Know Your Community Resources

If you work with seniors, it is incredibly important to be aware of your community resources. There are a variety of programs available at a low-cost, or no cost. One of the best resources is your local Area Agency on Aging. Each state is divided into regions, and an Area Agency on Aging typically serves around five counties. They are your go-to for information regarding resources in your local community.

For South Carolina:
https://aging.sc.gov/

Human Connection is Vital

This is one of the most touching videos I have ever seen. It reminds me that we all need human connection, at each and every age.

Tips for Motivating Seniors to Exercise

Below are some tips on ways to motivate seniors to exercise:

1.  Educate– teach them that regular physical activity- including endurance, muscle strengthening, balance, and flexibility exercises are essential for healthy aging.
2. Help them set realistic goals and develop an exercise plan.
3. Create a chart, or “prescription” and make easy to understand:  type of exercise, frequency, intensity, how much time spent in each activity.  Check up with them on their progress and re-evaluate goals over time.
4. Refer seniors to community resources such as senior fitness classes at the YMCA or other such groups.
5. Help them connect to support groups on-line.

For more information please visit:

http://www.nia.nih.gov/Go4Life

Does My Loved One Need a Caregiver?

When do you know if your loved one needs a caregiver?

Below are some items you may want to monitor, as you visit your loved one.

-Mail is piling up, bills are not being paid, calls from collection agencies
-The yard or house is no longer being maintained
-Changes in personal hygiene or change in typical behavior (like smoking in the bed, when the person used to only smoke outside).
-Changes in typical habits of eating/diet and exhibiting weight loss (or noticing clothing is now loose)
-Forgetting to take medication
-Unexplained dents or scratches on car (from bumping into objects when driving)

Caring For Those Who Care

To learn more about this terrific series visit:

https://telusfund.ca/projects/caring-for-those-who-care/

Billy Graham

Billy Graham lived to be 99 years old and lived a life of commitment and servanthood. As a senior, he continued to pursue his passion.  Here is a wonderful article on his funeral.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2018/march/billy-graham-funeral-last-crusade-charlotte-trump.html

Caregiving For The Elderly

Have you ever considered the complex job of being a caregiver for an elderly individual?  Did you know that in the United States, the vast majority of care that allows older people to live at home is provided by family members?

Artist Michael Reagan

Have you ever been inspired by a senior who his making a difference in the world?  Here is a video on artist Michael Reagan, a man who has taken his love for art and turned his craft into fundraising for charity and donating art to the family of fallen American soldiers.

Grandparents Matter

Have you ever considered how important your grandparents were to your life? Or perhaps, on the flip side, how you are influencing your grandchildren?

There is a web-site that provides some great tips to active grandparents. Check it out at:

http://www.grandsmatter.org

Lack of Sleep- How It Hurts You

We all know infants and teens need a lot of sleep, because their bodies are changing so rapidly.  But, when we consider adults, and the elderly, we often don’t associate sleep as something we “need”.  Some people are even proud- stating to others, that they only need “5 or 6” hours of sleep.

I recently read a fascinating article regarding our “catastrophic” lack of sleep, and that research shows that it is linked to a host of fatal diseases.  A professor at Berkley states that sleep deprivation affects “every aspect of our biology”.  A lack of sleep has been “linked to cancer, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, obesity and poor mental health among other health problems”.  The article goes on to say that anything less than 7 hours of sleep is bad for our health.  Many view the need for more sleep as a trait of being lazy.  In short, the article states that a lack of sleep is killing us, and that we need to change our view of sleep and get more of it on a regular basis!

For more, read the article below.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/sleep-deprivation-epidemic-health-effects-tired-heart-disease-stroke-dementia-cancer-a7964156.html