Memorial Day: Outdoor Safety Tips for the Elderly

Memorial Day: Outdoor Safety Tips for the Elderly

Traditionally, Memorial Day is usually spent with family and friends around a grill. In order to have a fun, carefree Memorial Day, you have to take some safety precautions: 

Grill Safety: Before you grill, there are some important safety to ensure that the grill is functioning properly and to avoid any fires.

1.Place the grill far away from your home, your deck, trees, shrubs and any flammable items.

2. Scrub the grill! Remove all grease and fat. It can catch on fire if it isn’t cleaned properly

3. If you’re using a charcoal grill, be careful about using starter fluid. Ensure that it is out of the reach of children and pets, and only use starter fluid. Don’t use any other accelerants!

4. If you’re using a propane grill, check the gas tank hose for leaks. The National Fire Protection Association has a great test: apply soapy water to the gas hose. If there is a leak, you will see bubbles. If not, then start grilling!

5.Read the complete list of tips from NFPA here.

Food Safety: Practice extreme caution while handling raw food!

1. While handling raw meat, wash your hands for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food.

2. Ensure that the coals are lightly coated with ash.  Check that hamburgers reach an internal temperature of 160°F, large cuts of beef reach 154°F, and poultry reaches 165°F.

3. Read this list of food safety tips from the USDA here. 

Elderly Safety: Heat stroke and heat related illness can be a serious problem for seniors.

1. Have plenty of water available to keep your elderly loved ones hydrated.

2.When you’re setting up, be sure to place several lawn chairs and tables in shaded areas to keep your senior loved ones cool.

3. Leave the air conditioning or fans on inside a room so that seniors can rest there if needed.

4. Leave bottles of sunblock outside for your guests to use, and ensure that your senior loved one wears light, breathable clothing and a hat.

5. Know the symptoms of heat exhaustion and seek medical attention if any of your guests start showing any symptoms! You can see the full list of symptoms here.

Hope everyone has a safe and fun Memorial Day!

Halting the Stress of Caregiving: Meditation

At Long Term Solutions, we’re constantly examining new techniques to support caregivers in their journey. One great way to manage your wellness is through meditation.  

Now, we don’t mean adding another thing to a list of your ‘to-do’s,’ we don’t mean learning new meditation techniques, and we definitely don’t mean wasting fifteen minutes of your day. We’re talking about meditating on the most basic level possible. It can be as easy as stopping what you’re doing, no matter where you are, and taking five deep breaths. As simple as that! 

One place to try this is waiting for your loved ones during appointments. Caregivers are always shuttling their loved ones to and from doctor’s appointments, so instead of stressing out about the next doctor’s appointment, what’s for dinner, or an overbooked agenda, take some time to meditate. Take five minutes to focus on breathing and not the thoughts scrambling through your head. You don’t have to completely clear your head of thoughts, but just pause them momentarily. 

Incorporating five minutes of meditation into your day will have incredible benefits! Here are six steps to quieting your mind from Huffington Post.  

Caregiving and the Importance of Getting Outside

Caregivers are constantly being bombarded with things they should and shouldn’t do to help process the incredible amount of stress involved with caregiving. One thing is frequently overlooked, and it is probably one of the easiest things to do: get outside!

The health benefits of sun exposure and fresh air are incredible. First, it’s important for caregivers because sunlight is a necessary part of the production of Vitamin D. Vitamin D has been credited with reducing the risk of cancer, increasing bone health, reducing the risk of developing osteoporosis, and it is associated with better moods and increased happiness.

Aside from the health benefits, going outside will give you an opportunity to take a break from caregiving. If you incorporate 15-30 minutes of alone time outside, you will see both mental health benefits as well as physical health benefits! As always, be sure to wear sunscreen while outside, and only moderate amounts of sun exposure is recommended!

Click here for a list of 25 health benefits of sun exposure.

Caregivers and Mother's Day

As we’ve mentioned, caring for an aging parent is one of the most challenging tasks a caregiver can face. Caregiving is incredibly stressful and it is even more difficult for women caring for their mothers.  They can face frustration, anger and depression, and with all of the daily tasks, medications and doctor’s appointments it’s easy to forget about the person being cared for.

Mother’s Day is a wonderful opportunity for caregivers caring for their mothers to reconnect and to spend time remembering their childhood. If you are a caregiver caring for your mother, here are some ideas for a more meaningful Mother’s Day:

- Spend time together talking about your childhood, and what it was like when you were growing up.

- Look at old pictures together and see what stories the photographs inspire.

- Ask about your mother’s mother, and spend time talking about her family and experience growing up.

- Talk about your mother’s favorite activities when she was young. Did she like baking? Playing tennis? What did she do with her free time?

- Ask your mother about her favorite things – favorite memory, favorite vacation, favorite song.

Happy Mother's Day!

LTS and Eastern Bank Insurance Group Co-Sponsor Blood Drive

Long Term Solutions and Eastern Insurance Group are co-sponsoring a Red Cross Blood Drive

Long Term Solutions and Eastern Insurance Group are co-sponsoring a blood drive at Long Term Solutions in Natick. If you are interested in donating blood, please contact Michael Grenier at mgrenier@longtermsol.com or (508) 907-7165.

WHAT: Long Term Solutions and Eastern Insurance group will be co-sponsoring a Red Cross Blood drive.

WHEN: Wednesday, May 9th, 2012 from 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.  

WHERE: Long Term Solutions
                 235 West Central Street,
                 Natick, Mass. 
                 Conference Room  

WHO: The event is open to the public.

Caregivers: Dealing with Wandering

The stress of caregiving for an aging loved one can be made even worse by wandering. There are multiple health conditions associated with wandering, and even the most capable caregivers can’t keep track of their loved ones at all times. It’s important to remind yourself that, as a caregiver, you can’t prevent wandering entirely, but you can take some preventative measures. Here are some tips from our LTS clinicians:

- Enlist neighbors and friends: Ensure that your neighbors and friends are aware that your loved one is prone to wandering. Provide your neighbors and friends with your contact information and ask them to alert you if they see your loved one outside alone.

- Locks: You don’t have to spend exorbitant amounts of money replacing locks and installing fences. A simple hook and eye lock will help prevent wandering. Simply install the lock on any doors, and put it out of your loved one’s reach.

- Alarms: You can install door alarms to alert you if your loved one tries to leave the house. If you don’t feel like installing alarms, set up some kind of bells or chimes to alert you when your loved one opens the door.

- Project Lifesaver: Enroll your loved one in Project Lifesaver. People enrolled in Project Lifesaver are given a small personal transmitter that emits a tracking signal. If your loved one wanders off, you can call your local Project Lifesaver agency and an emergency team will respond to find your loved one. http://projectlifesaver.org/Lifesaver

For more tips, here is a great list from Alzheimer’s Reading Room: Tips to Prevent Wandering