Harsh weather can bring special challenges to seniors and their caregivers. Prepare yourself so you stay healthy and safe in severe winter conditions. By taking a little extra precaution, you can be prepared for whatever the winter weather may bring your way. Here are 6 winter safety tips for seniors and their caregivers: Prep the Home for Power Outages Sudden…
When you are visiting your senior loved ones for the holidays, take a look around to make sure their environment is safe. For many seniors, illnesses and natural processes of aging can be threatening. Seniors living in their own homes face additional threats in the form of home hazards. Some medical conditions, like dementia, can make these hazards even more…
In case of emergency, it’s essential for seniors and their loved ones to have a communication plan. According to FEMA, the most common reasons for evacuation are fires and floods, and older adults are 2.5 times more likely to die in fires than the general population. During the winter, power outages, especially those that involve loss of heat, can be…
Gratitude is a thankful appreciation for what an individual receives, whether tangible or intangible. In the process, people usually recognize that the source of that goodness lies at least partially outside themselves. As a result, gratitude also helps people connect to something larger than themselves as individuals – whether other people, nature, or a higher power. Gratitude has the power…
November is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. It’s also a time when families get together after not seeing one another for a long time. Adult children may arrive home for the holidays and wonder if their aging parent is starting to show signs of Alzheimer’s or other dementias. Only a doctor can effectively diagnose which stage a person may be experiencing, but…
October is National Dental Hygiene Month, a reminder of the importance of adopting healthy dental practices that promote healthy teeth and gums. Dental care is not just about cosmetics, it is an important factor in overall health. As a result, it’s important for seniors to take care of their oral hygiene. Sometimes seniors who are using dentures believe dental care…
Food is central to our health – and, to a degree, our happiness, as food is something we often enjoy sharing with friends and family. Most people have food-related stories around their social events or holidays. As we age, however, sometimes that joy is diminished by our body’s decreased capacity to intake nutrients, mechanical issues with chewing and digestion, and…
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers women face. The two biggest risk factors for this type of cancer are being female and getting older. Women over the age of 65 make up 40 percent of patients newly diagnosed with breast cancer. Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, start a “Did you know?” conversation with these facts:…
Alzheimer’s and dementia are often confused and used interchangeably, but they are different. Dementia is an umbrella term that refers to a list of different symptoms, one of those being brain and memory function. There are diseases other than Alzheimer’s which can cause dementia. When an individual is diagnosed with dementia, they are being diagnosed with a set of symptoms,…
Falls are the main reason for injuries in older adults and rank as the second largest reason for unintentional fatal injuries. Aquatic exercise and therapy can be key to combating these risks. It allows seniors to work on balance and improve bone density through weight resistance in an environment that reduces the risk of falling. Whether you enroll in an…
