St. Petersburg, FL Home Care: Top Ways to Avoid Caregiving Injuries
While the ultimate goal is to improve health and safety for the seniors they love, family caregivers, unfortunately, often end up compromising their own in the process. In fact, an astounding 94% of caregivers in a recent study conducted by Ohio State University reported musculoskeletal pain in at least one part of their body – and […]
Common Medication Prescriptions Linked to Increased Risk of Alzheimer’s
They’re already known to cause a number of short-term side effects, such as memory loss and confusion, but new research links some of the stronger anticholinergic drugs (such as those prescribed for Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, depression, and overactive bladder) to a markedly increased risk for dementia. The study involved two groups of seniors: 59,000 patients with […]
How to Keep Motivating Seniors from Crossing the Line to Bullying
As a family caregiver, you no doubt encounter a range of emotions throughout the day: shared laughter over a joke with your loved one; worry over a health concern; and certainly, from time to time, frustrations. We want only the best for those we love, and when an older adult is resistant to doing something […]
Help for This Common Alzheimer’s Care Concern: Resistance to Personal Hygiene
Of the many challenges related to providing care for a loved one with dementia, the Alzheimer’s Association reveals that the most prevalent difficulty is with personal hygiene, for a variety of reasons: Reduced sense of vision and smell Comfort found in familiarity (i.e., wanting to wear the same clothes over and over again) The complexities […]
Tips to Prepare for a Visit with Your Doctor
On any particular day, a physician likely has somewhere around 20 patients to see – combined with telephone calls, paperwork, and various other administrative responsibilities. It leaves precious little time spent with each patient, which is why it’s imperative to take advantage of that time and ensure you properly comprehend the outcome of each appointment. At […]
Don’t Spiral Downward: Daily Steps to Increase Positivity in the Life of a Caregiver
Our facial expressions expose so much to people around us, and if you are encountering an abnormal degree of stress, well-meaning family members will surely pick up on it, possibly encouraging you to essentially, “Cheer up, buttercup!” The truth is, of course, it will require a lot more than a couple of words to turn […]
Important Facts and Figures to Know from the Alzheimer’s Association’s 2019 Report
The Alzheimer’s Association has released its 2019 Facts and Figures Report, and with a full 5.8 million Americans currently diagnosed with the disease – including one out of every ten seniors – it’s important for all of us to understand the latest developments in research and treatment options. According to the report, the number of […]
Why Is Dad Being So Irrational? Tips To Understand and Respond to Senior Paranoia
“I’m telling you, there is a dog in my closet! I hear it growling all night long. We have got to find its owner!” Hearing a senior loved one express worries such as this that you know to be untrue is unsettling – yet not abnormal. Your very first impulse could be to attempt to […]
Making Your Marriage a Priority as You Care for an Aging Parent
In marriage, we agree to stick together for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness as well as in health – but what does not come up in our vows to each other is the way to preserve marriage while caregiving as our parents age. Nevertheless, with our life span increasing, it is […]
How to Be Happy—Even with Chronic Pain or Illness
Have you ever woken up and thought, “It’s going to be one of those days!” Maybe your alarm didn’t go off, the hot water heater decided to quit working, and the dog chewed up one of your favorite shoes overnight. Now imagine if every day were “one of those days!” For a person living with […]