Celebrating Aging: Becoming More Comfortable

As most of our previous blog posts show, there are definitely hardships surrounding aging. While discussing these it’s easy to get wrapped up in how difficult aging can be. We forget to celebrate aging – myself included! It’s crucial to remember these benefits, and discussing the positive aspects of getting older can help you easily embrace aging.

While talking on the phone with an elderly woman a while ago, the topic of age came up. She asked how old I was, and, with the gap in our ages, we naturally discussed getting older. Her comments took me completely by surprise. I’ll never forget the conversation because she didn’t focus on the hardships that come along with aging. Instead, she said, “It’s great! You become more comfortable in your own skin.”

Her comment was a great example of celebrating aging. Focusing on the benefits that come with getting older helps you embrace and accept aging. Confidence is just one of many great things that come with age. Wendy Lustbader, of Huffington Post, wrote a great article that listed ten ways in which life gets better with age. That article can be found here: Huffington Post: Ten Ways Life Gets Better As We Get Older.

Like fine wine, we all get better with age!

Web Resources for Caregivers

Often, there isn’t much preparation time before assuming the role of caregiver. Taking on these new caregiving responsibilities can be very confusing at first. Fortunately, there are many web resources to aid you in your role as a caregiver. These resources address all aspects of caregiving, from everyday logistical questions to emotional support. Here are some websites with great resources:

AgingCare.com

AgingCare.com provides information and tips regarding caregiving as well as an excellent forum that connects caregivers to one another. You can post questions and find advice and emotional support.

Caregiver.org

The National Center on Caregiving works to develop programs for caregivers, and their website offers a variety of resources. They offer caregiver alerts regarding policy issues, information, assistance, research and more.

Eldercare.gov

This is site allows you to enter a zip code and find a list of caregivers in that area. It’s especially helpful if you’re trying to provide for your elderly loved one remotely.

National Family Caregivers Association
The National Family Caregivers Association has an extremely informative library of educational materials for caregivers.

Leeza’s Place

Leeza’s Place provides resources for those who are providing care for someone with a memory disorder or chronic illness. They provide memory screenings, presentations and workshops, information and referral assistance, an informational library, and more.

Senior Care Corner

Senior Care Corner offers blog posts and podcasts focused on navigating some of the difficult situations that may come up while caregiving.

Caregiving Gaining Attention

Here at LTS, we are excited to see the subject of caregiving receiving much needed attention in the media. This past week, both CNN and Huffington Post brought attention to the topic. They both highlighted two equally important aspects of caregiving – growth and impact. The CNN article points out the fast paced growth of caregiving in the United States, while the Huffington Post article reflects upon the emotional impacts.

The number of caregivers in the United States is growing at an incredible rate. According to the Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics, by 2030 there will be about 70 million Americans 65 and older. Even more astonishing, by 2050 this number is expected to be near 90 million. This increase in the number of older Americans indicates a greater need for caregivers, as well as more understanding into all of the impacts of being a caregiver. Currently, just under 40 million Americans are 65 and older, so you can imagine the effect that 90 million senior citizens will have on the field of caregiving.

With the increase in caregiving just beginning, there is a need for more resources to help caregivers understand what they’re going through. The overwhelming feelings of stress, guilt, resentment and depression are all parts of caregiving, but are sometimes hard to process as a caregiver.

Greater public knowledge about caregiving will lead to better care and support, for the caregiver and the person being cared for.

Here are the links to those two great articles:

CNN: As baby boomers retire, a focus on caregivers

Huffington Post: Caregiving: The Dance Between Guilt and Resentment

Winter Safety Tips for the Elderly

Winter is just beginning in New England. The mild weather doesn’t mean that you should be lax in your winter preparation. The unpredictability of winter storms can be extremely dangerous, especially for senior citizens. Here are some ideas from LTS and the CDC to ensure the safety of your elderly loved ones.

In the home -

Staying warm during the winter is top priority. There are always risks involved with home heating, and more fires occur during the winter than any other season. Take these precautions to ensure your elderly loved one is warm and safe.

• Make sure the entire heating system is clean and working. If possible have a professional check it in the fall.
• Install carbon monoxide and smoke detectors. Be sure to check the batteries and ensure they’re working correctly.
• Pay your elderly loved one a visit, and bring over extra blankets, hats, mittens and scarves.

Your senior neighbors and family members should have a sufficient amount of emergency items stockpiled. These will come in handy in case the weather doesn’t permit them to leave their home.

• Stock up on non-perishable goods as well as a couple of gallons of water.
• Ensure they have candles, matches, flashlights, batteries and a radio easily accessible.
• Provide them with a first aid kit. In addition to that, be sure to get all prescriptions filled ahead of time.

Outside -

• Arrange to have someone shovel the walkways and plow the driveway after a storm.
• Make sure there is sand, salt and kitty litter on the walkways at all times. Place a tin full at the top of the stairs to put on any new patches of ice that develop over night. This will help to prevent any falls on ice.

As always, the most important advice is to check in on your elders! Pay them a visit after a storm, and be sure to give them a call before a storm. This way you can ensure they are safe and prepared for the worst!

Here is a full list of winter home precautions from the CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/features/winterweather/

Ideas to Deal with Caregiver Stress

As our previous post indicated, dealing with the stresses of being a caregiver affect you on every level – physically, emotionally and mentally. There are some things that can help caregivers manage the stressors involved with caregiving and even, in some cases, offset some of the physical and emotional impacts. Through some research and discussions with LTS clinicians, there seem to be three things that are most important.

1. Take care of yourself – Be sure to tend to your physical needs! That includes exercising, eating healthy meals, and even taking vitamin supplements. Pay attention to any symptoms or warning signs that may indicate a greater health problem to come.

2. Be social – The responsibilities of being a caregiver can make it difficult to keep up with friends. However, it is necessary to maintain a solid network of friends who are there to support you and listen to you. Having someone to talk to about the stress you are going through will open you up to new insights, some comfort, and maybe a good laugh. Laughing with friends is a great way to relieve stress, and temporarily take a break from the caregiving world.

3. Take some time to yourself – It is difficult, but making time for yourself is important. Whether it is to journal, meditate, catch up on your DVR, or just sit quietly and take a moment to focus on yourself. It’s easy to forget your needs when you are caregiving, but taking time to yourself will help you focus and figure out what you need.
Hope these help!

The Stresses of Caregiving

With the first week of 2012 over, there has been a lot of information about new ways to lose weight, what to eat, and how you should exercise. When you are a primary caregiver, these things aren’t always able to be top priority. Sometimes it can be difficult to maintain your own health on top of the numerous other responsibilities that come with being a caregiver. A report released by the National Alliance for Caregiving sheds light on just how precarious the health of a caregiver may be.

The report focused on an 18-month study on Alzheimer’s caregivers, and it showed a definitive decline in the health of the caregivers in conjunction with the decreased cognitive levels of the person they were caring for. This increased use of healthcare calculated to $4, 766. The entire report can be found here.

This report shows the high level of stress involved with caregiving, and how important it is to find an appropriate outlet for this stress. Whether it be exercising, journaling, or something as simple as talking with a friend it’s important to have some way to offset the physical impacts of caregiving