Sequoia Senior Solutions Blog

Seniors Helping Seniors: Making a Difference Through Meals on Wheels

Stanton Lawson — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 14:45:54 +0000

Here is a video and a story of seniors helping seniors that will touch your heart.

Carroll Alsobrook and her husband, Duane Alsobrook, 77, get into the same 1990 GMC truck that once took the pair into the Smoky Mountains, where they would hike seven miles up to its third-highest peak, Mount LeConte, and then hike back down the next day to deliver Meals on Wheels to seniors.

Twice a month, they load up with hot and frozen meals they take to elderly seniors too sick or disabled to cook. Carroll does the driving, and Duane climbs in and out of the truck to bring food to approximately 20 people each month.

Stepping in and out of the truck can be taxing, especially for someone like Duane, who’s done this for more than a decade–and who is older than some of the people he delivers to.

He doesn’t mind.

“I had retired, and it (being a Meals on Wheels volunteer) was something that I had thought about for a long time,” said Duane Alsobrook. Apparently one of his friends, Dick Suddath, who is 92, delivered meals himself up until six months ago and had originally talked Alsobrook into it.

“Everybody in our church that’s senior is doing this. But I don’t know why.”

“Most of the volunteers are seniors,” said the 82-year-old program coordinator. “They can feel every bit of emotion that these people (the meal recipients) are feeling. Many of them don’t have family close by, and they just aren’t able to fix food on their own.” Here seniors are helping seniors in a way that helps them all.

Alsobrook has been connecting with the people for some time. Among them are folks such as 75-year-old Effie Bell.

Her house, a ramshackle, faded cream-colored wood house off St. Augustine Road, was the first of seven stops he made recently. Alsobrook unloaded a covered meal of Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes, green beans and a slice of bread. A cup of applesauce, carton of orange juice and copy of the Times-Union also came with it. “I can say this, it’s a big help,” Bell said. “Sometimes I’m not able to get around too well to cook, but everybody who comes by is nice and friendly.”

Alsobrook says that volunteer seniors wind up helping in more ways than just delivering meals. They may lend a hand with other things such as changing a light bulb, bringing in the mail or taking out the trash. One lady, he said, is so addled by diabetes that she can barely come to the door.

So he often winds up coming in and putting the meal on the table for her.

Alsobrook’s kindness, it seems, is appreciated.

“He’s a fine young man,” said Evelyn Joiner, a former nurse who lives off Emerson Avenue and uses a walker. Asked her age, she said she’s “not too old and not too young.”

“If he can do anything for you, he will,” said Joiner, who looks forward to the chicken and rice meals.

Article adapted from: author Tonyaa Weathersbee, Jacksonville.com
Source: http://jacksonville.com/entertainment/2011-08-20/story/seniors-making-difference-other-seniors-through-meals-wheels.

For more information:

Exercise Help for Seniors: Martina Shows Core Exercises

Stanton Lawson — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 13:12:26 +0000

This is a video of Martina Navratilova from AARP offering exercise help for seniors to develop a strong core.

The information comes from Martina’s book “Shape Yourself.” Now that she is in her 50′s Martina is learning the hard way that even when a person is physically fit, he or she needs to continue to work on fitness or it’s gone. Here are some of the highlights that can give help for seniors from the video:

Core-all muscles in your torso and pelvis, including your abdominal muscles that support your spine, stabilizing your entire body

A strong core improves:

Control
Balance
Performance

It also prevents injury.

Keeping your core in shape tones abs, keeps your lower back strong and improves your posture.

Being able to perform daily tasks with comfort and ease starts with a strong core.

Martina demonstrated some core exercises of varying strength to create variety in exercise routine

Basic floor exercise the torso toner
Bun burner using exer-discs
Stability ball-core crunch, which is not a beginner exercise

Martina reminds viewer to work on maintaining proper posture and balance during exercise.

It is important to include stretching exercises to improve flexibility and range of motion in trunk and hips.

And, of course this helpful tip for seniors and everyone else, she says be sure to check with a doctor before starting any new diet and fitness program.

Here are a few extra exercises for those who need help starting a little more slowly.

How is this for a helpful idea for seniors: You need to ease into exercise. If you do too much too fast, you will hurt yourself. Warming up properly is a good place to start. If you want to go jogging, start with walking. If you want to play tennis, be sure and jog around the court a few times and do some jumping jacks to limber up.

Becoming older is hard on your equilibrium. Wobbling can result in falls. To increase your balance, stand on one leg for about 20 seconds and then stand on the other. If you do this a few times a day, you will see an improvement. But don’t stop there, next stand on a towel so the surface beneath your feet is uneven. And you can also do this exercise with your eyes closed. This is a helpful idea for seniors: playing flamingo, anyone?

Be careful of Achilles tendon injuries. They are more common among older runners. Do wall stretches. Lean forward against a wall with one leg extended behind you. Push your heel into the ground and hold for 30 seconds. Next bend the knee and hold for 30 seconds. Switch legs.

Another way to prevent Achilles tendon injuries is to loosen up the arch of the foot by rolling a golf ball under your bare foot.

Remember to stretch as you cool down. Stretching at other times of day is a good idea, too. Just be sure that you are warm before you do any stretching.

Finally, don’t forget a little added protein after exercise. Chocolate milk has protein and carbs to help your muscles recover. We hope this has provided some help for seniors.

AARP The Magazine August/September 2012

Help for Seniors: Music-Based Self-Diagnostic Tool

Stanton Lawson — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 14:27:24 +0000

NBC recently produced a piece about music therapy for their program, NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams. In this program on help for seniors, NBC showed seniors responding to old favorite songs. Science has been recognizing the part music plays in people in the middle stages of Alzheimer’s disease, but now scientists are becoming aware of a way to predict its onset.

A Little Background If You Please

Dr. Petr Janata, associate director of psychology at the University of California Davis’ Center for Mind and Brain Research, compared responses of healthy people listening to music with those of patients with Alzheimer’s. His findings showed familiar music helped both groups recall memories. In fact, Dr. Janata learned that the same region of the brain reacts to music and also responds to a melody’s relevance in a person’s life. This is great informational help for all seniors and those of you who want to help them.

These findings can be applied to your loved one by selecting and playing familiar music from favorite childhood activities, weddings, holidays, and also nature–such as sounds from the beach or walks in the park. These musical selections can help seniors re-awaken pleasant moments from his/her lifetime that can be enjoyed once again.

And the Orchestra Joins In

The early symptoms of Alzheimer’s–memory loss, forgetfulness–are so similar to those of natural aging that the disease is often diagnosed too late for effective treatment help for seniors. Music can help temporarily reverse the process. What if music could be used to help seniors and others diagnosed the disease much sooner?

An MIT team has created music software that can provide help for seniors that way. Users compose songs and then play a Concentration-like game the involves recalling excerpts of melody pairs and other memory tasks.

A person can track his or her own results and watch for signs of a more serious cognitive decline.

If Alzheimer’s can be detected early, medication and mental exercises have a better chance of stabilizing memory loss or lat least slowing down the progression,” says one of the software’s creators, Adam Boulanger, Ph.D.

“Having made progress in music-based diagnostic tools for Alzheimer’s disease, I’m now testing the reliability of the measure by embedding it in a highly social, open-ended, music workshop environment,” Boulanger added.

The software is still in these clinical trials, but researchers hope to release a commercial version to be on the market to help provide help for seniors within the year.

For more information:

Help for Seniors:10 Early Signs and Symptoms of Alzheimer’s (Sequoia Senior Solutions Blog)
Revived by Music (Sequoia Senior Solutions Blog)

Help for Seniors: Teaching Your Parent about Facebook

Stanton Lawson — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 15:04:03 +0000

Last December we published a blog on “How to Introduce Your Parent to Facebook.” The statistics have changed so we are republishing it with the latest stats so as to provide current help for seniors and their families.

Although many senior citizens are avid Facebook users, there are others who aren’t. Facebook, which was launched in 2004, is a great help for seniors to keep family in touch with each other during busy and far from each other’s lives. There are over 36.5 million seniors in the U.S. and 351,000 become senior citizens each year.

Mary Madden, senior research specialist at the Pew Research Center, says a recent Pew survey found that people younger than 50 use social-networking websites to stay in touch with friends, and people older than 50 say they use them to connect with family.

The number of seniors using social networking is rising. The Pew study out June 6, 2012 found that 33% of Internet users ages 65 and older used social-networking websites in 2011, compared with 13% in 2009.

Retirees who use the Internet regularly are 20% to 28% less likely to be classified as depressed, according to a study published in March in the journal Computers in Human Behavior by Shelia Cotten, a sociology professor at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. This is because of the connection and sense of community that is a help for seniors.

If you want your parents or grandparents to stay in touch with family, you might want to give help to your senior family member teaching them to become Facebook users. Let’s spend some time looking at how to go about this.

You need to encourage your parent to be open-minded because no matter what the age, a person can learn to use this technology. If your parent displays a bad attitude, there might be no reason to go any farther at this time. But if your parent shows interest here are some ideas that you can focus on to get them sold on learning. Telling them about how the internet can provide help for seniors might work:

Most grandparents who use Facebook say that they do it to keep an eye on their grandchildren. Facebook is a great source of communication that your parents can use to stay in touch with their family, friends, and people they care for. Facebook is convenient, accessible and not too expensive. This kind of help for seniors can motivate your parent to try something new like Facebook.

Remind your parent that there is nothing magic or odd about Facebook. Be sure you have some clear ideas that you can explain by showing him or her how the internet provides help for seniors.

Remember that older people tend to be patient, persistent, and love learning. They are also just as curious as children. Use these characteristics as you do your training.

Do you think you could help your parent become interested in learning to use Facebook. Have they shown any interest in this help for seniors? Please tell us about it in the box below.

Related articles:

Help for Seniors:10 Early Signs and Symptoms of Alzheimer’s

Stanton Lawson — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 14:41:48 +0000

At some time or another memory problems plague us all, but as we age this can morph into something more serious. This article will provide help for seniors and those who love them some guidelines in knowing if their memory loss is becoming more serious.

Memory loss that disrupts daily life may be a symptom of Alzheimer’s or another dementia. Alzheimer’s is a brain disease that causes a slow decline in memory, thinking and reasoning skills. There are 10 warning signs and symptoms. Every individual may experience one or more of these signs in different degrees. If you notice any of them, please see a doctor who provides help for seniors.

10 Early Signs and Symptoms of Alzheimer’s
Typical age-related memory loss and other changes compared to Alzheimer’s
What to do if you notice these signs
For your doctor’s visit, 10 Warning Signs Checklist

10 warning signs of Alzheimer’s:

	Memory loss that disrupts daily life
	One of the most common signs of Alzheimer’s is memory loss, especially forgetting recently learned information. Others include forgetting important dates or events; asking for the same information over and over; increasingly needing to rely on memory aides (e.g., reminder notes or electronic devices) or family members for things they used to handle on their own.What’s a typical age-related change? Sometimes forgetting names or appointments, but remembering them later.

	Challenges in planning or solving problems
	Some people may experience changes in their ability to develop and follow a plan or work with numbers. They may have trouble following a familiar recipe or keeping track of monthly bills. They may have difficulty concentrating and take much longer to do things than they did before. What’s a typical age-related change? Making occasional errors when balancing a checkbook.

	Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work or at leisure
	People with Alzheimer’s often find it hard to complete daily tasks. Sometimes, people may have trouble driving to a familiar location, managing a budget at work or remembering the rules of a favorite game. *What’s a typical age-related change?* Occasionally needing help to use the settings on a microwave or to record a television show.

	Confusion with time or place
	People with Alzheimer’s can lose track of dates, seasons and the passage of time. They may have trouble understanding something if it is not happening immediately. Sometimes they may forget where they are or how they got there. *What’s a typical age-related change?* Getting confused about the day of the week but figuring it out later.

	Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
	For some people, having vision problems is a sign of Alzheimer’s. They may have difficulty reading, judging distance and determining color or contrast, which may cause problems with driving. What’s a typical age-related change? Vision changes related to cataracts.

	New problems with words in speaking or writing
	People with Alzheimer’s may have trouble following or joining a conversation. They may stop in the middle of a conversation and have no idea how to continue or they may repeat themselves. They may struggle with vocabulary, have problems finding the right word or call things by the wrong name (e.g., calling a “watch” a “hand-clock”). *What’s a typical age-related change?* Sometimes having trouble finding the right word.

	Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
	A person with Alzheimer’s disease may put things in unusual places. They may lose things and be unable to go back over their steps to find them again. Sometimes, they may accuse others of stealing. This may occur more frequently over time. *What’s a typical age-related change?* Misplacing things from time to time and retracing steps to find them.

	Decreased or poor judgment
	People with Alzheimer’s may experience changes in judgment or decision-making. For example, they may use poor judgment when dealing with money, giving large amounts to telemarketers. They may pay less attention to grooming or keeping themselves clean. *What’s a typical age-related change?* Making a bad decision once in a while.

	Withdrawal from work or social activities
	A person with Alzheimer’s may start to remove themselves from hobbies, social activities, work projects or sports. They may have trouble keeping up with a favorite sports team or remembering how to complete a favorite hobby. They may also avoid being social because of the changes they have experienced. *What’s a typical age-related change?* Sometimes feeling weary of work, family and social obligations.

	Changes in mood and personality
	The mood and personalities of people with Alzheimer’s can change. They can become confused, suspicious, depressed, fearful or anxious. They may be easily upset at home, at work, with friends or in places where they are out of their comfort zone. *What’s a typical age-related change?* Developing very specific ways of doing things and becoming irritable when a routine is disrupted.

Typical age-related memory loss and other changes compared to Alzheimer’s

Signs of Alzheimer’s	Typical age-related changes
Poor judgment and decision making	Making a bad decision once in a while
Inability to manage a budget	Missing a monthly payment
Losing track of the date or the season	Forgetting which day it is and remembering later
Difficulty having a conversation	Sometimes forgetting which word to use
Misplacing things and being unable to retrace steps to find them	Losing things from time to time

What to do if you notice these signs

If you notice any of the 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s in yourself or someone you know, don’t ignore them. Schedule an appointment with a doctor who provides help for seniors.

With early detection, you can:

Get the maximum benefit from available treatments – You can explore treatments that may provide some relief of symptoms and help you maintain a level of independence longer. You may also increase your chances of participating in clinical drug trials that help advance research.
Learn more about treatments.
Learn more about clinical studies.

Have more time to plan for the future – A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s allows you to take part in decisions about care, transportation, living options, financial and legal matters. You can also participate in building the right care team and social support network.
Learn more about planning ahead.

Help for you and your loved ones – Care and support services are available, making it easier for you and your family to live the best life possible with Alzheimer’s or dementia.
Learn how the Alzheimer’s Association helps families.

Additional information:

Researchers seek paths to earlier diagnosis
Information on the scientific studies researchers are pursuing to earlier diagnosis
Video: Alzheimer’s Association Chief Medical and Scientific Office Dr. William Thies discusses the benefits of early detection

When you see your doctor

“It took my mother having a stress-related heart attack before we quit dismissing my father’s progressing dementia to ‘senior moments’ and got him a proper diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. Had we paid attention to the warning signs of this disease, a lot of prevention could have been in place.”
-Brent

Your doctor will evaluate your overall health and identify any conditions that could affect how well your mind is working. Your doctor may refer you to a specialist such as a:

Neurologist – specializes in diseases of the brain and nervous system
Psychiatrist – specializes in disorders that affect mood or the way the mind works
Psychologist – has special training in testing memory and other mental functions
Geriatrician – specializes in the care of older adults and Alzheimer’s disease

Learn more about diagnosing Alzheimer’s.

For your doctor’s visit, 10 Warning Signs Checklist

Download this free 10 Warning Signs Checklist and list any concerns you have. Take this sheet with you to the doctor.

10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s

Home Healthcare Community Supports Targeted Reforms

Stanton Lawson — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 14:30:03 +0000

From The Sacramento Bee

By Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare

Published: Friday, Aug. 3, 2012 – 12:45 pm

WASHINGTON, Aug. 3, 2012 — OIG recommendations consistent with program integrity and payment reforms proposed by home healthcare community

WASHINGTON, Aug. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ – In response to a report released yesterday by The Office of the Inspector General (OIG), leaders from the home healthcare community reiterated their support for targeted Medicare reforms. The report, which aligns closely with policy solutions supported by the home healthcare community, provides recommendations for strengthening the Medicare benefit to prevent inappropriate billing practices through reforms including improved billing processes, prevention of aberrant claims payment, and a temporary moratorium on new provider enrollments in targeted areas.

The Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare, a national coalition representing more than 1,500 community- and hospital-based home health agencies nationwide, strongly supports efforts to improve the program integrity, quality and efficiency of the Medicare program. The home healthcare community has been working together for more than a year to develop policy solutions specifically designed to prevent abusive behaviors, including policies that seek to target fraud and abuse even more broadly than the OIG suggests in yesterday’s report. While these solutions, such as a targeted moratorium, mirror many of the OIG’s recommendations, they are also designed to apply nationwide to ensure inappropriate payments are prevented before they are made.

As noted in the OIG report, aberrant billing practices are largely concentrated to specific geographic areas. In a June letter to the Senate Finance Committee, the Partnership stated, “Federal data pinpoints where healthcare fraud and abuse is occurring. For example, Medicare claims data reveal that 60 percent of all the abuse in home healthcare relating to Medicare outlier claims in 2009 occurred in just two of the nation’s 3,143 counties. Similarly, Medicare data indicates that nearly 90 percent of all aberrant home health reimbursement occurred in a minority of counties in just five states.”

The home healthcare community previously advanced a reform limiting outlier claims, which has effectively reduced aberrant behavior and Medicare spending. Data generated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) shows that this single payment reform relating to outlier claims – which was accepted and implemented beginning January 1, 2010 – achieved over $850 million in Medicare savings in 2010 alone, equivalent to nearly $11 billion in savings over a 10 year period. As a result, this policy serves as evidence that targeted program integrity reform can generate significant savings without impacting beneficiaries or cost-efficient providers.

The home healthcare community’s proposal is modeled on the successful outlier precedent that will be equally effective in strengthening the integrity of the Medicare program. Key components of the proposal include enhanced conditions of participation, claims validation processes, targeted payment integrity reforms and a moratorium on the entry of new providers in heavily saturated markets. These reforms have been shared with policymakers for consideration as a means for achieving significant savings without harming seniors’ access to care.

“What the OIG findings point to is the need for targeted reform to stop fraud and abuse before it happens,” stated Former Senator John Breaux, senior counsel to the Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare. ”The home healthcare community has developed targeted reforms that build on its already-implemented outlier cap and that achieve savings for taxpayers without harming innocent seniors and clinicians. We look forward to working with leaders in Congress to make these targeted reforms a reality.”

Nearly 3.5 million Americans currently receive Medicare home healthcare services, which nearly 9-in-10 seniors prefer over care delivered in institutional settings. Many healthcare treatments that were once only available in a hospital or other settings are now being safely and effectively provided in patients’ homes by skilled clinicians.

The Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare was established in 2010 to assist government officials in ensuring access to quality home health services for all Americans. Representing more than 1,500 skilled home healthcare agencies nationwide, the Partnership is dedicated to developing innovative reforms to improve the quality, efficiency and integrity of home healthcare for seniors and disabled Americans. To learn more, visit www.homehealth4america.org and join the home health policy conversation on Facebook, Twitter and our blog.

SOURCE Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare

Noise Pollution: A Health Hazard for Seniors

Stanton Lawson — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 14:59:09 +0000

Noise in and of itself can be a nuisance for everyone, but studies show that noise has a direct and immediate effect on a person’s health. Seniors are especially at risk because the human body reacts to noise with a “fight or flight” response. Physiological changes occur in the nervous, hormonal and vascular systems, resulting in significant long-lasting consequences. Exposure to constant and excessive levels of noise can cause health problems such as stress-related illnesses, high blood pressure, speech interference, hearing loss, sleep disruption, depression and lost productivity.

What is noise pollution?

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines noise pollution as “unwanted or disturbing sound,” explaining that “sound becomes unwanted when it either interferes with normal activities such as sleeping or conversation, or disrupts or diminishes one’s quality of life. The annoyance can have major consequences, primarily to one’s overall health.”

Even the ancient Romans realized the importance of addressing noise pollution. Chariots were banned from the streets at night because their wheels made too much noise on the cobblestone and would disrupt citizens’ sleep. In medieval Europe, horses and horse-drawn carriages were forbidden on the streets at night, and straw was laid over the stone to reduce noise.

The air around us is constantly filled with sounds, yet most of us would probably not say we are surrounded by noise. However, the aging process is made more difficult because of exposure to persistent and escalating sources of the sounds of everyday life.

The EPA is currently revising its regulation for the labeling of hearing protection devices (HPDs) such as ear plugs, ear muffs and communication headsets that are sold wholly or in part on the basis of their effectiveness to reduce unwanted sound. In addition, the EPA is paying closer attention to products that emit noise that may adversely affect the public health and welfare.

Specific adverse health effects of noise

The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified the following categories of adverse health effects of noise pollution on humans.

Hearing impairment: Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is the most common and often-discussed health effect. Noise-induced hearing impairment may be accompanied by abnormal loudness perception, distortion and tinnitus, which is inflammation of the ear. Tinnitus may be temporary or may become permanent after prolonged exposure. The eventual results of hearing loss are loneliness, depression, impaired speech discrimination, impaired school and job performance, limited job opportunities and a sense of isolation.
Interference with spoken communication: Noise pollution interferes with the ability to comprehend normal speech and may lead to a number of personal disabilities, handicaps and behavioral changes. These include problems with concentration, fatigue, uncertainty, lack of self-confidence, irritation, misunderstandings, decreased working capacity, disturbed interpersonal relationships and stress reactions. Some of these effects may lead to increased accidents, disruption of communication and impaired academic or work performance.
Sleep disturbances: Uninterrupted sleep is known to be a prerequisite for good physiologic and mental functioning in healthy individuals. Environmental noise is one of the major causes of disturbed sleep. The primary sleep disturbances are difficulty falling asleep, frequent awakenings, waking too early and alterations in sleep stages and depth, especially a reduction in REM sleep. When sleep disruption becomes chronic, the results are mood changes, fatigue, depression, decrease in quality of performance and other long-term effects on health and well-being.
Cardiovascular disturbances: The nervous system can be temporarily, and even permanently, affected by noise. Noise acts as a biologic stressor, triggering a negative response to the cardiovascular system and increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Disturbances in mental health: Noise can accelerate and intensify the development of latent mental disorders; however, it is not a direct cause of mental illness. Adverse mental health issues resulting from noise exposure include anxiety, stress, nervousness, nausea, headaches, emotional instability, argumentativeness, sexual impotence, changes in mood, increase in social conflicts, neurosis, hysteria and psychosis. The elderly and those with underlying depression may be particularly vulnerable to these effects because they may lack adequate coping mechanisms.
Impaired task performance: Noise pollution impairs task performance at school and at work, increases errors, and decreases motivation. Reading attention, problem solving and memory are most strongly affected by noise. Two types of memory deficits have been identified under experimental conditions: recall of subject content and recall of incidental details. Deficits in performance can lead to errors and accidents, both of which have health and economic consequences.

Senior-specific effects of noise pollution

Vulnerable groups include patients with various diseases, patients in hospitals or those who are rehabilitating from injury or disease, the blind and the hearing impaired. The senior population often falls into these at-risk groups. The long-term adverse social and physical effects that seniors experience from prolonged exposure to noise can result in decreased overall health, mood and quality of life, and ultimately, prolonged exposure increases the rates of accidents, injuries and death.

The European Heart Journal published a Danish study that looked at the correlation between traffic noise and stroke risk for people 65 and over. In the study, the researchers examined data for over 51,000 Danish residents living in the city. Noise levels were calculated for each person’s home. Researchers also looked at other factors for the study such as diet, pollution and smoking history. The findings were that there is a direct link between level of noise and likelihood of stroke.

Protecting seniors from noise

To combat the influence that noise has on a senior, whether during sleep or even during the day, noise-cancelling devices such as earplugs may help. Use of a fan or white noise machine may help block noise from traffic, neighbors and daily sounds. The senior or the caregiver can work with a healthcare provider to determine the solutions that work best for the senior and can monitor health issues due to stress.

Related articles

Noise Pollution(thinkingbookworm.typepad.com)
When the power goes out ll(gregcarter1971.com)

Home Health Care: Quick Care Service in Petaluma

Stanton Lawson — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 14:58:33 +0000

Reposted from last April:

Petaluma-based Sequoia Senior Solutions, the North Bay’s premier provider of in-home health care for seniors, began QuickCare, a very affordable service for those seniors who need just a little help in May,2011.

The first of its kind in this area, Sequoia Senior Solutions offers this quick assistance service to seniors living within the Petaluma city limits. QuickCare service can be provided for as little as 15 minutes and can cost as little as $7.50. Such services can include unloading the groceries from the car after shopping or even just dropping in for a quick medication reminder or a wellness check while a family member is out of town. It provides peace of mind for the family and is a great back-up for seniors beginning to find it difficult to perform one or more of their daily chores.

“Sometimes seniors know they need help, but are uncomfortable having someone in their home for long periods of time” says owner and CFO Stanton Lawson. “They may prefer to have someone drop by and help them with a specific chore or two, without committing to a four hour service, which is the minimum required by most home care agencies. QuickCare offers a convenient way to provide assistance to those who don’t yet have a great need but could certainly benefit from a little help.”

Lawson also points out that some seniors aren’t yet ready to admit they need help, and with just a quick “drop-in,” this is a great way to introduce them to the advantage, freedom, and reassurance that such assistance can provide in their lives.

Available currently to seniors living within the Petaluma city limits, QuickCare services can include: help moving things around the house, driving to appointments and incidental transportation, bathing assistance, light grooming, meal preparation, shopping, sorting and filing bills, and more.

QuickCare is also an ideal service also for seniors living in Independent or Assisted Living Facilities, who may need one-on-one assistance with bathing, getting to and from the dining area, or even just getting out of the facility to do some shopping or taking a drive in the country.

More about Sequoia Senior Solutions:

Recipient of the North Bay Business Journal’s “Best Place to Work” award in 2007, 2008, and 2009, Sequoia Senior Solutions was founded as a home-based business in 2003. As of today, the husband-and-wife owners, Gabriella Ambrosi and Stanton Lawson, have grown their business to include the six counties of Sonoma, Marin, Napa, Mendocino, Lake, and Solano, offering wide and varied services such as companionship for the elderly, personal care assistance, meal planning and preparation, transportation, bill paying, and light housekeeping.

Hiring an In-Home Caregiver – 10 Questions You Should Ask(sequoiaseniorsolutionsblog.com)
Options for In-Home or Other Long-Term Care(sequoiaseniorsolutionsblog.com)

In-Home Caregivers and The Internet

Stanton Lawson — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 14:00:41 +0000

Are you an in-home caregiver? Here are some statistics that you find interesting:

24% of US adults are in-home caregivers for another adult
3% take care of children with significant disabilities
3% are caregivers for both an adult and a child.

In total 30% of all adults in the US are caregivers. That is almost 1/3 of the adults in the country. And among that figure are a lot of people in the Sandwich Generation, taking care of both young and old.

And what do you do when you have questions about in-home caregiving, healthcare or anything to help your loved ones? Studies show that 88% of caregivers with web access (not necessarily in the home) look to the internet for healthcare information. Caregivers are active users of online health information.

After all, when you have someone you love who is in need, the doctor may be too busy or too far away to turn to. Pharmacists have many other clients in line. You have a lot of questions and you may have even written them all down. Where do you go for help? That’s right–to your computer, looking up all the information you can on in-home caregiving.

Besides the timely information you can get on the internet, did you know that there are also online communities springing up that have in-home healthcare information and support? Have you looked at these healthcare social tools?

For one thing you can blog, like Joanne did on Sequoia Senior Solutions Blog site: A Case Study: Caregiving. . .what it means to me. Starting your own blog is not very difficult and it is a way of finding other in-home caregivers to share with.

“One-third of consumers now use social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and online forums for health-related matters, including seeking medical information, tracking and sharing symptoms, and broadcasting how they feel about doctors, drugs, treatments, medical devices and health plans.” - according to the article “Healthcare companies still don’t “Get” Social Media” – April 27, 2012

The Mayo Clinic in 2005 began utilizing social media channels to promote and increase downloads of its podcasts. The clinic posts the podcasts, along with video and text, on its blogs. It also leverages a Facebook fan page, a Twitter account and a YouTube channel.

AARP, WebMD, and blogs such as this one are all available to help you learn as much as you can about being the best caregiver you can be.

What internet social media do you use to be a better in-home caregiver?

Related articles

Sandwich Generation Money Guide; Sequoia Senior Solutions
Baby Boomer Caregivers Are the New Normal(eldercare-blog.typepad.com)

Your Comfort Zone: Five Good Ways to Escape

Stanton Lawson — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 15:16:45 +0000

Boredom kills. If you sit around in your comfort zone doing nothing, you will probably overeat, drink too much coffee and/or alcohol, or even sleep too much. If you don’t believe me check out the research from the University College of London in “You really can be bored to death, study shows”.

So what can you do to escape from your comfort zone instead? Here are five suggestions from published authors:

1. Susan Biali, M.D., author of Live a Live You Love: 7 Steps to a Healthier, Happier, More Passionate You, said, “Recently I went to New York City. A coach told me to use LinkedIn and find people who live there and tell them I was coming (and no, I don’t know most people in my LinkedIn network). I picked three. One answered. She invited me to meet an amazing group of innovators and entrepreneurs, and it came from simply contacting a stranger and say, ‘Want to meet for coffee?’”

2. David DiSalvo, author of What Makes Your Brain Happy and Why You Should Do the Opposite, said, “In their 50s, people often look at their careers and ask, ‘Do I want to do this until I die?’ The most fulfilled people think about what they’ll do in the second part of life. You don’t have to do something radically different, but instead of asking, ‘What will make me happy?’ the better question is ‘What will offer more fulfillment?’”

3. Chip Heath, co-author (with Dan Heath) of Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard, said, “Whatever change you’re thinking, shrink it. I have a friend who forces herself to exercise for one song on her iPod when she doesn’t feel like working out. But with that one small step, she usually works out longer.”

4. Rick Foster, coauthor (With Greg Hicks) of Happiness and Health, said, “The more times I say ‘yes’, the more variety there is in my life. Do I want to see a play? Yes. Do I want to take a trip? Yes. I force myself to say yes because brain health and physical health are directly tied to novelty and change. Every time I’ve said yes, it’s paid off.”

5. Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project, said, “Sometimes people want you to be safe, so they discourage risks. But there is no safety. The more you know what you want, the more should want it. I knew I’d rather fail as a writer than succeed as a lawyer.”

So now that you have heard from the experts, what do you do to escape from your comfort zone?

…comfort zones…(hugmamma.com)
creativity … right brain thinking(coachwithheart.wordpress.com)