Our House Assisted Living Blog

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Posted by nate on March 17, 2011  |  No Comments

Happy St. Patrick’s Day from all of us at Our House Assisted Living!

Preventing Caregiver Burnout!

Posted by nate on March 16, 2011  |  No Comments

The demands of caregiving can be overwhelming, especially if you feel you have little control over the situation or that you’re in over your head. The good news is that you’re not alone. Help for caregivers is available.

4 things to help Prevent Caregiver Burnout:
1. LEARN AS MUCH AS YOU CAN about your family member’s illness and about how to be a caregiver as you can.

2. KNOW YOUR LIMITS. Be realistic about how much of your time and yourself you can give.

3. ACCEPT YOUR FEELINGS. As long as you don’t compromise the well-being of the care receiver, allow yourself to feel what you feel.

4. CONFIDE IN OTHERS. Talk to people; don’t keep your emotions bottled up. Caregiver support groups are invaluable along with trusted friends, family members, therapist or counselor can help too.

Make sure to check us out on FACEBOOK >>

FUN GIFT IDEAS FOR GRANDPARENTS

Posted by nate on March 14, 2011  |  No Comments

CLOSE TO HOME ASSISTED LIVING – Most grandparents have downsized and will tell you that they don’t need anything, which makes them very difficult to buy for. When shopping for grandparents, consider consumable gifts, things that they would buy and use anyway, but with a unique “spin.” Like this personalized Stamp from ZAZZLE! Makes sure to go over to our  FACEBOOK page and LIKE US!

Why Do We Gain Weight As We Age?

Posted by nate on March 11, 2011  |  No Comments

image from Al Bello/Getty Images…

It’s common knowledge that you just can’t eat what you used to.
But why is that so? There are ways to fight back — and win!

Listen to this article discussing  how the body deals with the aging process, and how you can combat some of the most common effects!

LISTEN NOW >>

Funny Prayer about Getting Old

Posted by nate on March 9, 2011  |  No Comments

With the timing of a professional comedian, this diminutive “little old lady”

shines a very funny light on the foibles of aging, to the delight of an

audience filled with senior-care experts.  WATCH THE VIDEO >>

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Our thanks to Gaye Lynn Kreider and her Father for sharing this with us.

Myths and Facts About Depression in the Elderly

Posted by nate on March 7, 2011  |  No Comments

Depression is not a normal part of aging, but nearly 20% of the older population—twice the rate of younger cohorts—experiences it. Even more troubling, only half of seniors with mental health problems gets treatment of any kind, and less than 3% get treated by a mental health specialist.
By the time people are over 65, illness and personal loss have likely started to intrude in their lives. Sadness and grief are normal reactions to these situations, but sadness and grief do not equal depression.

“Older adults are fairly resilient considering the stress many of them are under,” says Joel E. Streim, MD, a geriatric psychiatry specialist at the University of Pennsylvania. “Many older adults are losing companions and spouses, coping with physical disability and dependence, or moving to senior housing. And we know that relocation is one of the most stressful events in anyone’s life. So when depression does occur, it is an illness that must be treated.”

Depression is not a normal part of aging, but nearly 20% of the older population—twice the rate of younger cohorts—experiences it. Even more troubling, only half of seniors with mental health problems gets treatment of any kind, and less than 3% get treated by a mental health specialist.  By the time people are over 65, illness and personal loss have likely started to intrude in their lives. Sadness and grief are normal reactions to these situations, but sadness and grief do not equal depression.

“Older adults are fairly resilient considering the stress many of them are under,” says Joel E. Streim, MD, a geriatric psychiatry specialist at the University of Pennsylvania. “Many older adults are losing companions and spouses, coping with physical disability and dependence, or moving to senior housing. And we know that relocation is one of the most stressful events in anyone’s life. So when depression does occur, it is an illness that must be treated.”

Depression hits the elderly hardest
Suicide is the most feared complication, and it hits older adults harder than any other age group. In 2004, people aged 65 years and older accounted for 16% of all suicide deaths in the United States even though they comprised only 12% of the population.

That same year, 14.3 in 100,000 people age 65 and older died of suicide. The rate in the general population was 11 per 100,000. The older people get, the worse it gets. For every 100,000 white men age 85 years and older, 49.8 committed suicide. Depression is to blame for many of those deaths.

Why depression gets missed
“Depression gets missed in geriatric populations for several reasons,” says Kenneth Robbins, MD, a psychiatrist who runs a geriatric inpatient unit in Stoughton, Wis. “The assumption is that because people are older and they’ve had a lot of losses, ‘How could they not feel depressed?’ And so, they don’t treat a major depression that would be easily treatable.”

While it’s true that depression is not a normal reaction to aging, the risk of depression increases as people age and become more debilitated. The rate of depression in older people living in their own homes, who get around pretty well and are in decent health, is in the range of 1% to 5%. The rate goes up to about 13% in people who need home health care.

Aging can worsen existing depression
There’s another side of depression in the elderly. Sometimes it’s a continuation of a problem that existed when a person was younger. Aging doesn’t cure depression, and time definitely doesn’t heal all wounds.

“I’ve been in and out of therapy throughout my adult life, and I’m still in therapy,” says Evelyn, 90, who lives outside Boston. Evelyn has struggled with eating problems since her kids were born, and several therapists have confirmed that her difficult relationship with food is a manifestation of her depression.

Lots of medical problems get more complicated as you age, and depression is no exception. It can be harder for doctors to diagnose, and treatment is sometimes trickier. But effective treatment is available. You need to find a doctor who will be diligent in getting to the source of your symptoms and persistent in finding the best possible treatment for you.

HowDoesShe Video!

Posted by nate on March 3, 2011  |  No Comments

MAKE A DIFFERENCE TODAY

Just in case you missed the cool video HowDoesShe featured on Our House for National Family Week !

Long Distance Caregiver – Challenges and Solutions

Posted by nate on March 2, 2011  |  No Comments

One of our Happy residents

By: Helen Hunter, ACSW, CMSW

Families who struggle to care for a parent across the miles have a unique disadvantage. They cannot be there to know what is really happening. It is often difficult and frustrating to reach doctors or social service agencies and to be able to coordinate the needed care. The older parent may forget what the doctor has told them, or choose not to “burden” their child with problematic information. Indeed, many adult children are not aware that there is a problem until a visit is made, and they see the changes in the parent’s physical, mental or emotional functioning.

• Situations that might occur would involve the following scenarios:
• The older parent is a danger to himself
• There are safety issues in the home environment
• The older parent is wandering and is confused
• Short-term memory is getting worse
• Other people in the community may be taking advantage of the older person, either financially or emotionally

There are a number of challenges that the adult child faces when dealing with long-distance care of an older parent. These include the following:

• When phone conversations are held, everything sounds fine. “No need to worry dear. I’m doing fine on my own,” when you know in your gut that everything is not fine.
• Trusting someone else with the day-to-day care when you think you should be the one to provide the care.
• Dealing with the various emotions often associated with caregiving, such as:
• Guilt – over the fact that you are not able to be physically present all the time
• Grief – over your relative’s decline in health
• Resentment – over the fact that you don’t live closer and that others are doing more
• Sadness -since your relative is showing signs of decline
• Anxiety – at having to rush back and forth to visit and manage care from a geographical distance, and not knowing what tomorrow will bring
• Frustration – since you can’t be there all the time
• Anger – at the whole situation
• Fear – of the unknown

Often, adult children are also faced with a demanding relative who wants to know why you just can’t drop “everything” and spend time caring for them.

What can adult children do to be better aware of and be able to manage care for their older relative when there is a physical distance between them? The following strategies might be utilized:

If there is a neighbor or close friend who lives near to the older relative, entrust them to check up and visit on a regular basis. Make sure that you are contacted if there are any serious changes that occur.

Make contacts with formal services that are appropriate with the older person’s care. These services might include visiting nurses, senior centers, adult day care or a meals program. Keep in regular contact with these agencies and make sure that the older relative is receiving the care that is needed.

Keep in regular contact with the older relative’s physician. Call and speak to the physician directly. If you feel comfortable, have the physician send you regular, updated notes on the visits and tests that are administered.

Hire a private care manager. There are professionals throughout the country who are trained and experienced in the assessment, coordination, monitoring and direct service delivery of services to the elderly and their families. Many people hire private care managers to serve as their “eyes and ears” in relation to the status of their older relative’s condition. Private care managers can also assist families with implementing and monitoring a long-term care plan. Family members are relieved to know that someone is watching over their loved one, and is keeping them informed if a problem arises.
A private care manager helps to reassure the family regarding the care that the older person is receiving. Another role is to assist in helping family members deal with emotional concerns, such as not being able to be physically present to provide care or dealing with guilt over the past relationship and emotional distance that might still be felt toward the older parent.

When you are not able to be around to oversee the day-to-day care of your older relative due to geographical distance, it is comforting to know that there are strategies that can be used to plan and to monitor your relative’s situation. Customizing a care giving network will make your life much easier, which will lead to decreased stress and both you and your older relative will reap the benefit of the care that is provided.

Helen Hunter, ACSW, CMSW, is an independent geriatric social worker, consultant and trainer.
She is also a writer, and has had numerous articles published in national magazines.

Make sure to check out our Website and our FACEBOOK page

FDA OKs Pacemaker That’s Safe In MRI Scanners

Posted by nate on March 1, 2011  |  No Comments

Due for an MRI? If so, leave your bank and credit cards at the door, unless you’re keen on bulk erasing the magnetic strips..  The FDA just approved a new pacemaker that works during an MRI… <<READ MORE>> and don’t forget to “SHARE” & “LIKE” THIS POST on FACEBOOK!

Is it safe for me to exercise?

Posted by nate on February 28, 2011  |  No Comments

http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/seniors/staying/754.html

CLOSE TO HOME ASSISTED LIVING – Helping your loved one get into an exercise routine can be intimidating and hard, this is a great article working with some basic principles for safe exercise.  Make sure you LIKE our FACEBOOK PAGE!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAN!

Posted by nate on February 24, 2011  |  No Comments