Elder Care Cafe

Challenges Caregivers Face

Guest — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:03:54 +0000

Taking care of a family member when they are sick is sometimes a thankless task. Whether it is a child, spouse, or parent, meeting the needs of someone who is unable to take care of him or herself can be tiring and frustrating at times. These feelings seem to intensify when taking care of an [...]

It is Important to Have Fun in Your Senior Years

Edie — Wed, 09 May 2012 06:31:39 +0000

Sometimes the concept of the term senior years causes dread in the heart of those who are approaching that time of their life. What you must remember is that it is not a time to start saying your goodbyes to planet earth – it is a time to look forward to all that you can [...]

Are Your Plans for Retirement in Place?

Edie — Mon, 07 May 2012 22:18:29 +0000

When it comes to plans for retirement, the old adage “the earlier, the better” quickly comes to mind. One of the main reasons for beginning your retirement planning early is so that you can set up a plan that will carry you well into your senior years. Of course, you will want to see a [...]

Household Chores Part Two

Edie — Tue, 01 May 2012 07:17:23 +0000

No one wants to give up their independence and growing older should not be a reason for doing so. Eventually we all grow old; it is part of the cycle of birth, life and death. So long as you feel healthy and can move around under your own steam, there’s nothing wrong with staying on [...]

Fun Activities to do After Retirement

Edie — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 06:29:34 +0000

Most people look forward to retirement. No more getting up in the morning and leaving the house before you are ready. No more spending typically five days a week doing something you may not enjoy surround by people you don’t necessary like, with a boss that you wish would move to another state. Retirement often [...]

When to Leave Household Chores to Others

Edie — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 08:24:45 +0000

After my father retired many years ago, I noticed how much more he was helping Mom with household chores. Quite often he would vacuum the carpet and mop the kitchen floor, at the very least. When it came time for their yearly Spring cleaning, he took an active part in that as well. Over the [...]

When Is a Doctor’s Visit in Order?

Edie — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 04:53:17 +0000

After a trip to the doctor’s office yesterday, I was thinking how important a visit to the doctor is for those who are elderly or are questioning unexplained symptoms. You can live the healthiest lifestyle on your block, but it is still important that you know when a doctor’s visit is in order so that [...]

Things to Do In Retirement

Edie — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 09:06:46 +0000

The word retirement can conjure up a variety of feelings when it is time to consider what is best for your future. Not only are there plans to make regarding when to retire as well as financial and health concerns, but there are also decisions to make regarding what you are going to do with [...]

Are You Ready for Retirement?

Edie — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 09:04:54 +0000

Recently I ran across an article regarding what to do once you retire and I started to smile. It seems in this day and age there is more for retirees to do than ever before. Back in my grandfather’s day, there was no retirement system and I doubt if the r-word was even thought of. [...]

Safe and Sound – 7 Tips for Seniors at Home

Edie — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 08:12:23 +0000

There is one point on which I believe we can all agree – we want to see our loved one safe and sound in their own home. A senior’s health is of utmost importance, and nowhere else is that true than seniors at home. Unfortunately, statistics often show otherwise. While we have talked quite a [...]

How to Prevent Falls

Guest — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 19:01:43 +0000

In 2009, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released its annual report on the leading causes of death in the United States. As it is every year, “unintentional injuries,” i.e. accidents, was in the top 5 leading causes of death that year. And as you can see in the chart below (data courtesy of the [...]

Gadgets: Does Your Aging Senior Need One of These?

Edie — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 20:14:50 +0000

There are people who love to invent new gadgets to spring upon the world, and there are those who keep an eye out for the latest to appear on the market. With all of the technological advancement man has made over the years, there is a very wide range of products available, all of which [...]

Safety Tips to Consider When Seniors Move From Their Home

Edie — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 18:40:22 +0000

When seniors move from their longtime home, there are a number of concerns to consider regarding their safety. The older they get the more likely their body and mind will show the wear and tear of years of living. For some it is more obvious on a physical level while others are hale and hearty [...]

Easy Home Adjustments Keep Your Senior Safe and Sound

Edie — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 08:09:49 +0000

Now that Dad is home after his fall and thirty-day stay in rehab, we once again need to make a few home adjustments in order to keep him safe and sound. Our ultimate goal is to keep him living as independently as possible. We came up with a few ideas we hope you will find [...]

Can a Gadget Help Your Aging Loved One Stay Safe at Home?

Edie — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 19:12:50 +0000

Can it really be possible that the newest gadget or doodad or thingamajig that we see advertised on television or in print ads can help keep our seniors safe in their own home? While that does seem unbelievable, there is a possibility that these gadgets can play a positive role in their life. Here’s why. [...]

Good Nutrition a Must for Aging Seniors

Edie — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 09:42:15 +0000

When I was growing up it seemed that nutrition wasn’t on the forefront of the minds of my grandparents. They were more interested in raising crops and keeping their animals in healthy. The women were more concerned about keeping their household together as a whole. Without the modern conveniences we have now, they spent their [...]

Are Dietary Nutritional Supplements a Healthy Choice for Seniors?

Edie — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:51:03 +0000

My mother fought the battle of the bulge for many years, usually counting calories as a way to keep herself from gaining too much weight. However, as her dementia worsened over time she began gaining more weight than she needed because she no longer had the control to stop. By the time she entered the [...]

Is a Slow Brain Causing You Problems?

Edie — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 11:26:59 +0000

As most of us who are over sixty have already figured out, as we age our body and our mind seem to slow down with often disturbing results. As much as we try, we cannot perform as we once did, either physically or mentally. It is frustrating for those of us who lived an active [...]

Aging Care Article Re Alzheimer’s and Caregivers Hits Home

Edie — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 00:17:38 +0000

Carol Bradley Bursack has written one of the most eye-opening articles I’ve read in a long time. The title is Who Is Worse Off: People with Alzheimer’s or Their Caregivers? There is a link to the article below. I just wanted to make people aware of the article in case they didn’t see it and [...]

Get the Facts about Arthritis

Guest — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 07:25:09 +0000

This article is a guest post from Brian McGovern of ElderKind.com. I really appreciate Brian’s message about arthritis and hope you do too. Be sure to check out his website; the link is at the bottom of this article. Arthritis is a chronic illness that affects millions of senior citizens. The disease causes joint inflammation [...]

3 Unique Ways to Stay Healthy and Save Money as a Senior

Edie — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 23:43:19 +0000

One of the most challenging concepts we’ve had to embrace in recent years is that our biological clock has been ticking for a very long time. In fact, the aches and pains of arthritic knees and joints, decreased stamina and strength, loss of flexibility and reduced vision are now a growing reality. While it would [...]

How to Prevent a Fall in the Bathroom

Edie — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 09:04:04 +0000

Now that we baby boomers are in our mid-sixties, we are speaking out about issues that have plagued the elderly for many years. One of the issues that I can certainly relate to is the fear of losing my independence. As I watched my grandparents become more dependent on mom and dad, and now seeing [...]

Beware the Heat of Summer

Edie — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 12:59:35 +0000

It’s getting nearer that time of year when we again start to spend more time outdoors. After all, summer is a wonderful time to have fun and enjoy the many activities that we could not participate in when we were cooped up all winter. It is even more enjoyable to go on vacation in the [...]

Understanding the Healthy Aging Concept

Edie — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 12:52:23 +0000

Starting about when we are 40-years-old until about the age of seventy when we enter our elder years, our bodies tend to begin the aging process. How quickly we age depends on a number of factors, but mainly depends on what type of life style we are living. If you are near the upper end [...]

Caregivers: Always Expect the Unexpected

Edie — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 11:22:56 +0000

Last Friday I got up close to my usual early morning time. Love working online early in the a.m. I was going great guns and getting a lot accomplished with my online work when I went into the kitchen for my third cup of coffee around 8:30 a.m. I glanced into Dad’s bedroom to [...]