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Kidney stones are as painful as they sound.

Anyone who has been through the experience of having kidney stones will confirm this.

One of the things we strive to do here on the blog is to educate you on common healthcare problems you can expect to encounter as a caregiver and how you can offer your assistance when these problems arise.

By the time you’re done reading this post, you will know:

  • What kidney stones are and symptoms
  • The kind of medical care you can expect for kidney stones in the elderly
  • What complications can arise from kidney stones
  • The kind of support you can provide your elderly loved one during an episode with kidney stones

What are kidney stones?

Kidney stones are hard mineral and salt deposits that form in your kidneys. They can be as small as a grain of sand and you can pass it without even knowing. Or they could be as large enough to prevent a person from passing urine.

Your kidneys are the main organ in your urinary tract and is responsible for creating urine.

Typically there are natural chemicals within your kidney that dissolves salts and minerals. When there is a malfunction in the production of these natural chemicals, kidney stones can form.

While doctors are not completely sure what causes kidney stones, there are certain factors that can increase a person’s risk for kidney stones.

  1. Lack of water. Your kidneys need water in order to produce urine. If a person’s water intake is low, this could lead to kidney stone formation.
  2. Foods that are high in oxalate. In people who are prone to kidney stones, eating foods that are high in oxalate like rhubarb, spinach, beets, wheat germ and peanuts could increase the likelihood of kidney stones. A doctor may thus advise that you restrict the intake of these foods.
  3. Kidney stones can form in response to a urinary tract infection (UTI).
    If kidney stones are related to frequent UTIs, UTI monitoring pads may help
  4. In some instances, there is a hereditary link to kidney stones. In these individuals there is usually an overproduction of the amino acid cysteine because of the disorder.
  5. Obesity.
  6. Digestive problems.

Symptoms of kidney stones in the elderly

The following symptoms are associated with the presence of kidney stones.

  1. Sharp pains in the back, side, lower abdomen and groin
  2. Pink, red or brown blood in urine
  3. A constant need to urinate
  4. Pain while urinating
  5. Difficulty urinating
  6. Cloudy or foul-smelling urine

In severe instances, these symptoms may be accompanied by

  • nausea
  • vomiting
  • fever and
  • chills

Any or a combination of these symptoms should be reported immediately to a medical professional or health facility.

It is especially important to note that if the kidney stones are being caused by an infection- usually indicated by cloudy or foul-smelling urine- not seeing medical attention could lead to sepsis.

Sepsis is a medical condition where an infection spreads into a person’s blood stream.

Sepsis is especially difficult to treat and can lead to death.

What you can do as a caregiver to support your elderly loved one with kidney stones

Prevention is always better than cure.

Thus, as a caregiver, you can encourage your elderly loved one to drink more fluids so they don’t become dehydrated.

If you suspect the presence of a kidney stone based on the reports of your elderly loved one, report them to a doctor immediately.

Immediate medical attention is the key to making sure there are no complications.

Treatment of kidney stones is based on the size of the kidney stone, where they are located and what type of kidney stone it is.

If the kidney stone is small enough, the doctor may simply send your elderly loved one home with advice to drink more fluids so they can pass the stone while they are urinating.

The doctor may ask that you save the stone and bring it back so they can study what type of stone it is and give you better advise on what to do to reduce the risk that it will happen again.

If the stone is too big to be passed, a specialist doctor called a urologist may use a procedure called shock wave lithotripsy to break up the kidney stone into smaller pieces so they can be passed.

Alternatively, a surgical procedure called percutaneous nephrolithotomy where the doctor goes into the kidney through a small cut in the back to remove the kidney stone. This will require a few days stay in the hospital so the doctors can observe recovery.

It is also possible that the doctor will prescribe medications to prevent kidney stones from forming in the future.

Whatever the case may be, you as a caregiver will be providing support throughout this very painful experience.

Closing Thoughts

As you can see, kidney stones are far from a walk in the park.

In this post, you have learned what kidney stones are, what causes them and what you can expert in terms of medical care for your elderly loved one.

If you found this post useful, please consider sharing it with someone else.


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July 23, 2018 Family Caregiver0

The average life expectancy in the US is now 79 years according to data collected by the World Bank.

Technological advances in healthcare and medicine have made this possible

This is a great thing!

And it also means that as a caregiver, you will have to help your elderly loved one manage one or multiple chronic health conditions which are notorious for showing up during the senior years.

In this post, I have compiled 6 of the most common senior healthcare problems and have included a brief overview of what you can do to help your elderly loved one overcome each one.

#1- Arthritis

Although arthritis can develop long before senior adulthood, it is more common in the elderly.

Arthritis is a painful joint disease. It happens when the cartilage between bones wear down and so bones rub against one another. Cartilage is a slick, cushion-like substance between your bones which among other things helps with the smooth movement or your joints. Once it wears down, movement is no longer as smooth.

Constant rubbing of bones together causes the pain, stiffness and swelling most arthritis sufferers experience.

What you can do as a caregiver

Arthritis can become disabling.

It is possible the in the middle to advanced stages of disease, your elderly loved one will find it difficult to move.

As a caregiver, your role in this situation is to provide assistance with mobility.

It is important to also reduce hazards in the home that can easily cause falls.

Assistance with daily activities like bathing and eating might become necessary.

Heart Disease

Like arthritis, heart disease can happen to anyone at any age.

But the risk for it does increase with age.

As a caregiver, your role in helping your elderly loved one with heart disease is going to center around lifestyle changes.

Lifestyle changes account for reducing the risk for heart disease by a large percentage.

In this study published by The Lancet, researchers found that lifestyle changes were more effective at reducing the occurrence of heart disease than lipid-lowering drugs (heart medications) were.

These lifestyle changes include:

  • Regular exercise
  • Eating a balanced diet with an emphasis on lean meats and vegetables
  • Smoking cessation
  • Stress management

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis literally means “porous bone.”

When you study the bone of an osteoporosis patient under a microscope, it is significantly more porous than the bone of a healthy individual.

This happens because the mechanism that creates more bone tissue in a person’s body becomes dysfunctional.

The bones become dense and weak and are easily broken.

Thus, for elderly loved ones who have osteoporosis, your main concern as a caregiver is preventing broken bones.

You can achieve this goal by:

  • Discouraging activities that put your loved one at risk to break bones
  • Designing or re-designing the home to reduce the incidence of falls at home
  • Removing objects in walk-ways that could lead to falls etc

Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s is a brain disease that results from the deposition of proteins known as amyloids in the brain.

This leads to memory loss and severe and sometimes disabling dementia.

We have talked extensively about how you can help your loved one with Alzheimer’s/dementia in this blog post.

I’ll provide a brief overview here:

  • Engage your loved ones in their preferred mode of communication
  • Your elderly loved one is likely to easily forget simple instructions, their name or who you even are. Be patient with them when this happens. Remember that they are not crazy. They simply are no longer themselves.
  • Engage them in activities that excite them.
  • Play music they enjoy.
  • People with Alzheimer’s and dementia may even forget how to perform daily functions like bathing and dressing up. They will need a lot of help here.

Diabetes

Diabetes happens when the cells in our bodies are no longer able to use the sugar we derive from eating food.

Insulin is chemical in our bodies that allows sugar from food to be absorbed by the cells from our blood in our body.

When it stops functioning, diabetes results and so there is an increased amount of sugar in the blood- this is why some people call diabetes “sugar diabetes”.

What you can do to help

  • Monitor blood sugar levels using a glucometer. Glucometers are easily available at your local pharmacy. Health insurance may cover the cost for it in some instances.
  • Administer insulin when it is needed.
  • Help your elderly loved one keep up with their doctor’s appointments.
  • Wounds heal slower in people with diabetes. If they are ignored, the wound could develop into a serious condition that requires amputation. Make sure you report any cuts and wounds to a doctor immediately so proper care can be taken of the wound.
  • Watch your loved one for signs of both high and low sugar levels.

Depression

Depression is common in seniors because of the isolation elderly people feel as friends and family pass away.

Seniors also tend to think they are no longer relevant to society because of their age.

As a caregiver, you can help by:

  • Encouraging them to talk to a mental health professional.
  • Urging them to get involved in activities in your local community that allows them to use the skills and expertise they have gathered over the years.
  • Encouraging them to pick up a hobby.
  • Involving them and welcoming them to social events so they can feel included.

I know that getting over depression is a complicated process for many people.

Doing the things above in addition to seeking psychiatric treatment will help your elderly loved one overcome depression.

Closing Thoughts

As we all live longer, senior healthcare problems will arise.

As a caregiver, you can help your elderly loved one overcome these problems by applying the tips I shared in this post.

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Share it with another caregiver who will find this useful!


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July 21, 2018 Family Caregiver0

Do you constantly find yourself looking for reliable caregiver resources that will help you become excellent?

In today’s post, I am listing 10 different resources you can use as references to help you on your journey.

Top 10 Online Caregiver Resources

The National Institute on Aging

Learn about the latest research studies on aging and care giving from the National Institute on Aging. The NIA is an arm of the National Institutes of Health.

The Alzheimer’s Association

Learn everything you need to know about Alzheimer’s Disease and information on how to care for your loved one who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease.

Medicare.gov

Find out if a service or test is covered under your elderly loved one’s Medicare plan by entering it on Medicare’s government regulated website.

You can also look up claims and appeals and drug coverage on their website

Green Tree Home Blog

It would be unfair to mention all these amazing resources and leave ourselves out right?

Well there it is! We have gone to the trouble to research and write some of the best content on the internet to help you become a stellar caregiver.

If you haven’t yet, check out some of our popular posts below.

Why elderly people lose weight and what you can do about it

Weightlifting for senior adults- Dos and Don’ts

What a Fiduciary does and why your parents need one

Eldercare Locator

The Eldercare Locator is a government website that allows you to search for different services for your elderly loved one.

You can find information on providers for services like:

  1. Adult Day Care
  2. Home repairs and modifications (for elderly loved ones who need their homes customized to accommodate their needs)
  3. Food and Nutrition
  4. In-home services

And so much more.

You can search for what you need by zip code or the name of your city.

Caregiver Forums

The caregiver journey can be lonely.

Sometimes you just want to be able to find a community of people who understand what you’re going through. Perhaps some of these people are going through a similar life phase or have to care for an elderly loved one with dementia like you have to.

This is where forums become an excellent caregiver resource.

Forums are also a good resource when it comes to finding out information on how to carry out certain processes.

Some of the most active caregiver forums out there are:

  1. The Aging Care Forum
  2. Patient Info
  3. Caring.com Support Groups

Facility Reviews

Looking for a reliable source for long-term care and assisted care facilities?

The first place I suggest is Google.

Simply place the name of the facility in the search bar and in the top right hand corner you will see Google Reviews.

Read these reviews with a bit of reserve because most of the time people will post a review when they have had an unsatisfactory experience versus a good one.

Apart from looking for reviews on Google, you can check OurParents.com and  APlaceForMom.com for reviews as well.

AARP

From saving and investing, to movie recommendations to spotlights on seniors who are simply rocking the elder thing, the AARP website is a rich resource for caregivers and seniors alike.

Reddit Elder Care Thread

If you are a user and fan of Reddit, the Elder Care subreddit is worth checking out.

All the resources on this list should keep you going and well-educated for years to come!

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July 16, 2018 Family Caregiver0

Taking care of yourself when you’re a caregiver can take a backseat sometimes.

After all, as a caregiver you might not only be taking care of an elderly loved one.

It is likely you are caring for younger dependents as well.

This can certainly put a lot of stress and strain on your body and affect your mental health.

However because most caregivers don’t want to feel like they’re not living up to their responsibilities, they are also likely to not prioritize their own self-care.

In fact, at least one in five Americans experiences a mental illness each year.

And the likelihood of these mental illnesses goes up the when there is more stress in a person’s life.

Here’s the reality: you cannot give the best care you can as a caregiver if you don’t take care of yourself.

It’s as simple as that.

So instead of feeling guilty about the whole thing, see caregiver self-care as as way to improve on your physical and mental health so you can take even better care of your loved ones.

7 Caregiver Self Care Tips For Your Mental Health

#1- Exercise

Most of us think about exercise when it’s time to lose weight. But exercise is good for more than that!

Exercise has long been known to release endorphins which interact with receptors in your brain that are responsible for giving you a sense of well-being.

Incorporating exercise into your day will also release tension in your muscles that builds up when we’re stressed.

Exercise will also help you get better sleep so you’re better rested.

#2- Take a day off

You probably think that taking a day off means you the world will fall apart, right?

Well, it might interest you to know that it is possible for you to take the day off and come back to find that things did not disintegrate.

Hire a highly skilled caregiver/sitter for a day.

Give yourself permission to take a day off. And go and do something that brings you joy.

Giving yourself at least one or two days per month where you go completely off-the-grid when it comes to your responsibilities will help you regain perspective and mental strength.

#3- Sleep more

We understand that caregiving sometimes requires that you wake up late at night to help your loved one.

This results in interrupted sleep.

The effects of interrupted sleep builds up over time and ultimately leads to fatigue, stress and mental health problems.

So as much as possible, try to get some sleep. Ask someone to hold down the fort for an hour or two so you can take a much needed nap.

#4- Set realistic goals

One of the reasons we get stressed out is because we have unmet expectations.

In the craziness of your day, it is likely you will not get everything on your to do list done.

Give yourself grace and realize that you are already doing a great job.

And this is where setting realistic goals comes into the picture.

#5- Talk to a therapist

Talking to a therapist does not have to be a last resort in your self care as a caregiver.

It can be an on-going practice that allows you to talk about challenges you’re facing.

Therapists are trained in helping you find solutions to these challenges because they cause mental trouble.

#6- Journal

Journaling has been shown in research studies to be an effective way of helping people become self-aware of mental problems.

In this study published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine, researchers reported that participants who wrote down their emotions in response to a stressful event, were more likely to be more self-aware than other participants.

Becoming self-aware of your own emotions will help you in seeking the aid you need when you need it.

#7- Set healthy boundaries by saying “no”

Saying no, even when we should, is difficult for a lot of people.

It is however important that you’re able to say no to requests from friends and loved ones if it is going to put added stress on you.

A few people may find it rude at first, but if you make it clear that the demand they are asking of you simply does not work for you, you will actually gain the respect of people.

Learn to say no. Thank me later!

Mental Health Resources You Should Know About

Where can you find mental health resources?

  1. Your local city/town is likely to have free mental health resources you can take advantage of
  2. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (Nami.org)
  3. National Suicide Prevention Hotline. You can call or chat with someone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call 1-800-273-8255.
  4. If you’ve ever served in the Armed Forces, you can also take advantage of resources for veterans. Check out what is available to you at http://www.vetcenter.va.gov/.
  5. Find out if your local area has a support group for caregivers like yourself.

Your mental health as a caregiver is very important.

Make sure you’re not neglecting it in the process of taking care of everyone else.

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Elder abuse, like any other kind of abuse takes many forms- subtle and not so subtle.

Unfortunately, it is very common.

According to the San Diego Country District Attorney’s website, over 9000 cases of senior abuse cases are processed each year.

Sadly, even with that high number, many of these incidents go unreported.

As a caregiver, it’s important that you are able to tell when elder abuse is happening for two reasons:

  1. So you don’t do it yourself
  2. So you have the knowledge and tools to report it when you spot it.

In today’s post, we’ll go over the definition of elder abuse, the signs that elder abuse is going on and what you can do when you find out.

What is Elder Abuse?

The best way to define elder abuse is to talk about the different types of elder abuse that exist.

  • Physical abuse – This happens when a person is harmed physically.  Hitting, pushing, shoving or is roughly handling a senior are all examples of elder abuse. Most of the time this happens because the elder is physically weak and cannot retaliate.
  • Emotional abuse – Emotional abuse is also called psychological abuse. This involves yelling, insulting and using abusive words, threatening and repeated ignoring the elder. Anything that is done to intentionally make a person unhappy can be considered emotional abuse.
  • Neglect – This occurs when the caregiver does not try to respond to the older person’s needs.
  • Abandonment – This happens when the senior is left alone without a plan for his or her care.
  • Sexual abuse – Forcing an elderly person to watch or participate in sexual acts is sexual abuse.
  • Financial abuse – This involves mismanagement of money and property that belongs to the elder. This would include family members lying about having financial needs and taking money from the elderly and then refusing to pay it back. Financial scams can be categorized as financial abuse as well.

Signs of Elder Abuse

The following are signs that there is elder abuse going on.

  • Elder has trouble sleeping
  • An otherwise upbeat elder is now quiet and withdrawn
  • Elder has trouble eating
  • Unexplained weight loss
  • Elder does not make eye contact with the abuser when they are around
  • The elder complains of aches and pains constantly
  • Multiple bruises at different stages of healing
  • The elder loses weight for no reason
  • A visit to the elder’s home shows an unkempt room/smells of urine and feces
  • Elder is wearing clothes that look unwashed and stained
  • The elder is easily agitated and violent
  • The elder develops bed sores and other preventable conditions

If you notice any of these signs of elder abuse, it is important for you to talk to the elder to find out what is going on.

It is possible that when you broach the subject, the elder will be resistant to open up. This can happen because they may feel they don’t want to incriminate the abuser especially if they are family members.

When you talk to such a person, assure them of that while you respect their privacy, it is important that you report the abuse to the right authorities to protect them.

This is not an easy conversation for the abused.

So please understand the emotions the person might go through in sharing this bit of news with you.

What To Do After You Confirm Abuse

Elder abuse will not stop on its’ own. It is not a “phase” or “season”. It is a chronic problem that can go on for years.

Because most abusers are close relatives, it is likely that an abused elder will not report the abuse themselves.

It is therefore important that after you’ve confirmed the abuse that you report it to the appropriate authorities.

You can report elder abuse to:

  • Your local police
  • If you overhear physical abuse going on, call 911
  • The National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233 – toll-free, 24/7
    1-800-787-3224 – TTY/toll-free)
  • You can also locate resources using the Elder Care Locator (call 1-800-677-1116 toll-free) and the National Center on Elder Abuse (call 1-855-500-3537 toll-free).

Elder abuse is real.

And it is a terrible problem.

When you see it and confirm it, please report it.

The life of the elder may be at stake.

Did you find this post useful?

Please share it with someone else. It might save a life.


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July 10, 2018 Family Caregiver0

We all have experienced the unforgiving heat this summer.

Some areas that don’t even get as hot during the summer are hitting dangerous record highs.

And while the intense heat makes a dip in the ocean even better, the reality is that it can cause severe dehydration for anyone who forgets to hydrate.

Dehydration is worse in the elderly for several reasons.

  1. A lack of physical mobility means they are less likely to go to the fridge to get a drink when they need it.
  2. Their bodies are tend to be already more dehydrated because of the aging process. This is why it is common for the elderly to have loose skin.
  3. Several medications they may be on cause dehydration. Blood pressure medications and antidepressants are well known to cause dehydration in the elderly.
  4. Illness can also dehydrate the elderly.
  5. Self-care activities like drinking water can be ignored when dementia sets in.

Throw in the intense summer heat and the possibility for dehydration moves up a number of notches.

What’s the best a caregiver can do?

That is what we discuss in this post.

The Benefits of Drinking Water

Water makes up 70% of our body weight.

Our bodies need water to function properly.

And while there is no set rule of how much water you should be drinking- a lot of health manuals over the years have suggested drinking 8 8-ounce glasses of water per day but this is not supported by research- drinking more water will help your elderly loved one in a myriad of ways.

  1. Water increases energy and decreases fatigue. Because 90% of our brains are made up of water, drinking plenty water boosts brain health which in turn increases energy levels and wakefulness.
  2. Water gets rids of toxins in our bodies. Most of the toxins that accumulate in our bodies are expelled through sweat and urine. Sweat and urine are water-based. Thus, it makes sense that the more you drink, the more capable your body becomes of getting rid of harmful toxins.
  3. Drinking water boosts your immune system.
  4. Keep your joints lubricated and reduces muscle sprains and strains.
  5. Drinking water saves you money! Instead of spending money on expensive juices, drinking water is much kinder on your bank account.

And so for all these reasons, it is important that we help our elderly loved ones stay hydrated especially during the hot summer months.

How to Detect Signs of Dehydration In The Elderly

Signs of dehydration include:

  • Confusion
  • Difficulty walking
  • Dizziness or headaches
  • Dry mouth
  • Sunken eyes
  • Inability to sweat or produce tears
  • Rapid heart rate
  • Low blood pressure
  • Low urine output
  • Constipation
  • If it is severe enough, the person may become unconscious

An easy way to check if a person is dehydrated is to pinch their skin. In a person with normal hydration levels, once you pinch and release the skin, it should go back to normal immediately. If you pinch the skin and it remains in the “pinched” shape, the person is dehydration.

In severe cases, you will need to call 911 for help so your elderly loved one can get immediate help.

Treating Dehydration

As with any medical condition, prevention is better than cure.

As we saw above, encouraging your elderly loved one to drink more water even when they are not thirsty is a simple thing that to do to avoid dehydration problems.

On very hot days, talk to your elderly loved one about staying indoors and avoiding the harsh sun which dehydrates quickly.

If your elderly loved one is in a nursing home, check to make sure they have a hydration program and are encouraging fluids all throughout the day. A research study published in the Journal of Gerontological Nursing shows how inadequate staffing in nursing homes is a contributor to dehydration in seniors.

All the more reason to ensure your elderly loved one is getting everything they need, even if they are in a nursing home.

If water does not taste great to them, infusing water with fruits like strawberries, lemons and cucumber helps to enhance the taste and increase they likelihood that they drink.

Milk and juice are also good fluids to hydrate with.

In case of an emergency, medical personnel will give your elderly loved one intravenous fluids to resuscitate them.

Your elderly loved one may be admitted for 1-2 days for observation.

Closing Thoughts

Dehydration is a serious problem especially when we go through record-breaking heat-wave temperatures.

Our elderly loved ones are usually the ones most at risk for dehydration.

As caregivers and loved ones, we can encourage fluids and staying out of the heat as ways to prevent dehydration from happening in the first place.

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July 6, 2018 Family Caregiver0

Depression in seniors is a serious public health issue issue that can be overlooked.

Because it’s overlooked so often, it is also common for elders not to seek the help of a mental health professional.

This happens because:

  • Because most elderly people may live alone, there may not be anyone around consistently enough to notice the symptoms of depression.
  • An older adult may assume that what they are feeling is simply a part of the aging process.
  • Because most people in older generations were trained to not “air your dirty laundry”, many of them may feel reluctant to share what they are going through.
  • People with depression sometimes complain of physical symptoms which don’t have an organic cause. An older adult may therefor assume that their “body just hurts” when in fact, they are experiencing symptoms of depression.

It is normal to feel sad when an adverse event occurs such as the loss of a loved one or even a deterioration in one’s health.

However, a person without depression will recover from these feelings and be able to using several positive coping mechanisms to keep on living.

If a person is however unable to recover from the feelings of sadness and hopelessness or is unable to cope after a long period of time, it is possible depression is at play.

How to detect depression in seniors

If you (an older adult) or your elderly loved one experiences any of the following symptoms continuously for at least two weeks it could point to depression.

  • Persistently sad or anxious.
  • Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities.
  • Feelings of hopelessness and pessimism.
  • Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness.
  • Complaints of tiredness and low energy.
  • Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions (This could also point to Alzheimer’s/dementia).
  • Difficulty sleeping, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping.
  • Appetite and/or unintended weight changes.
  • Thoughts of death or suicide and suicide attempts.
  • Restlessness and irritability.
  • Aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems without a clear physical cause and which may not go away even with treatment.

Risk factors for depression

People are more likely to face depression if:

  • They are female.
  • Have a chronic medical illness like cancer.
  • Have a disability.
  • Live alone or are isolated.
  • Have a personal or family history of depression.
  • Suffer from a brain disease.
  • Have abused alcohol or drugs in the past.
  • Have experienced multiple losses in a short amount of time. This is common for elders as they may lose many friends and acquaintances their age in a short span of time.

What you can do to help

If you notice these symptoms and they persist for two weeks or more, it is very likely depression is at play.

What can you do as a caregiver in this instance?

The best you can do is to have a frank conversation with your elderly loved one.

It is not uncommon for anyone to resist the suggestion that they need to see a mental health professional.

So you can expect this in the beginning.

The key here is not to force them to go see a professional. Your role is to talk through things with them to help them come to the conclusion themselves that seeing a mental health professional for proper diagnosis and treatment will be in their best interest.

  • Ask open-ended questions that help your elderly loved one see that they are going through depression and that seeing a professional will be beneficial for them.
  • Perhaps they are reluctant to seek help because of cost? Research community mental health resources that come at reduced costs and assure them that money should not be the reason they shouldn’t seek help.
  • Listen and be attentive to things they say.
  • Don’t ignore talk of suicide and wanting to die. If this happens, please call 911 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK.

What Treatments To Expect

Treatment for depression depends on many factors.

If your loved one is taking certain drugs that interact negatively with a class of antidepressants, a doctor may not prescribe those.

However you can expect:

  • Anti-depressant medication.Depending on the person, this could start working in as little as 1-2 weeks. Or it could take months to fully have an effect. As a caregiver, it is important that you also watch out for side effects of prescribed antidepressants. Some antidepressants might initially increase the thoughts of suicide. You need to be able to report these immediately to the doctor. Also, even if the person reports feeling better after a few weeks on antidepressant medication, it is important that they don’t stop taking their medication.

 

  • Counseling sessions with a licensed therapist/psychiatrist. This is an old, tried and true method of helping people recover from mental health problems. As a caregiver, it will be your responsibility to make sure your elderly loved one is able to get to these sessions in a timely manner.

 

  • Exercise might also be recommended as a complementary treatment for depression. Exercise releases endorphins which interact with receptors in our brains to give an overall feeling of well-being.

Closing Thoughts

Depression in seniors is real and should not be ignored.

In this post, I have provided tips on how you can detect depression and offer assistance as a caregiver.

People cannot just “snap out of” depression. It is a serious mental health issue that needs real treatment. The quicker you help your elderly loved one seek help, the better.

If you found this post helpful, please share it with someone else who will.

 

 

 

 


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July 2, 2018 Personal Care0

Are you trying to help your elderly loved one become active?

Perhaps you’re running into roadblocks helping your elderly loved one be active?

It’s normal!

Even as younger people, there are those of us that naturally love to exercise and others who would never exercise if they could help it.

So if you’re having trouble motivating your elderly loved one to exercise, please realize that is is a normal response.

Exercise has many positive benefits no matter your age.

So in this post, I am going to give you 7 practical ways to encourage exercise for seniors.

7 Ways To Encourage Exercise For Seniors

#1- Offer to exercise with them

We have to live what we preach right?

So if you are asking your elderly loved one to get active, one of the best ways to do it is for you to model it yourself by participating in an exercise activity with them.

Research shows we are more likely to participate in an activity if there are other people doing it with us.

Exercises that you can do with them include:

  • Taking a walk in the park
  • If you prefer to work out at home, be the room together. You could be using the treadmill while they use a bicycle.
  • Using a video workout program? Schedule a time where you can do the video workout together.
  • If you’re both a fan of technology, getting a fitness tracker/smart watch like the Fit Bit allows you to be in competition with friends and family. Adding some competition into the game can mix things up and make it fun.

The likelihood that your loved one will exercise will increased dramatically if you exercise with them.

#2- Make it easy

Chances are your elderly loved one does not need to build up their muscles for a weight-lifting competition.

Make things easy for them.

As human beings, when anything is turned into a grueling chore, we tend to avoid that thing.

So make exercise and getting active as easy as possible for your elderly loved one.

#3- Take their health/physical condition into consideration

In helping your senior get active, please don’t ignore their health and physical condition.

In fact, I would say to consult with a doctor to make sure the physical activity you are planning on is safe for your loved one.

If they have diabetes, there are special considerations if there will be intense exercises.

#4- Get your healthcare provider on board

While we are still on the topic of talking to the doctor to make sure exercise is safe for your elderly loved one, it also helps if they are on board with their advice.

According to the National Institutes of Health recommendations, adults should engage in at least 30 minutes of exercise activity 5 days in a week.

Interestingly, as we get older, compliance with this recommendation go down.

And understandably so.

Health problems tend to mount as we grow older.

Mobility typically becomes challenging.

And overall motivation to get involved in exercise activities goes down.

A research study published by Oxford Academic journal Age and Aging suggested that even though this is the case, getting healthcare providers involved helps.

Seniors who were reminded to exercise at their doctor’s appointment tended to exercise more than their counterparts who were not given these reminders at appointments.

#5- Find exercises they enjoy. Do more of those.

Nobody likes to do exercises they don’t enjoy.

If you find that your senior loved one does not like a particular exercise, don’t force it on them.

Instead, find out from them and also study which exercise activities they enjoy.

Encourage more of those activities.

#6- Stop if there is pain

A lot of exercise gurus say to work through the pain.

This is not safe.

Pain exists as one of our body’s mechanisms warning us that something is wrong.

While there may be some pain we feel during and/or after exercise, if the pain is unlike anything your loved one has ever experienced, it is time to stop the activity.

I would say to go a step further and to seek medical attention if need be.

Acquiring an injury during exercise can discourage people from exercising altogether.

#7- Celebrate wins along the way

This is especially important if your elderly loved one was not active before but has made the effort to stay consistent with their exercise regimen for a number of weeks or months.

We all love a pat on the back when we’ve done a good job.

Celebrate these wins along the way to encourage them.

Closing Thoughts

In this post, I’ve shared 7 practical ways to encourage exercise for seniors.

We all need motivation to reach our exercise goals.

Sticking to those goals as we get older is challenging regardless of who you are.

You can use these tips to encourage your elderly loved one to get up and go!

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