Elderly Activities: Swimming

Swimming is a wonderful exercise for individuals, and it is especially beneficial for the elderly. According to the CDC, for optimal health, individuals over 65 should do at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity and strength training a week. For some elderly individuals this can be made difficult by disease, joint pain and muscle stiffness. Furthermore, many elderly try to avoid strenuous exercise because it can be difficult on their joints and muscles, and many of them fear injury. However, swimming is the perfect exercise for elderly because it addresses many of these issues.

Swimming is the only exercise that actually relieves some of the strain put on the skeletal system. When individuals are under water, the water supports part of the weight of the body. As a result, the body has to bear less body weight than it would if an individual was doing another exercise. Additionally, it allows individuals to work their muscles in a low impact environment. Furthermore, it improves flexibility and encourages muscle tone and strength.

Some other benefits include increased cardiovascular health, improved cholesterol levels, increased mood and an increase in longevity. This article from Discovery Fit & Health details all of the benefits of swimming for seniors. You can find the article by clicking here.

Reminder: Check on your elderly neighbors!

For New Englanders and many others around the nation, it has been an incredibly hot week. Temperatures have been soaring, and today it is expected to reach 100 degrees. This heat poses a serious safety risk for all individuals, and it is especially dangerous for the elderly.

The elderly are more susceptible to heat related illness for several reasons. According to the CDC, their bodies do not adjust as well as younger individuals to heat, and they aren’t able to regulate abrupt changes in temperature. Secondly, the elderly are more likely to suffer from chronic illnesses and are more likely to be on prescription medications. Both of these will affect their level of hydration and their ability to cope with soaring temperatures.

Fortunately, there are ways to help your elderly loved ones and neighbors cope with the heat. Here are some suggestions:

Check on them. This is perhaps the most important piece of advice that we can give you. Take some time to visit your elderly loved ones and neighbors. It’s important to go and visit them in person because signs of heat related illness are not always recognizable over the phone.

Check to see if they have air conditioning.

If they don’t, you can bring them to a public area. Schools and libraries are a few places that offer air conditioning. Talk to your elderly loved one or neighbor and establish a designated “cool down” spot.

Talk to them about what medications they are on. Some medications will increase the risk for dehydration. If they are on a lot of medications or have a chronic illness, encourage them to talk to their physician about how heat could affect them. Provide them with your phone number. Make sure they know that they can contact you, especially if they live alone.

Know how to recognize heat related illness and seek help immediately. You can refer to our previous blog post on recognizing heat related illness by clicking here.

 Stay cool this summer!

Choosing Hospice

Carol R. Anderson, RN, BSN is the Director of Quality Improvement & Staff Development at Long Term Solutions. She frequently writes information for our Provider Knowledge Center, a resource for our field clinicians. Here is a post she wrote about hospice care.

"In our careers, most of us have cared for someone who is terminally ill and facing his/her end of life. With the exception of accidents and homicides, dying is a process. It is a journey. Many things affect how the dying and their loved ones work through this process: culture, age, religion, family position, the illness itself, and formal and informal support systems are just some of them. There are many considerations, all of which need to be addressed.

Presenting hospice as an alternative can be difficult, depending on the disposition of the client and their loved ones. One way to think of hospice is as an alternative to traditional care. Hospice is appropriate for the clients who wants to spend his or her final time at home, with the goal of the hospice care being improving the quality of this time with comfort and dignity. It can be provided to a client in a wide variety of settings. It could be in their private home and in a facility, and many hospitals have hospice beds.

Hospice care is provided by specially trained teams. Hospice teams are multidisciplinary with a variety of trained professionals able to provide a unique type of care. They plan the care to address the bio-psychosocial needs of the client and family. Not only will the team address the symptoms of the disease, with focused attention on pain, but they will help to guide the client and family through the social, emotional and spiritual impact of the end of life process.

Understanding Hospice -- Facts and Fiction

Fiction: People are typically referred to Hospice when life expectancy is six months or less. 

This is not to say that this is always the case, but a client can remain on hospice for longer than six months with physician certification.

Fact: A client can choose to decline or discontinue hospice at any time, or they can change hospice agencies if the hospice team doesn't feel like the right fit for the family.

Fact: Life is not prolonged with hospice care, and it is not hastened.

Fact: Bereavement and counseling services are available before and after the client passes.

Fact: Hospice has coverage 24/7, but does not provide 24/7 care. Additional resources may be needed to provide additional client care.

Fact: When Hospice is called in, they connect with the client’s physician and meet with the client and his/her family or loved ones.

Who constitutes the Hospice Team?

As we noted before, the hospice teams are multidisciplinary. A typical hospice team can include physicians, nurses, home health aides, chaplains, social workers, nutritionists, and trained volunteers. If necessary, specialty clinicians can be brought in, such as wound and ostomy nurses, physical therapists and occupational therapists.

Who pays for Hospice?

Hospice is a covered benefit under Medicare, and most states offer hospice under Medicaid or Public Aid. Furthermore, many private insurance companies have hospice benefits"