subtract eight or ten years from their actual age. Put another way, “old” is all a matter of perspective!

Facts About Hypothermia and NJ Elders

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Q1 – How does hypothermia occur?
A1 – Hypothermia can happen anytime a senior’s body temperature anytime it drops even a couple of degrees below its ordinary temperature.

Q2 – Does hypothermia only occur outdoors?
A2 – While it is a common misconception that hypothermia only occurs in extremely cold temperatures outdoors, or when being exposed to very cold water, it can in fact occur inside when the temperature is too cold.

Q3 – How can seniors prevent hypothermia?
A3 – Seniors may not feel cold, but should always dress appropriately for the temperature. It’s important to always dress in layers, make sure that their house is well-insulated, and that the temperature indoors is kept at no less than 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

Q4 – How can I help someone with hypothermia?
A4 – Avoid trying to rub their limbs to warm them up, this can actually cause more damage. Do try to wrap them up in a warm blanket or sweater, and hold them close to share your body heat. Emergency medical attention should also be sought.

Q5 – What are the signs and symptoms of hypothermia?
A5 – There are a number of signs that someone may have hypothermia to look out for:

• They may demonstrate poor muscle and nerve functioning such as stumbling, mumbling, fumbling and grumbling
• Slow reactions
• Excessive or absence of shivering
• Stiffness of the limbs
• Change in appearance or behavior
• Weak pulse
• Low blood pressure
• Slow or slurred speech
• Shallow breathing
• Sleepiness or fatigue