Want to remain healthy as you age? In order to maintain your overall well-being, you need to incorporate physical exercise into your weekly life.  Home Instead Senior Care Dallas - Call us at 972-239-3934.

You’re probably aware of the benefits that activity has upon the body, but did you know that it also greatly benefits your brain, too?

Physical exercise benefits the part, which is responsible for providing blood flow to the brain that carries the necessary glucose and oxygen. Past studies have also proven that exercise boosts neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine which help lock in memories when they form and elevates mood.

While there has always been information available that proves that exercise benefits the brain, now a new study proves just how extensive the positive impact can be. The research, completed at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is the first study to compare brain cells of active seniors, with those who are not. Taking a sample group of six active and six inactive older adults who have maintained those lifestyles over the past 10 years, they had them undergo MRI scans and MR Angiographies to detect the tangible effects upon the brain.

Findings of the study demonstrated that those who exercised had increased cerebral blood flow and increased small blood vessels in the brain, while the inactive group had more unpredictable blood flow and fewer small blood vessels.

So, if this is not reason enough to incorporate exercise into your regular lifestyle, I don’t know what is. You can pick activities that fit with your lifestyle and physical limitations; like swimming, walking or cycling; but to get the greatest benefits make sure you can a minimum of three hours in per week.

http://www.prescottcity.com/articles/aId/18/bId/How_Exercise_Helps_the_Brain.html

Handling Aging and Independence

It can be challenging for family members to help a loved one through the decisions that come with aging, but with the right approach, it’s possible for senior’s to maintain independence and get the support they need.

When in it comes to making decisions, offering support and communicating, there are certain techniques, according to Dr. Jake Harwood that result in the optimal well-being of seniors.

As family, how are you managing with your approach?

• Think up ways to help your senior remain as independent as possible – making small changes to improve safety and lifestyle, instead of making drastic adjustments that take away their independence.
• When talking about aging, offer them the necessary support; including emotional support, by letting them talk about how they feel; providing insight and a different way a looking at an issue; or offering solutions.
• Approach discussions in the manner you would like others to deal with you.
• Avoid saying things like “ I understand how you feel” because there’s no way you can, but do try to understand how they feel by asking questions.
• Don’t force a senior to talk about something they aren’t willing to discuss, but if it’s important, you do tell them to come to you when they’re ready.
• Be aware of resources in your senior’s community that can help.

According to Dr. Jake Harwood, society tends to perceive seniors as outsiders; those different from the rest of the pack because they are no longer seen as having a continued value. Home Instead Senior Care Dallas - Call us at 972-239-3934.

A typical assessment to determine one’s value tends to include looking towards family contributions and career pursuits; which seniors are no longer fully involved in since their immediate family may have grown up and moved on and they have retired from the career lifestyle. Treating seniors as though they are different, can seriously harm family relationships; review the following checklist to ensure your interactions with your senior will maintain a happy, healthy relationship.

• You avoid speaking to them in a patronizing manner or treating them like a lesser person, or a child
• You know that they have more life experience, but don’t treat them with excessive respect; understanding, that regardless of age, they are people just like everyone else
• You know that age is just a number, while it may have some impacts upon lifestyle and behavior, it doesn’t dictate who you are
• You take the time to get to know a senior by learning about their background and interests
• You know that even though seniors may no longer have families of their own to care for or may no longer be holding a career, that they still have continued value based on a number of other factors, including the contributions and assistance they provide to the family, community involvement and volunteering, political activism, and more

Dr. Jake Harwood, Professor, University of Arizona

Home Instead Senior Care Dallas is one of the best alternatives to assisted living and nursing homes in Dallas. Your loved one prefers to live at home and our CAREGivers are trained to help them remain safe and healthy at home. Call us at 972-239-3934.

Q1 – What are the “holiday blues”?
A1 – The holiday blues refer to seasonal depression that individuals face.

Q2 – Do the holiday blues impact only seniors?
A2 – The holiday blues can affect people of all ages, but seniors do face specific challenges that can make it more prevalent.

Q3 – Why are the holidays more difficult for seniors?
A3 – The holiday season typically brings together friends and family, so seniors may find themselves missing those who have passed away or those living at long distances. They can also find themselves reminiscing over bitter sweet memories of times when they were the happiest, surrounded by their whole families.

Q4 – Can a senior’s physical limitations impact their holiday well-being?
A4 – Seniors who find themselves unable to engage in activities that they once enjoyed due to limitations inflicted upon them by their health or physical well-being.

Q5 – What can seniors do to help prevent loneliness over the holidays?
A5 – Seniors should make the effort to surround themselves with people they love. They can visit family, or stay in touch by phone or email; and attend holiday parties hosted by friends in the area. They can also connect with others by volunteering or joining social groups.

Q6 – What can seniors do to minimize holiday stresses?
A6 – Everyone experiences stress with the busyness of the holiday season. Seniors need to remember to take time to rest and relax between activities, and limit tasks that directly cause stress. If responsibilities get to be too much, they can always ask for help!

Source: http://www.4therapy.com/consumer/life_topics/article/5558/599/Seniors+and+the+%22Holiday+Blues%22

It’s cold and flu season, and with germs in the air seniors and their caregivers need to be well-informed about these viruses, since even simple illnesses can develop into more serious problems for seniors.

Many people falsely believe that a cold and flu are one and the same, and while some symptoms can be interchangeable, they vary in severity; understanding the differences can help seniors determine when to seek medical treatment to prevent the onset of a more serious illness.

Cold:

• Onset - develops more slowly than the flu
• Fever – rare
• Headache – rare
• General aches and pains – slight
• Fatigue/weakness – mild
• Extreme exhaustion – never
• Stuffy nose – common
• Sneezing – usual
• Sore throat – usual
• Chest discomfort/cough – mild to moderate, hacking cough

Flu:

• Onset – symptoms may develop quickly and begin severe
• Fever – characteristic, high (100-102 degrees F), lasts 3-5 days
• Headache – prominent
• General aches and pains – usual and often severe
• Fatigue/weakness – can last 2-3 weeks
• Extreme exhaustion – occurs early and is prominent
• Stuffy nose – sometimes
• Sneezing – sometimes
• Sore throat – sometimes
• Chest discomfort/cough – common and can become severe

Both illnesses outlined above can result in minor to severe complications such as earaches and sinus infections with a cold and bronchitis and pneumonia that can develop from a flu and can be life threatening if not detected and treated. Seniors should pay attention to the signs and symptoms their bodies generate which may require medical attention.

A senior should seek medical attention immediately if they exhibit any of the following:

• Fever above 102 F that is prolonged
• Symptoms get worse instead of better, and last for more than 10 days
• Problems with breathing or shortness of breath
• Pain or pressure in the chest
• Fainting spells or frequent sensations that they might faint
• Confusion or disorientation
• Severe or persistent vomiting
• Severe pain in the face or forehead
• Sore throat, cough or hoarseness that doesn’t go away after 10 consecutive days

Sources: http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/flu-guide/is-it-cold-flu
http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/infections/cold-flu/073.html

Family caregiving isn’t a life sentence, sometimes it’s necessary to take a step back and evaluate the impact the responsibilities are having on the rest of your life. Are you finding balance? Are your relationships being compromised? Complete this comprehensive checklist to learn if you should let someone else provide care for your relative.

• You feel resentful for the lifestyle that caregiving has caused
• You no longer have the close relationship that you once had with the relative you care for
• Your care recipient seems tense and sullen in your presence
• You are experiencing strain in the relationships with other important people in your life, such as children or a spouse
• You feel like you are unable to keep up with the level of care that your relative requires
• Your care recipient’s medical needs are beyond the care that you are able to provide
• You feel like you can’t pursue other aspirations due to your caregiving duties
• Your children feel like you love the relative you care for more than them
• You feel like your care recipient would be happier if someone else took care of them

If you have answered “yes” to one or more of the above questions, consider whether continue to be a family caregiver is the right choice for you.

Home Instead Senior Care Dallas is one of the best alternatives to assisted living and nursing homes in Dallas. Your loved one prefers to live at home and our CAREGivers are trained to help them remain safe and healthy at home. Call us at 972-239-3934.

Home Instead Senior Care Dallas is one of the best alternatives to assisted living and nursing homes in Dallas. Your loved one prefers to live at home and our CAREGivers are trained to help them remain safe and healthy at home. Call us at 972-239-3934.

Alternative Treatments

Q1 – Can seniors benefit from holistic and alternative treatments for their illnesses and ailments?
A1 – There is scrutiny in the medical profession regarding the legitimacy of these treatments, but many people are advocates of their effects. Even if there are no definitive medical benefits, alternative therapies like music therapy certainly can’t hurt.

Q2 – Who can administer music therapy?
A2 – Technically, an accredited musical therapist offers the traditional treatments, but anyone can utilize the methods and get the benefits of music.

Q3 – Can music therapy offer the same benefits as physiotherapy?
A3 – Music therapy, when the senior is interactively involves requires constant rhythm and physical movement which increases balance and coordination.

Q4 – What kind of health issues can music therapy address?
A4 – Researchers have made ties between Parkinson’s and music because of the affects on the motor system, and upon strokes; because of the pattern of recall required which could help with the recover process. In general, it helps with pain management and is said to increase recovery time.

Q5 – Are there any emotional affects of music therapy?
A5 – The vast majority of the benefits of music therapy relate to the emotional well-being of a senior. It enhances self-esteem and self-awareness; it creates enjoyment by developing social situations and improves overall well-being.

Sources: http://www.artsforhealing.org/seniors.php
               http://www.musicworkswonders.com/html/seniors.html

Elder abuse is an issue that many seniors face at the hands of their caregivers in a nursing home, private caregivers or even family members. This checklist will help families determine if their senior might be a victim of elder abuse.

• The senior is showing physical signs of injury, including bruising, sprains and cuts

• There are bedsores on the senior’s body, which may show signs of neglect

• The senior seems to be tense and argumentative around his or her caregiver

• The senior has withdrawn from many social activities that they once enjoyed

• The senior’s general attitude has changed

• The senior refuses to seek treatment for any issues with drugs, alcohol or depression

• The senior tries to avoid the topic of his/her care

• The senior appears to be losing excessive amounts of weight

• The senior’s caregiver seems “too good to be true”, if you get the impression, that may very well be the case. A good caregiver should be open and honest about their dealings with a senior.

If after completing this checklist, you suspect that your senior may have been subjected to elder abuse, contact the Eldercare Locator or the Administration on Aging; they can point you towards useful resources that can provide information and help you seek justice for your loved one.

Sources: http://www.ncea.aoa.gov/ncearoot/Main_Site/FAQ/Questions.aspx                   http://www.helpguide.org/mental/elder_abuse_physical_emotional_sexual_neglect.htm

Unfortunately, as the holidays approach, money is on everyone’s minds, including seniors in Dallas, with the state of the economy. It seems that often Christmas becomes all about spending money, encouraged by the media and consumerism, but this year it doesn’t have to be that way. You can celebrate the holidays in an inexpensive manner, while still making the most of the season, no matter what your age!

• Make old decorations new – instead of refreshing your holiday décor buy purchasing new items, revive old ones by getting crafty and modifying them, or by thinking up new and creative ways to reuse them
• Get crafty – create your own holiday decorations using spray paint and glitter on pine cones, twigs and walnuts. You can even make your own wrapping paper using paint and stencils on basic brown parcel paper. Not only will this save you some money, your decorations and wrapping will be unique and they can be fun activities to complete with families and friends
• Make it a potluck – if you are entertaining, instead of supplying all the food yourself or hiring a caterer, ask that your guests bring their favorite dish
• Give homemade gifts – if you’re attending a party, instead of buying the host a gift that will break the bank; make one of your own. Baked goods in particular are always appreciated, and can be saved for later or served at the party
• Find inexpensive activities – you can spend fun family time without even leaving the house by playing board games, watching holiday movies or even singing carols. However, if you feel you must leave the house, consider going to a museum or historic site that offers senior rates on admission, or look at what events and shows are being offered in your community
• Encourage all your loved ones to also use these tips!

Sources: http://50plus.com/Money/BrowseAllArticles/index.cfm?t_offset=3&documentID=15693
http://www.settlement.org/sys/faqs_detail.asp?faq_id=4000236

Home Instead Senior Care Dallas is one of the best alternatives to assisted living and nursing homes in Dallas. Your loved one prefers to live at home and our CAREGivers are trained to help them remain safe and healthy at home. Call us at 972-239-3934.

Let us help you keep mom and dad at home!

To decide which type of care is most appropriate for your parents, you will need to ascertain exactly what their specific needs are. If your parents are active and communicative, there are a series of questions that you should ask. Do you feel comfortable with your current financial situation?

• Are you able to get around? Would you like help with errands or cooking?

• Are you able to take care of the house the way you would like to?

• What are your medications? Are you taking them regularly? Do you need help getting to the doctor?

If the answers your parents provide indicate to you that they may need assistance, but they do not ask for it, there is really no better way to ascertain what needs they may have than going to visit them. Visits can help you get a sense of the condition of your parent’s home and lifestyle. Make sure your parents are not avoiding stairs or driving, do not have expired prescriptions, have enough food, are well-kempt, and are taking care of their house. If their personal appearance or lifestyle seem to be degenerating, you may need to seek assistance.