Posts Tagged ‘elder care’

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Nutrition For Elder People

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010

Healthy eating and nutrition for the elderly is greatly impacted by several factors, one of them being a change in body composition.  During the later years in life, the body will lose bone and muscle and gain fat because the hormones aren’t very active anymore. There are many factors which hinder an elderly person’s health.  The information below will help you to lead a healthy life - no matter how old you may be.

Water
Water in the body decreases with age, so many older folks will become dehydrated very easily.  Sometimes they won’t feel thirsty, while other times it’s too much work to pour a glass a water.  With this in mind, it’s recommended that they drink at least 1 ounce of water for every 2.2 pounds of weight.

Protein
At this stage in life, protein is very important. Protein is needed to support a healthy immune system and prevent the wasting of muscle. Since energy needs are less, older folks should eat high quality protein such as eggs, lean meats, poulty, and fish.

Calcium
Calcium is one ingredient that most elderly folks simply aren’t getting enough of.Most believe that milk upsets their stomach, and therefore they will avoid it.  They should be getting around 1,500 mg of calcium a day, and nonfat powdered milk can be used in recipes as a substitute for milk.  Other foods such as yogurt, low fat cheese, and broccoli can also help you meet the requirements for calcium.

Vitamin B12
In order to absorb the benefits of B12, the intrinsic facotr must be produced by the stomach.  Most elderly people suffer from a deficiency in B12 because they have a condition known as atrophic gastritis.  This condition causes inflammation of the stomach, bacterial overgrowth, and the intrinsic factor. Without the intrinsic factor, this vitamin can be absorbed.

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The Benefits Of A Medical Alert System

Thursday, January 21st, 2010

In the event of urgent assistance being required, elderly or disabled people need a way to contact others, and a medical alert system (also known as a medipendant) is a device that allows them to do that. It provides timely, professional and beneficial help in a number of ways, and is more useful and more reliable than using a cell phone to call 911..

The first advantage that these devices have over cell phones is their convenience. They can be worn on the wrist like a watch, or hung around the neck; either being a better place than in a pocket, which can easily become inaccessible should someone fall awkwardly. They also lightweight and compact, even more so than the smallest of cell phones.

Robustness is another factor to consider. Dropping a cell phone from even waist height can cause it to become totally unusable, whereas a medical alert system could be dropped, for example, down the stairs without any damage being sustained to it. They are also waterproof, so taking them in the shower or bath is no problem whatsoever.

Battery life is another point on which a medical alert system is superior to a cell phone. A fully charged up cell phone may last for a day or two without needing to be re-charged. As for a medical alert system, its battery will last for around a year before needing to be re-charged again.

Another problem with cell phones is the size of the buttons, which are extremely small, making them difficult for people with unstable hands or poor sight to use. Compare that to a medical alert system, which has just a single large, easy to press button, which needs to only be pressed only once for a direct line of communication to be opened with a health care specialist.

On pressing the button, the user will not have to wait to speak to someone, as the call will be answered within seconds. There will be no rushing of the call either, and as much time can be spent explaining the situation as is necessary. It is literally like having a dedicated medical professional, who is also a friend, on hand 24 hours a day.

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For more information on medical alert systems, or to buy a medipendant, please visit http://www.TrueMedAlert.com

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Sandwich Families And Elder Care

Thursday, December 17th, 2009

You are in the middle of two generations with different needs. The demands of your children are pulling you in one direction. The expectations of your parent or parents is tugging on your other emotional arm. You are officially part of the growing number of sandwich families.

More and more of us are still growing our family when Mom or Dad moves in to our house. Many couples remained after our ’small group’ meeting at church to discuss the changes this situation presents. Everyone completely agreed that it completely alters the home environment.

Our group supports the local senior center. We organized an evening of entertainment with light supper and a silent auction. With the support of local businesses we had quite a collection of items ready for bids.

We did several events to raise funds for the program. We sold chances to win hdtv plasma tvs during the past year. A kitchenaid food processor was the drawing prize for supporting businesses in town. Lots of small appliances were donated to our massive indoor bazaar including a delonghi space heater.

One couple shared the dynamic of having a child and a parent that used diapers. There was lots of talk about the ‘reality check’. Critical grandmothers are not always appreciated by today’s teen. Conflicts can arise from comments about clothes, makeup, and music. One parent talked about the ‘trigger’ words list in their home.

Medical appointments, picking up prescriptions, administering medication, special diets, and other considerations have to be met. Many talked about the clash between ‘generation text’ and their grandparents. Conflict seems to be inevitable. Just as there are more than one problem with sandwich families, there is more than one solution.

We raised funds to begin a respite program. We created an adult day care where our parents can socialize and bond. This provides a few precious hours to spend with the kids, attend an after school activity or just be a couple. There is much more to be accomplished but our community is headed in the right direction.

Everyone who volunteers knows that they deliver more than hot food. They are providing the nourishment of human contact. The volunteer may be the only companionship that person experiences all week. Our ’small group’ is now reaching out to other circles like ours to combine our elder care efforts. We have a formed a vision team to look ahead to identify upcoming needs and consider solutions.

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Elder Care - Decreasing the Stress of Caregiving

Sunday, November 29th, 2009

The Holidays are a great time to plan a visit to an elderly family member. While this is a stressful time, it is possible to make your visit both enjoyable and productive. Caregiving and the Holidays can complement each other quite nicely as long as there is adequate preparation.

Concern: You elderly family member doesn’t eat nutritional meals or cannot leave the home to go grocery shopping.

Solution: Create an online account at a grocery store, and then have food delivered every week or so. You can fill the virtual shopping cart yourself or collaborate with your elderly family member. It is also possible to have pre-made meals delivered to the home. Several companies offer this service. There have many options, including meals that are low in carbohydrates, sodium, or calories. This option is great for people with medical conditions or special dietary needs.

Even if you can only visit for a short period of time, there are several things you can do that make a huge impact. First, create an emergency card for your elderly member to place in his wallet. It should include emergency contacts, doctors’ telephone numbers, medication regime and blood type. In the event of an emergency, this will help your loved one receive the best care as efficiently as possible. Also, try to attend a doctor’s appointment. This will give you the opportunity to tell the doctor about any concerns you may have. Finally, before you go, stock up on food and toiletries. If your loved one can’t leave his home without assistance, these things can easily run out before anyone else notices.

It is also important to set boundaries with the person you are caring for. While it may be difficult to initiate the conversation, doing so will help you avoid burnout, which means you will be able to help more effectively for a longer period of time. It’s generally best to go into the conversation with a list of talking points. What do you need this person to do to make your life easier? Often times, the requests you make aren’t anything you wouldn’t ask of a close friend, so the person receiving care shouldn’t be too upset by the conversation. For example, you may ask that the person receiving care refrain from calling you after 10 pm unless there is an emergency. In many cases, family members can also help you out. Maybe someone else can deliver meals on Tuesday nights or be the emergency contact person on a certain day of the week.

Long distance caregiving is a challenge, but the new products available make it easier than ever. In many cases, your loved one can now live happily at home due to advances in technology

Resource Author Francisco R. Higueras
Trabajar desde casa es fácil si sabes cómo
Todo sobre Juegos Mario para gente que le gusta jugar
Encontrar un Trabajo – Empleo es fácil si sabe dónde buscar

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A Caregiver’s Guide - The Best Alzheimer’s Activities

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

Why vital signs are important in elder care

Most of us take our mobility for granted, but we are all getting older and we all slow down. As we age, our mobility can become more important as it gives us independence. Anyone living alone who begins to lose their mobility is at risk of requiring residential care.

We told them not to do the dialysis. They did not ask to see the living will. He died the next day at 10:20 am.

In that situation a living will is redundant. Its value comes in if relatives would dispute the decisions you make. You don’t want them second guessing what you do and you certainly don’t want them taking you to court.

A caregiver must be able to determine a senior’s capacity for some activities. A seniors self-confidence is lost when they feel frustrated that they can’t do something right or can’t remember the rules of a game. Therefore, it is important to remember that an activity itself is the goal, not a specific outcome.

Wheeled walkers are also commonly referred to as Rollators. They come is a variety of shapes and sizes and with numerous optional features. Two of the most common types are 3 wheeled and 4 wheeled walkers.

The 3 wheel variety is more maneuverable and able to fit in more confined spaces. It offers less supports so is suitable for those requiring only mild to moderate assistance.

In case Emergency Services is called in and you are not there to guide them, the MOLST will tell them if the Loved One does not want to be resuscitated.

My experience is based on seven years of hands on, 24/7 experience in providing elder care. I thought that the experiences we went through were unique to my family. Unfortunately, it is not. It is common among unpaid care givers. Based on my extensive interviews with other care givers, the up close nature of elder care, the exhaustion, the callousness of relatives, the loss of freedom, the sleeplessness are par for the course

Resource Author Francisco Rodriguez H.
Understand How to Make Money Without Money Today
Todo sobre Juegos para gente que le gusta jugar
Encontrar un Trabajo – Empleo es fácil si sabe dónde buscar

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