Leslie Newlife

What to Expect When a Loved One Enters Hospice Care

It’s the most difficult moment of your life when you first hear the words “hospice care” in relation to a loved one. As a caregiver or family member, you feel loss, dread, and an overwhelming fear of the unknown. What comes next? Knowing what to expect when a loved one enters hospice care can help relieve some of this anxiety as you begin to chart your course through the dark waters ahead.

You Will Be Assigned a Team

When a loved one enters hospice care, expect to be assigned a team. These dedicated individuals include physicians, nurses, aides, volunteers, social workers, counselors, and clergy members. Physical therapists may also be included as well as your loved one’s personal physician. These team members focus on the physical and emotional needs of everyone involved.

Location May Be an Option

Hospice care can be called for at any point the doctor determines that a patient has six months or fewer to live. If your loved one is on the shorter end of the spectrum, or if they require a greater degree of support to maintain life, then you may not have the option of utilizing hospice care beyond the confines of the hospital or facility your loved one is in. However, if they have longer to live and can manage to operate without life support machines, you may have the option to continue care at home, depending on the hospice care option you’ve chosen. In this case, the hospice team will check in daily in order to provide needed support for you and your loved one.

They Will Keep Them Comfortable

When someone enters hospice care, the focus of the team shifts from treatment of illness to keeping loved ones comfortable. The hospice team will monitor the patient’s pain, and you can expect that infusion pumps such as Hospira pumps will be utilized to ensure that patients receive as much medication as needed to manage their pain.

You Will Be Heard

In the final days and hours, you may notice your loved one’s faculties, such as breathing, taste, and sight, fading. It is easy to think in the last moments that your loved one is unaware of your presence. This can leave you feeling abandoned or cut adrift. But it has been said that hearing is the last sense to go. So even in the last moments, you will still be able to speak to them and take comfort in the knowledge they can hear you.

Someone Will Ask About Arrangements

Sometimes the logistics of death can be the most daunting to deal with. How can you think about paperwork and arrangements in the wake of such a significant moment? You can rest assured that hospice care team members will help you to make arrangements in the months leading up to your loved one’s passing. And if there isn’t enough time, someone will offer assistance after the fact.

7 Simple Ways Seniors Can Improve Memory

Approximately 40% of people who are 65 and older have age-related memory loss. As we age, our bodies begin to break down, and that includes our brains.

Age-related memory loss can be a complex and frustrating condition to deal with. It affects every area of a senior’s life and can drastically reduce their quality of life. Fortunately, combating memory loss can be as simple as changing a few, daily habits.

If you are a senior wondering how to improve memory to avoid memory loss, this guide is for you.

  1. Eat a Healthy Diet

Did you know there are certain foods that can improve your memory? These foods include blueberries, fatty fish, broccoli, nuts, and even dark chocolate. Add these foods to your diet consistently to give your memory a boost.

  1. Get Enough Sleep

Did you know sleep can affect your memory? A lack of sleep can result in decreased cognitive ability, which includes memory problems, lack of focus, and problems concentrating. Make sure to get the recommended amount of sleep to boost your memory.

  1. Stay Physically Active

Physical activity is good for your body in general, and that includes your brain and memory. When you exercise, you are encouraging circulation, increasing the blood flow to your brain, and improving your memory. Try to be physically active 30 minutes a day, for at least 5 days a week.

  1. Stimulate Your Mind

Just as you should keep physically active, you should also make sure to stay mentally active. Reading, doing crossword puzzles, learning a new language, or studying a new art form can help improve your memory. As a bonus, you’ll have fun while maintaining your memory.

  1. Maintain Your Social Life

Social interaction is essential for seniors for many reasons, one of which is improving your memory. When you are socially active, you are also being physically active and mentally active. Social activity is also ideal for boosting your overall cognitive ability.

  1. Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness has many benefits, including reducing stress, improving sleep, and lowering blood pressure. Research shows mindfulness can also enlarge your hippocampus, the memory center of your brain, and improve your short-term memory. If you want to boost your brain health overall, consider practicing mindfulness.

  1. Take Memory-Boosting Supplements

There are many beneficial supplements you can take that will help you improve your memory. You can take fish oil, creatine, vitamin E, and Ginkgo Biloba. Make sure to talk with your doctor before taking any supplements, especially if you are currently on any medication.

Use These Tips to Improve Memory for Seniors

While age-related memory loss is common, you can improve memory by following these tips.

Start with the basics by making sure to eat a healthy diet and get enough sleep. Stay physically and mentally active and maintain your social life. You can also take memory-boosting supplements and practice mindfulness.

Implement these tips and you will be able to improve and preserve your memory.

Don’t forget to browse our site for more information on healthy senior living.

Best Assistive Devices for Seniors

While home care comes with plenty of attention from a caregiver, you still get to maintain your independence. However, there are some devices that can make your life a lot easier and reduce the risk of injury inside and outside of your home. Here are the best assistive devices for seniors.

Walking Canes

As the body grows older, it can become harder to keep your balance. A walking cane helps a senior avoid a potential fall. Walking canes are also great for those who have recently come back home from the hospital due to surgery or some other matter.

Two-Wheel Walkers

A similar device that can help seniors is a two-wheel walker. A two-wheel walker is exactly what it sounds like—a walking cane with two wheels at the front. This is a better option for some seniors because they don’t have to pick up the walker, it takes weight off the lower body, and it improves posture.

Activator Poles

Activator poles also earn a spot on our list of the best assistive devices for seniors. The purpose of activator poles is to put less stress on lower-body joints. Activator poles are great for those who are still relatively active and can help with posture, balance, and more.

Stairlifts

Stairs can be tough obstacles for some seniors, which is why a stairlift might be something to consider. A stairlift is a great accommodation to make in the home that can reduce the risk of injury for seniors traveling upstairs with a chair that will take them to the second level. Sometimes, railings aren’t enough, and stairlifts are beneficial for seniors who are still alone at times.

TV Chair Speakers

Hearing can also become a problem with age and it can be difficult to enjoy entertainment on the TV. The good news is that TV chair speakers can help seniors out. Chair speakers are easy to set up and use for seniors who want to watch TV without relying on subtitles at home.

Medical Alert Device

The final assistive device seniors should consider getting is a medical alert device. You never know when a fall or some other injury may occur and, for a quick response, a wearable medical alert device is the best option. Seniors should always wear a medical alert device, but the good news is that they come in the form of a necklace or watch that isn’t disruptive or uncomfortable to wear.

Signs to Stop Driving for Older Adults

Giving up driving can be a sensitive topic to discuss. Still, how do you know when it’s the right time? Here are a few signs to stop driving for older adults.

Whether you are deciding if you should give up driving or you are a loved one worried about your family member’s abilities, determining when driving should come to an end is difficult. Driving represents freedom, which can make it hard to willingly give up. While old age does not always represent poor driving, abilities can be diminished as we grow older, making driving unsafe for the driver and others on the road. Here are a few signs to stop driving for older adults.   

Physical Restrictions

First and foremost, physical restrictions due to aging can be detrimental to driving capabilities. If you or your loved one shows signs of slower reflexes, deteriorating eyesight, or chronic pain, these are all signs to re-evaluate driving. Poor eyesight can create difficulty in seeing road signs and changing traffic conditions. Slower reflexes increase an accident’s risk, as reaction time to traffic patterns becomes slower. In addition, chronic pain can limit the range of motion needed to operate the pedals and steering wheel.

Cognitive Decline

Assessing cognitive decline can be difficult for anyone dealing with an older loved one. Look for signs of increased confusion while driving such as getting lost, mixing up the pedals, and difficulty understanding traffic signals or signs. Mental cognition is just as important as physical capabilities when driving. While they may be harder to spot, watching for these signs is imperative.

Difficulty Keeping Up

Staying safe on the road is not just about your own skills but keeping up with others around you. Having difficulty keeping up with the speed of traffic, changing road conditions, and staying in lanes are all signs to stop driving for older adults.   

Accident History

If there has been an increase in accidents and close calls, this is a major sign that driving is unsafe. Increases in close calls, hitting curbs, or dings and scratches show an inability to safely operate a vehicle without causing harm.

If physical and cognitive abilities decline, as well as difficulty with keeping up in traffic or increased accidents, giving up driving may be the safest solution. If these problems have not impacted driving abilities yet, it is still important to reassess capabilities and brush up on senior safety tips often.

Factors to Consider When Building a Senior Living Facility

None of us are getting any younger; most people plan for their retirements so that they can find a safe and healthy retirement community. Although, with so many people aging, many senior living communities are opening additional facilities or expanding on their current building. Unfortunately, expanding or building a senior living facility isn’t quite as simple as constructing other buildings. As the owner or administrators of a retirement community, you know there are specific characteristics of a retirement community. Before you begin building, we discuss some factors to consider when building a senior living facility. Read on to learn more.

Limit floors, stairs, and uneven surfaces

Trips and falls are among the leading causes of senior injuries. While some of the tenants at your facility might do stairs without any problems, the best solution is to avoid stairs as much as possible. If at all possible, your facility should be one floor to reduce the chances of someone falling. Additionally, you’ll want to make sure the floors are as flat as possible. Avoid even slight ramps to keep the surface consistent—otherwise, someone could fall.

Know your market and what they want

You might already know the demographic and preferences in your market if you’re expanding on an existing building. However, for those of you who are building a brand-new facility, you should always conduct market research for several reasons. First, for business purposes, you’re going to want to know who your customer is, their demographics, and their average wealth. On the other hand, you need practical information to build a great community. Every local community is different; some local areas have a lot of places to walk and you should always encourage seniors to exercise. Moreover, it’s important to offer at least some amenities like a barbershop and salon or a library to keep your residents satisfied.

Take technology into consideration

Technology is a vital factor for everyone at the facility. The staff will need a reliable internet connection to perform daily operations including billing, answering phones, and even marketing. Before construction begins, many building regulations require plenum Ethernet cables in certain areas of the building to reduce toxic chemicals in the event of a fire. Additionally (and similar to amenities), many seniors will want TVs, whether that’s in their room or in a living space somewhere in the facility. Lastly, while many seniors don’t care about technology as much as younger people do, they still might want the option to use a computer. Having a few community computers can help residents practice their computer skills, post on their social media accounts, and surf the web.

Of course, you’ll want to include safety measures into your plan, such as fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, and AED stations. Additionally, you should ensure you can monitor all your residents with cameras in commonplaces. With aging individuals, it’s always better to be safe than sorry, and taking the mentioned factors into considerations will help you build a great community.

How Seniors Can Increase Their VA Disability Ratings

Every American should be thankful for the bravery and selflessness of our senior veterans for their service in global conflicts like WWII and the Vietnam War. Many seniors live with the consequences of their service even today. For those that survive on only a small pension and their VA disability benefits, it’s often not enough to live the kind of life that they have earned.

Many seniors make the assumption that their VA disability rating is set in stone and cannot be upgraded. The truth is, that as time passes and age starts to contribute to injuries and syndromes attained during service, seniors have the opportunity to get more benefits.

In the following article, you will learn how to increase your VA Disability Rating and get the compensation that you need and deserve. Let’s take a look at a few tips to help you increase your rating and benefits range.

File For Secondary Service Connection

Instead of focusing on only your primary conditions, it can help your case to file for secondary service connection issues. These are conditions or injuries that are caused or aggravated by your primary issues. For this type of filing you will need causation, including a report from your doctor, the medical evidence of the connection to your primary issue and a medical Nexus letter.

High-Value Claims

High-Value claims are conditions or disabilities with a higher expectation of approval for benefits over 30%. These types of claims are often processed more quickly and provide for a higher payout. High-value claims included the following:

  • Mental health issues including PTSD, generalized depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and somatic symptom disorder
  • Migraines
  • Sleep apnea
  • Respiratory conditions

Get A Buddy Letter

A Buddy Letter is a sworn statement made by a direct witness to your injury or condition. This can include a parent, spouse, fellow service members, a friend, coworker or pastor. These letters must contain lay evidence in support of your injury or condition based on observation or direct experience. The Buddy letter is intended to help veterans prove their claims based on an outside witness account. You can find a Buddy letter tutorial online here.

Score High On Your C&P Exam

Your Compensation & Pension exam is a vital part of getting your disability rating upgraded. Here are a few tips to help you ace your exam:

  • Know the details of your medical records
  • Get familiar with the ratings process and values
  • Share how you are living on your worst days
  • Share every detail no matter how uncomfortable

As seniors age, it’s common that injuries and conditions from their service will deteriorate and cause more problems and pain. Talk to your doctor and consult with a VA Disability lawyer to help you navigate the system and get the benefits that you have earned on behalf of your country.

4 Modern Challenges Nursing Homes Face

Nursing homes around the country care for the most vulnerable population—seniors and those experiencing severe illnesses. This vulnerability is most clear as the coronavirus spreads and, sadly, infects some of those in assisted living facilities. While stopping the virus is of paramount importance, there are also additional priorities nursing homes always have on their plates. To learn more about these diverse modern challenges nursing homes face, read on.

Disease Protocol Amid COVID-19

In the past months, every nursing home’s mission—a source of great anxiety for staff—has been to prevent residents’ COVID-19 exposure. The virus is extremely contagious and can pass from person to person quietly via asymptomatic virus carriers. This means people who don’t develop symptoms can transmit the sickness to people they contact. Especially salient for a home’s many elderly residents, this illness has an alarmingly high mortality rate as well.

In response to this threat, nursing homes developed intensive protective protocols. The CDC recommends they dedicate at least one person to managing an onsite infection prevention and control (IPC) program. Part of their responsibilities would be staff and resident education regarding the virus, as well as coordinating messaging to potential visitors. In many cases, it’s wise to restrict visits and suggest digital alternatives.

In addition, workers should consistently wear a face mask and go through temperature screenings. COVID-19 tests are appropriate should there be cause to suspect infection.

Daily Communication Gaps

Another less urgent but not entirely unrelated concern is communication within a nursing home. First, to ensure quality care for each person, workers must be able to talk with one another. The two-way radio can help greatly in this area. When staff is handling an emergency, having a radio at-hand allows them to secure back-up quickly. Also, messaging back and forth through a device simply saves time they would otherwise spend walking around the building looking for and talking with someone else.

Inconsistent Record-Keeping

The second facet of communication is an assisted living facility’s records. The paperwork they keep regarding each resident makes care precise, but staff members don’t always keep their documents in a centralized form. Nursing homes would benefit from expediently converting all records into a digital format to prevent logjams and promote good care.

Staff Recruitment and Retention Struggles

Our final modern challenge nursing homes face is consistent staffing. Because nursing home work is stressful, some workers in the industry move on. When homes cannot attract skilled caregivers to replace them, remaining qualified workers bear a larger burden and burn themselves out. Sometimes, nursing homes get into this negative staffing rut and struggle to recover. This illustrates the importance of reliable and substantial funding to keep people on staff and hire more to help.

Caring for Grandchildren During COVID-19

Grandparents know the deep joy that comes from watching our grandchildren growing up. Children help remind us of all the good things in our lives and ourselves. Unfortunately, this year has made it more challenging for us to spend time with our grandchildren because we can’t see them face to face. Instead of believing this is just the way it has to be, if we work with our children and grandchildren, we can help make this a year where our bonds become even deeper.

We all are finding this year to be a year filled with uncertainty, confusion, and even fear. The younger our grandchildren are, the more they need our perspectives as grandparents. Hearing stories of other times we’ve experienced challenges and how we overcame them can put what everyone is experiencing today into context. Various studies show that proximity to grandparents has many scientific benefits for both our grandchildren and ourselves. Some of these benefits include connection to heritage and identity, an extended support system, and a better quality of life – for everyone. Even if we are unable to see our children in person, we can still call and chat with them online.

Depending on our living situation and our particular health context, we can also support our grandchildren by offering to watch them. This might be informal watching like getting on a Zoom call and reading them a story, or having a virtual tea party so their parents can focus on other work. This might also be more formal, like picking them up from a child care provider listed on TOOTRiS.com, or other child care options available close to where we live. Providing either informal or formal assistance can both give our grown children room to breathe and create meaningful moments for our grandchildren. Children love routines, and someday they will tell stories to their children about the summer grandma or grandpa called every day to tell stories and listen to their adventures.

Keeping up with grandchildren can be hard. Grandchildren tend to become Tigger from Winnie the Pooh, bouncing all over the place. If we are connecting more with our grandchildren, virtually what can we do to keep up? One way is to incorporate them into all aspects of our senior fitness plans because staying physically and mentally healthy is important at any age. We might consider regular Wii Fit games or playing a game like Dance, Dance Revolution to get us all up and moving. We might come up with fun challenges like each person going for a walk separately and telling each other five things we saw, five things we heard, and five things we smelled. There are numerous ways to incorporate fitness into our time together. 

Sadly many of us do not have grandchildren or do not have close ties to them. We might wonder if this means we can’t connect with younger generations. The great news is the answer is usually no. There is a growing number of organizations that connect seniors with youth creating meaning and purpose for both groups. This is important because both us seniors and Generation Z are struggling with issues of loneliness and isolation.

While this year has made caring for grandchildren more complicated, it has not made it impossible. With a little bit of creativity and elbow grease, we can make this year a meaningful one. We can make this year a year that no one in our families will ever forget.

Key Considerations When Hiring an In-Home Nurse

For some seniors, declining health reduces their ability to care for themselves. From getting dressed and preparing meals to completing household chores and running errands, mastering everyday tasks presents a challenge. It is when this happens that seniors and their families must make a decision on how to improve their quality of life. While some may opt to move their aging loved ones in with them or transition them to a nursing home, many consider hiring an in-home nurse. 

What is an In-Home Nurse? 

An in-home nurse is commonly referred to as a home health caregiver or home care nurse. These are trained nursing professionals that provide medical and other assistance to patients in their homes.  

What Does an In-Home Nurse Do? 

The responsibilities of an in-home nurse are plentiful. Depending on the needs of the client nurses can assist with the administration of medication, injections, and therapeutic treatments. Home care nurses will also assist patients who have difficulties with daily living activities. This can include feeding, dressing, bathing, personal hygiene, and, getting around, using the restroom.

What to Look For? 

If you’ve decided that an in-home nurse is ideal for improved living, the next step would be to find the best candidate for the job. There are several agencies and independent nurses to choose from. In order to narrow down your options, it is highly recommended that you keep these considerations in mind. 

Education – an in-home nurse will be working regularly with their patient. It is their responsibility to administer medications, monitor conditions, and perform certain therapies. As such, it is essential that they have the necessary education. When looking for the right elder care nurse, consider their educational background. What medical education and training do they have? Did they utilize resources like Level Up RN for nursing students to obtain more knowledge and pass tests? Have they passed the required licensing and registration requirements in your state? 

Experience – Experience is another key consideration when hiring an in-home nurse. Beyond having an educational foundation, you want to know that the nurse you hire has had experience caring for seniors with your conditions. Don’t be afraid to ask how many years they’ve been in the industry? Do they speak English fluently? How many patients they’ve assisted? How many problems have occurred (and how they were resolved? 

Agency – If you prefer to hire a private nurse for senior care through an agency, do your due diligence. Conduct research to find out how long the agency has been in business, how clients and their families feel about the quality of service provided, what their qualifications are for hiring nurses, what policies and procedures are put in place to monitor nurse performance and patient care, and more. 

Comfort/Bedside Manner – You’re going to be spending quite a bit of time with your in-home nurse. Obviously, you want those interactions to be positive. Part of this means finding a nursing professional that makes you feel comfortable and has a good bedside manner. As you interview candidates to narrow down your options, pay attention to how they make you feel. Are they answering all of your questions? Are they patient and attentive to your needs? Do they have an overall upbeat personality? If you’re not connecting with them on a social level, this could make the in-home care experience complicated. 

Affordability – At some point, you have to consider the cost of hiring an in-home nurse for elderly care. Depending on the type of medical insurance you have, these services may only be partially covered (if they’re covered at all). Therefore, you want to go over the cost of in-home care and determine who can provide you with the best services at a rate you can afford. 

When the need arises in your life that you need assistance from others to care for yourself or perform regular activities, in-home care could be an effective solution. Be that as it may, it is imperative that you do your due diligence and keep the above-listed considerations in mind as you find one that best suits your needs.

The Facts of Senior Life: What Are the Benefits of Assisted Living?

Are you you considering moving to an assisted living community? Or maybe are looking into one for your older family member that you can’t take care of or leave on their own.

This can be a hard decision, especially if you’re not clear on what assisted living involves. What are the benefits of assisted living? Many different factors affect joining an assisted living home and we’ll tackle them all.

Learn more about what goes on in an assisted living home with our guide below. Discover why you should be investing in assisted living for you or our family members.

What Is Assisted Living?

An assisted living home or assisted living facility is a housing facility usually for the elderly. It’s for anyone who can’t live or support themselves independently.

It provides housing, personal care, and health care if you have any underlying conditions. Similar to a retirement home or a nursing home, it promotes retirement care but still gives residents an active social life.

When looking at assisted living it’s important to take your time to find the best assisted living community for you to your loved one.

Social Interaction

Loneliness is a big concern and can lead to depression for many seniors. Too much isolation can even lead to higher mortality rates.

While affecting your mental health, chronic loneliness can lead to physical problems. This includes issues linking to dementia and heart disease. It is also correlated with alcohol and prescription drug abuse.

Staying in an assisted living community lets you interact with other people and make strong bonds with those taking care of you. Assisted living is a great way to stay active and engaged and improve happiness.

Increased Health

Most assisted living communities offer different classes for physical fitness. Living on your own might not give you the right push or motivation you need for exercise. But if you’re in an assistant living, there are more opportunities for you to participate in physical activities and programs.

Along with exercising, assisted living also includes healthy and nutritious meals. It can be challenging to make sure that you’re getting the right nutrients even if you have a caregiver. When it comes to assisted living, all your meals are prepared for you.

Assisted living communities will often have a professional chef to cook and serve all meals. Every meal will follow a properly balanced diet and provide the required vitamins and minerals. The staff strives to make each meal delicious to encourage eating.

They also stick to and include any dietary needs and restrictions especially for those who have diabetes or allergies.

Increased Hygiene

As you get older, keeping up with your cleanliness and overall health can be a struggle. Things like bathing and laundry become a challenge when you try to do them yourself. With assisted living, help is always available to tackle these tasks without too much difficulty.

They also help to remind you to keep up your hygiene and follow a schedule.

Less to Worry About

When you’re in an assisted living home, everything gets taken care of for you. This eliminates the stress of worrying about and keeping up with your house responsibilities. Any bills, housekeeping, or chores are in the hands of the staff.

Safe transportation is also available for use whenever you have a doctor’s appointment. This is for medical care that isn’t already provided.

Residents can feel the assurance that they’re surrounded by a community that cares and looks out for them.

24/7 Safety and Care

Since assisted living homes have constant maintenance, there is never a threat of security or health risks. Care is around the clock. Here are some safety benefits that assisted living provides.

Fewer Falls

According to a study from NCOA, every 19 minutes an older adult dies from a fall. Since there’s 24/7 assistance and monitoring in these centers, there are people to watch over and prevent falls.

Assisted living homes ensure residents’ safety. With house features like ramps, hallway hand railings, flat thresholds, and other specially designed facilities.

Less Medical Emergencies

In assisted living homes, you can rest assured that there is a system to notify any staff members available when something unfortunate happens. This gets rids of the struggle to get help yourself when you come across any health problems.

Stop Boredom

When you’re living by yourself, sometimes there isn’t too much that you can do. After retirement, you suddenly have to face hours of isolation and boredom.

Most assisted living communities provide different programs and activities you can join to make staying there more fun and engaging. This allows you to pick up a hobby you’ve always wanted to try, follow any forgotten passions, or make new acquaintances.