Posts Tagged ‘nj senior tips’

Elderly Hearing Problems: How to Communicate with Your Doctor

Thursday, January 28th, 2010

NJ Senior Health

Life can become increasingly difficult for those seniors who suffer from a hearing problem.  This can be particularly distressing if it impinges on your communicating with your physician.  Here are some things to consider:

  • Bring an interpreter. If you prefer to have an interpreter, have a friend or relative accompany you. You should ask someone that you are comfortable with because your doctor may need to ask you personal questions.
  • Don’t be shy. You may feel awkward saying that you didn’t understand what was said. Sometimes you might pretend to hear something you didn’t. You may feel that it isn’t right to interrupt your doctor. But to get good medical care, make sure you fully understand what is being said, even if it means asking the doctor to repeat him or herself.
  • Ask for a well-lit room, without glare. It will also help if the room has curtains and carpets. Ask the doctor to speak clearly, to face you, to keep his or her mouth visible, and to repeat and rephrase as needed.
  • Ask for quiet. If you need a procedure or exam, complete your conversation in a quieter room before moving to the exam room.
  • Ask for details. If your doctor will be wearing a face mask for a procedure, ask to be told what you need to know ahead of time.
  • If your speech is difficult for others to understand, ask the doctor to be patient. Take your time. Feel free to write or type on a computer or other keyboard if you prefer.
  • If your doctor uses a word that you don’t know, ask for the word to be written down and explained clearly. If you need it, ask for a drawing or a model.
  • Don’t be afraid that you’re bothering the doctor with these questions. If it would help you, ask for written information about your condition, your medicines or your treatment choices.

Posted by: Frank Esposito, VP Expert Home Care.  New Jersey’s Expert Home Care provides professional, dependable 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.

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Posted in Hearing Problems, NJ Senior Resources, Senior tips, Seniors Health, Specialty Care | No Comments »

Elderly Exercise: It’s Never Too Late

Tuesday, January 19th, 2010

NJ Senior Health & Fitness

Physical activity is good for people at any age. Among elderly adults, falls are a common cause of injury and disability. Physical activity makes your bones and muscles stronger. When your muscles are strong, you are less likely to fall. If you do fall, strong bones are less likely to break.

Regular physical activity is good for your brain too. Recent studies have shown that people who follow simple exercises (such as, walking) on a regular basis are better able to make decisions than people who aren’t physically active.

From diabetes to heart disease, many chronic (ongoing) health problems are improved by even moderate amounts of physical activity. For people who have these conditions, a lack of exercise is a bigger risk than an exercise-related injury.

Talk with your doctor about your plans before you get started. Your muscles will very likely be sore when you first increase your physical activity, but don’t use that a reason to stop. Mild soreness will go away in a few days as you become more used to the physical activity.

Many senior citizens find walking to be one of the easiest activities to do. Doctors recommend at least 30 minutes of physical activity on most days of the week, but you don’t have to do all 30 minutes at once. Try walking for 15 minutes twice each day or for 10 minutes 3 times each day.

Many older people say that exercising with a partner is the best motivation to stick with it. You can start or join a walking group with friends or neighbors.  Alternatives to walking include gardening, dancing, or swimming. Your choice of activity can be both enjoyable and good for you.

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.

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Posted in Activities for NJ Seniors, NJ Senior Resources, Prevent Falls, Senior Exercise, Senior Living & Lifestyle, Senior tips, Seniors Health | No Comments »

Tips for the Elderly to Stay Warm in Winter

Wednesday, January 6th, 2010

NJ Senior Tips

Winter is a difficult time for cold area people – most especially for elderly seniors.  Here are some things to consider (while keeping costs down):

  • Create a “warm room” in areas where you frequently spend time. Turn down thermostats in closed-off rooms, but remember during frigid weather to provide enough heat to rooms to prevent frozen water pipes.
  • Try out different furniture arrangements to move the furniture you use most away from drafts. You might enjoy your favorite chair more if it’s placed in the warmest spot in a room.
  • Moving your bedroom to a south facing room may allow you to take advantage of  solar warmth and light
  • When getting ready for bed, use a hot water bottle to warm up your bed and consider adding an extra blanket.
  • Reverse the spin on your ceiling fan and set it on low to re-circulate warm air down into the living area. Many ceiling fans have a reverse switch on them that will push down the warmer air on the ceiling to help you stay warm.
  • Wear several layers of thin clothing (wool, silk, or polypropylene inner layers will hold more body heat than cotton) indoors, which will serve to help insulate your body by trapping warmth in the air pockets between the layers. Multiple thin layers that can be easily removed also help prevent overheating. Wearing appropriate clothing to bed to maintain body temperature while you sleep is just as important as dressing for the outdoors.
  • Use a throw blanket to place across your lap or to cover your feet and shoulders to help you stay warm. Throws and shawls made of fleece are particularly useful because they are not only warm, but also lightweight and less bulky than other fabrics.
  • Wear fleece slippers around the house to help keep your feet warm. Look for non-skid bottoms to help prevent slips and falls. Wear a warm, comfortable hat to keep your head warm.
  • Use insulated drapes and close them at night and on cloudy days to reduce heat loss through windows.
  • Prune any trees or shrubs near windows that block the sun.
  • Block drafts blowing into your home through mail slots, floorboards, and electrical outlets or the damper on your fireplace when not in use. If you have an attached garage, keep your garage door closed.
  • Vacuum heat registers and check to make sure registers, radiators and cold air returns aren’t blocked by furniture or drapes. Air must circulate through and around them for full efficiency.
  • Investigate daytime activities in heated buildings such as senior centers, libraries, churches, and adult day programs, or look for opportunities to volunteer in your community.
  • Light cleaning, walking on a treadmill, playing with a pet and other simple exercise activities can increase circulation and make you feel warmer without undue strain.
  • Hot meals and beverages can provide both warmth and energy during the cold winter months. A cup of your favorite hot beverage will even do double duty, warming the hands as you hold it and the body as you drink it.

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.

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Posted in NJ Senior Resources, Senior Living & Lifestyle, Senior tips, Seniors Health | No Comments »

New Years Resolutions for Senior Citizens

Thursday, December 31st, 2009

NJ Senior News & Resources

What can New Jersey seniors do to make the New Year a good one?  Consider the following:

Shared experiences and the resulting wisdom
The younger generations need the benefit of the wisdom elderly citizens have acquired throughout their lives. By sharing their wisdom with young people, senior citizens become a benefit to the community.  They need it and local seniors will enjoy feeling needed.

Volunteer
Find an organization to support and volunteer to help them. Doing so will not only make a senior citizen’s golden years meaningful, but it will also bring them happiness.

Keep using all faculties
Look for ways for seniors to continue using all of their faculties (physical, mental and spiritual) so they do not suffer from lack of use. Playing games, engaging in social activities, prayer, meditation and exercise are perfect for strengthening these faculties.

Maintain good health
Maintain your health by exercising regularly, and making adjustments to lifestyle and diet. Talk to your doctor about reducing medications to the least amount and strength possible.

Enjoy the arts
Do you enjoy the fine arts, such as music,  visual arts, performing arts etc. that New Jersey has to offer? This is an active rather than passive interaction like watching run-of-the-mill programs on television.

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.

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Posted in Activities for NJ Seniors, Elderly Socialization, Senior Exercise, Senior Living & Lifestyle, Senior tips, Seniors Health | 1 Comment »

Senior Safety at Home – 7 More Tips

Tuesday, December 8th, 2009

Keeping New Jersey seniors safe around the home

Here are some very important things to remember to keep things safe around the house for your elderly loved ones:

Aerosol sprays vs. pump

Aerosol cleaning sprays are not only unhealthy to our bodies, but can be unhealthy to carpeting, vinyl, wood, and our total home health environment. When buying cleaning supplies, choose the pump type.

Ice on wood decks

You can add safety to icy wood decks by sprinkling them with cornmeal, which adds traction and is easily swept away without harming the wood, lawn, or plants.

Don´t advertise expensive purchases

When purchasing expensive electronics, or appliance that come in boxes, be sure to break-down (flatten) the boxes they come in before placing outside for pick-up. Otherwise, you will only be alerting thieves that you have something inside for them to steal.

Health check for gas heaters

Gas heaters should be checked before each winter as soot can build up at the outlets causing problems and may need cleaning. Proper ventilation and clean filters are important. Call your gas utility or manufacturer/installer for information.

Types of paints

Finished paint efforts will be more rewarding when the right types of paints are used. Here is a basic list:
-Latex that is available in flat or semi-gloss finish can be thinned with water and is washable; is odor free and quick drying; good for ceilings, walls and woodwork.
-Polyurethane, that is available in satin or high gloss and very durable; can be thinned with alcohol; good for floors and wood surfaces.
-Oil-based paint, high gloss that can be scrubbed; can be thinned with mineral spirits or turpentine; best for trim, kitchens, and bathrooms.

Spots on carpet/floors

Humidity can cause furniture casters to discolor wood flooring or carpeting underneath. This can be prevented by spraying clean casters with shellac or clear urethane. Remember to have good ventilation when spraying these solvents. If you are unsure, place stiff pieces of clear plastic under the casters or legs of furniture.

Icy doorsteps

To avoid icy doorsteps in wintertime, add dishwashing liquid to warm water, then pour all over the steps. This will thaw ice and prevent refreezing.

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.

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Posted in Elder Safety, Home Safety, Prevent Falls, Senior tips | No Comments »

Lifestyle Tips for NJ Seniors

Monday, December 7th, 2009

New Jersey Senior Living & Lifestyle

Here are some wise tips that every senior should consider following:

Phone solicitations

Never respond to phone solicitations for products or winning sweepstakes. And NEVER give out ANY personal information to ANYONE who contacts you by telephone – especially a social security number or credit card information. Tell them you are not interested and hang up the phone.

Eating less-the easy way

Diets aren´t always the easy way to maintain a healthy weight for seniors, but eating less can be. Use the salad plate for meals rather than the dinner plate; less surface, less food.

Arthritic hands

For those with arthritis, clothes with buttons can be a challenge. One suggestion would be to convert your present clothes to velcro closure by remove all buttons and sew onto the button-hole opening (closing button-hole); sew a strip of velcro (purchased from craft or cloth stores) to an area where buttons were removed and to an area on backside of the button-hole strip. Some velcro has a sticky backside that can be ironed onto cloth, but sewing is more permanent. If you cannot sew, request assistance from family, friends, or professional seamstress.

Over-extending ourselves

Whether it is gardening, exercising, running errands, we should know what our limit is without adding stress, aches and pains. At the beginning of each week, make a list of things you want to accomplish for that week, then break them down to no more than one hard task per day. Write down what you want to do in a daily-planner or a convenient wall calendar. If you miss a task, add it to next week´s list. You´ll find yourself more flexible and not as rushed (or achy!)

Outside activity for seniors

Check with local houses of worship and the city hall in your area.   Also check with your doctor or hospital administration. Many of these locations offer rides to and from their facilities. If no locations are available, ask your local municipal administration or house of worship if they can create activities for seniors.

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.

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Posted in Activities for NJ Seniors, Diet, NJ Senior Fraud & Scam Prevention, Senior Living & Lifestyle, Senior tips | No Comments »

How to Talk to Your Elderly Loved One

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

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.

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Posted in Assisted Living Alternative, Elderly Socialization, Overcoming Resistance, Senior Living & Lifestyle, Senior tips | No Comments »

Senior Care Safety & Emergency Checklist

Wednesday, August 19th, 2009

NJ Senior Safety

Are you prepared to deal with any emergencies that may arise with your elderly loved one?

Below is a list that you, as a caregiver, should keep in an easy-to-reach place should an emergency occur.  The list should be filled out and kept on a refrigerator and/or nightstand.  In times of panic and confusion, you or your senior may forget the most basic information.  Timing is critical and seconds can make a difference.

Fill out this list, review it with your senior citizen and keep multiple copies:

Children’s or Next of Kin’s Full Names, Addresses and phone numbers:

Name__________________  Address ____________________  Phone Number_____________

Name__________________  Address ____________________  Phone Number_____________

Name__________________  Address ____________________  Phone Number_____________

Special Health Concerns:

Medications Taken_____________________________________

Pre-Existing Conditions________________________________

Emergency Contact Information:

Doctor’s Name______________Address_____________Phone Number______________

Nearest Hospital              Address____________ Phone Number______________

Insurance Carrier___________________________Account Number_________________

Police Station Phone Number___________________________

Additional Instructions:

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

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.

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Posted in Caregiver Resources in NJ, Elder Safety, New Jersey Help for Family Caregivers, Senior Planning, Senior tips | No Comments »

NJ Senior Safety: Kitchen Safety Checklist

Thursday, August 6th, 2009

NJ Senior Safety

The kitchen can be a dangerous place for an elderly, frail person if certain steps are not followed.  Here are some things to remember:

  • Keep towels, curtains, and other things that might catch fire located away from the range and oven. If necessary, shorten or remove curtains which could brush against heat sources.
  • Make sure your elderly loved one wears clothing with short-fitting sleeves while cooking.   Seventy percent of all people who die from clothing fires are over 65 years of age. Long sleeves are more likely to catch fire than short sleeves. Long sleeves are also more apt to catch on pot handles, overturning pots and pans and causing scalds.  If one needs to wear long, loose sleeves, fasten them with pins or elastic bands while cooking.
  • Kitchen ventilation systems and range exhausts should be checked to make sure they are in use while cooking. Indoor air pollutants may accumulate to unhealthful levels in a kitchen where gas or kerosene-fire appliances are in use. Open windows to clear air of vapors and smoke when cooking.
  • Extension cords and appliance should be kept away from the sink and range areas. Appliances should be as close to wall outlets as possible so extension cords won’t be needed.  If extension cords must be used, install wiring guides so that cords will not hang near sink, range, or working areas.  Don’t hesitate to add new outlets for convenience and safety with ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) to protect against electric shock.
  • There should be good, even lighting over the stove, sink, and countertop work areas, particularly where food is sliced or cut.  Low lighting and glare can contribute to burns or cuts. Lighting can easily be improved by opening curtains and blinds (unless this causes too much glare), using the maximum wattage bulb allowed by the fixture; reducing glare with frosted bulbs; using indirect lighting, shades or globes on light fixtures; or partially closing the blinds or curtains.
  • The kitchen should have a stable step stool with a handrail.  Standing on a chair is a bad idea.  Screws and braces should be tightened and a broken step stool should never be used.
  • Always check for outdated foods in the refrigerator, freezer and pantry.  Outdated foods can cause food poisoning and sometimes even requiring hospitalization in the elderly.

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.

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Posted in Elder Safety, Senior Living & Lifestyle, Senior tips | No Comments »