Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common mental health problem. It affects people who have experienced a traumatic life event.

That traumatic event could be anything from murder, rape, physical abuse or a national disaster.

Regardless of the type of traumatic event a person goes through, it is important that you are familiar with the symptoms of PTSD as a caregiver.

Understanding PTSD in older adults

Usually, people associate PTSD with veterans of various wars.

While a there are a number of veterans who live with PTSD, they are not the only ones who experience it.

For instance, I once worked at a facility where a elderly woman on admission was a Holocaust survivor.

It was not uncommon to hear her screaming at night and with requests to save her from the “Fuhrer”.

In that moment, there was nothing we could do or say to calm her down. She was reliving the event as if it was happening in the present.

As a caregiver, it is important that you realize that someone who is going through PTSD is not “crazy”, “weak”, “emotional” or “unable to let go of the past”.

PTSD can happen to anyone at any age. It can happen months and occasionally years after the original event.

Nobody wishes to experience a traumatic event over and over again.

However, for a lot of people who suffer with this mental illness, everything- their racing hearts, the inability to sleep and pure dread they experience when they encounter triggers that remind them of the trauma are very real.

Symptoms of PTSD

1. People who have PTSD regularly experience flashbacks. During these flashbacks, the event is real again for a PTSD sufferer. They might even begin to call out the names of people who are not present in the room with them.
2. Nightmares and night terrors. It is common for people with PTSD to experience insomnia that is related to constant nightmares they experience.
3. People with PTSD may avoid certain places, people or situations that remind them of the trauma. For instance, if the person lived through a train accident, you will find that this person avoids public transportation at all costs.
4. People with PTSD may be easily startled. Sometimes the things that startle them are things that normally would not startle a person at all.
5. A person with PTSD may blame themselves for the traumatic event- whether it was their fault or not.
6. A person with PTSD may begin to talk about harming themselves or suicide. Never take this type of talk lightly. The truth is while the media tends to mostly cover suicides among younger people, the rate of suicide increases sharply for white males after the age of 70 years. Sadly, cases of untreated PTSD have led to not just suicide but murders as well. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255. This lifeline is available 24 hours a day everyday. Dial 911 if it is an emergency.
7. A lack of sleep leading to general tiredness is another symptom of PTSD.
8. The person no longer enjoys events and activities they enjoyed in the past.

If any of these symptoms happen for more than a month and begin to interfere with a person’s daily functioning, PTSD is likely at play.

What you can do as a caregiver?

PTSD affects the sufferer and impacts the people around them.

I highly recommend that if you begin to notice any of the above symptoms in your elderly loved one that you help them seek professional mental health care.

PTSD is diagnosed by a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist. It is usually treated with a combination of therapy and medication.

Your role as a caregiver may include helping your loved one set up and attend appointments, finding other mental health care resources in your community and just encouraging words that help them gain perspective.

It is not easy to be the caregiver of a person struggling with PTSD.

So it is alright if you need someone to talk to and lighten your burden as well.

Caregiver self-care is important! You cannot give out of an empty vessel. So take care of yourself as well.

Closing Thoughts

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental health issue that affects thousands of people each year.

The impact of PTSD in older adults goes beyond the sufferer alone. It affects relationships and a person’s ability to function normally. It can affect their judgement and decisions and lead to less than ideal consequences.

Thus if you notice any of the symptoms I just discussed above, work to address their needs immediately.

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All of a sudden you find yourself becoming a caregiver for your family.

This is new to you.

You have a million questions and very few answers.

What should you do?

Glad you asked!

In this post, I want to give you five super simple tips that will help you as a first time caregiver.

5 tips for first time care givers

Listen to and respect your loved one’s desires

Listen to your loved one.

This is a difficult time for both of you but tension levels will come down if you take the time to listen to what they have to say.

Listen out for what they need and want.

Even if you disagree with them, respect those wishes.

During old age or a debilitating illness, people feel a sense of helplessness- especially over things they can no longer do- that is made worse when their needs and desires (within reason) are not respected.

Don’t be afraid to talk about money

As a caregiver, don’t be afraid to broach the topic of money.

We have covered many money topics on the blog that you can check out.

When adult children become responsible for their parent’s finances

Estate planning basics

What a fiduciary does and why your parents need one

You will need financial help during the care-giving process. This may require that you hire home care help. Your loved one may need hospital visits and in-home services.

Knowing your loved one’s state of finances and health insurance will help you make better decisions regarding their care.

It is alright if you feel overwhelmed in the beginning

It is alright to admit that you are overwhelmed.

Care-giving is hard and you are not a Superman or Superwoman.

Find out what resources are available to you in your community or state to help you on your care-giving journey.

You don’t have to do it alone

If you have other family members who can relieve you of your duties on certain days take advantage of it.

Hire home care help where necessary. If you live in the San Diego and Orange County areas, Green Tree Home care can help you!

Talk to a therapist or mental health professional. You will be better prepared to handle difficulties that come your way.

Self-care is important

I cannot over-emphasize the importance of taking care of yourself.

You cannot pour out of an empty well. Thus, if you are not taking care of yourself as a caregiver, you do everyone a disservice.

In this post, I share 7 self-care tips for caregivers. Learn and practice them!

Nobody becomes an excellent caregiver overnight.

It takes time, a lot of patience and sometimes the learning curve is steep.

It is however possible to give your loved one’s excellent care and enjoy your life personally.

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The colder months are upon us.

If you live in Southern California, you probably still are getting a lot of sunshine even though the air is getting noticeably chilly.

If you live in the Mid-West, the snow has already started and hot chocolate and warm blankets are becoming the daily normal.

No matter where you live, this time of the year is cold.

Older adults can lose body heat fast- much faster than a younger person.

This makes elderly adults more susceptible to health and safety issues that come with the cold weather.

For elderly adults, cold weather can spell the beginning of challenges- cold, influenza, the risk for hypothermia and the onset of rheumatic pain are just a few of the problems.

So how do we help our elderly loved ones live through the winter in a safe and healthy manner?

In this post, I will go over older adults can achieve that.

The elderly and cold weather: Tips to stay safe and healthy.

Arm yourself against the common cold and flu

In this post I talk about 10 home remedies for the common cold.

And in this one, I go over how you can prepare for the flu season.

This is one of the very first steps you can take during this season – that you are protected against diseases that usually come with cold weather.

The resources I cited above will help you get prepared.

Keep warm inside

Some people don’t want to warm their homes especially before November because of the high cost of heating.

We are not disputing the fact that it can get very pricey, very quickly to heat your home.

However, yours and your elderly loved one’s health is not worth the money you may think you are saving by not heating up your home.

1. Keep your home temperature at 70 degrees Fahrenheit at the minimum during colder months.
2. Wear warm clothing like a sweater, heavier pants and socks during the colder months.
3. Drink hot fluids to help you stay warm.
4. Contact your gas or electric company and ask if they provide discounts that help seniors with the cost of heating up their homes. Some companies even have reasonable plans if your income falls below a certain amount per year.
5. To save extra on your heating bill:
   • keep the doors closed on the rooms you don’t use in your house
   • roll a towel in front of the doors in your home to keep drafts out
   • keep the basement door closed
   • close all windows and keep the blinds closed at night so you don’t lose the heat
6. If you are an elderly adult who lives alone, have people check on you at least once a day.
7. If your loved one has dementia or Alzheimer’s it is important to keep an eye on them during this season so that they don’t walk out of the house without the appropriate clothing.

Know the signs of hypothermia

Knowing the signs of hypothermia is critical for you- to be able to recognize it for yourself- and your elderly loved one.

Here’s what you should watch out for.

Early signs of hypothermia:

• Cold feet and hands
• A puffy or swollen face
• Pale skin
• Shivering
• Slower than normal speech or slurring words
• Person seems sleepier than normal
• Being angry or confused

Later signs of hypothermia:

• Moving slowly, trouble walking, or being clumsy
• Stiff and jerky arm or leg movements
• Slow heartbeat
• Slow, shallow breathing
• Blacking out or losing consciousness

If you observe any of these signs in yourself or your elderly loved one, call 9-1-1 IMMEDIATELY!

Safety outside the house

Snow, hail and freezing rain in the winter months can make going out a hazard.

Making sure that walkways are shoveled and salted is an important key to preventing falls and related accidents.

Warm your car up for at least 5-10 minutes before you move it to prevent mechanical problems.

Before the weather gets super cold, have a mechanic check your car for antifreeze levels and change your tires if need be.

Closing Thoughts

This is not Game of Thrones but winter is coming.

Staying warm during the colder months should not be an afterthought.

Preparing for it now could be a life-saving decision.

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What is arthritis and how can you help your loved one who has it?

In this post, I will go over what arthritis is and what you can do as a caregiver to help.

Arthritis Definition

Arthritis involves the break down of cartilage.

Cartilage is the cushion-like substance that is found at the joints of two bones.

It prevents bones from rubbing against each other and causing pain or even damage of the bones.

Cartilage also allows bones to bend with ease.

In arthritis, cartilage breaks down. This causes swelling and a lot of pain.

This can happen for a number of reasons, including;

1. An autoimmune disease. A disease is “autoimmune” when the immune system of the person (which is supposed to protect against invaders) begins to attack the person’s normal tissue. In this case, the immune system causes the wearing of cartilage.
2. Arthritis can also be caused by infection with bacteria or viruses.
3. A broken bone can lead to arthritis.
4. General “wear” and “tear” on bones due to old age can also result in arthritis.

The risk for arthritis is higher in women than in men.

Arthritis affects 1 in 4 Americans and is one of the most common chronic conditions in the US.

Signs and symptoms of arthritis

1. Swelling around the joints
2. Pain with the swelling
3. Stiffness
4. Trouble moving around
5. Fever
6. Rash or itch
7. Breathing problems

What you can do as a caregiver to help

Thankfully, there is a lot of research that has gone into studying arthritis and so there are medications and lifestyle changes a person can make that will help them continue to live a productive life with arthritis.

As a caregiver, you can;

1. If your loved one complains about stiffness and increased pain in the joints, don’t just dismiss it as “old age”. See a doctor about a possible arthritis diagnosis.
2. Help your elderly loved one stick with their medication regimen.
3. Because movement can be difficult for people with arthritis, it is helpful to ensure a safe environment at home to prevent falls and injuries.
4. Ironically, exercise will still help people with arthritis reduce inflammation. Thus as a caregiver, you can encourage movement that doesn’t put too much pressure on the joints. **Please consult with your doctor for the best ideas on exercise regimens for your loved one with arthritis. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) also have evidence-based guidelines on exercises that people with arthritis. You can check those recommendations out here. 
5. Encourage a healthy diet.
6. If you are encouraging a healthy, balanced diet along with moderate exercise, it will help with weight loss. Obesity can have a negative effect on arthritis.
7. Pain management. People with arthritis live with a lot of pain. Apart from pain medication, there are several other ways to deal with pain. Hot water therapy for instance is helpful in dealing with painful joints. Thus your loved one may find a session in a hot tub helpful. Other non-pharmacologic ways to deal with pain include;
   • Massage
   • Ice/hot packs
   • Physical therapy
8. Genes play an important role in arthritis. If you have relatives who have had arthritis, your risk for arthritis is higher. Therefore engaging in moderate exercise, eating a healthy diet that is important in preventing severe symptoms of the disease that would occur if you did nothing at all.

Closing Thoughts

Arthritis affects over 50 million Americans each year.

It is a painful disease that affects more women and the risk increases with age.

Although, there is no known cure, arthritis can be successfully managed so that the person affected lives a productive life.

As a caregiver, you can do a lot to help your elderly loved one with arthritis live productively. It starts with the tips shared in this post.

One of the most important things you can do as a caregiver is to learn what works for their particular case.

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