Archives

Clowning Around for Dementia Patients

Date: November 19, 2017
Author: Erynn
Categories: Stories & Tips

Two visitors dressed in costumes visit dementia patients hoping to make them smile. Their names are Dapper Dan and Beatrice, stage names of Dikki Ellis and Ilene Weiss. They work for Vaudeville Visits, a program at Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, N.J., which is run by Healthy Humor.  They hope clowning around for dementia patients will make them feel better.

Clowning Around for Dementia Patients

Clowning Around for Dementia Patients

 

Though this duo are not your average clowns, they focus more on Vaudeville style of entertainment. They dress in a variety of costumes from a cow girl, to a used-car salesman, to “Melvis,” supposedly Elvis Presley’s brother. At one point Beatrice dressed as a bride and encourage eligible bachelors to “marry her” and for women to be her bridesmaids.

Beatrice says that they recognize the image of bride and that feeling  of joy that comes with weddings. It might also bring memories of their own wedding. They sing songs and will take requests. They try to trigger memories from the patients and try to get them to interact with them. It seems to be working because Dapper Dan and Beatrice leave patients feeling good and laughing.

A recent study in  Journal of the American Geriatrics Society  showed that clowning helped with behavioral problems with dementia patients.

“We found that after the residents interacted with the clowns for 12 weeks, there was a significant reduction in their neuropsychiatric symptoms,” said Pia Kontos, a scientist at Toronto Rehabilitation Institute and the lead author of the study. “Our study found elder clowns were just as effective as medication in bringing down aggression levels in seniors with dementia.”

Read the whole article here.

Single People are Concerned About End of Life Arrangements

Date: November 12, 2017
Author: Erynn
Categories: Stories & Tips
Dogs in Funeral Homes

Older single people are concerned about end of life arrangements. End of life arrangements can be difficult to think about, let alone execute. Then there is the matter of taking care of their affects after the fact. Many don’t want to place the burden on their loved ones and are worried what’s going to happen. Here are some tips to ease single people’s mind.

Single People are Concerned About End of Life Arrangements

Single People are Concerned About End of Life Arrangements

 

Try to pre-plan your own funeral arrangements. Many people say they want to but few actually do. A research study by the Funeral and Memorial Information Council said “69 percent of adults over the age of 40 indicated they would prefer to pre-arrange their own service; however, only 17 percent had made arrangements.”

Married or not married this is helpful because you will know that it’s taken care of and there will be less stress for everyone involved. Check out cemeteries and funeral homes to check out pricing and planning options. Don’t be afraid to take advantage of experts.

Talk about last wishes with people you trust, whether friends or siblings. Have a discussion about how you would like to be remembered. You can even bring someone you trust with you as you tour cemeteries and funeral homes. Try to be okay with death and that one day you will die. It will hard but hopefully preplanning things will bring you peace of mind.

Check out the whole article here.

NH has the Second Oldest Population

Date: November 12, 2017
Author: Erynn
Categories: Stories & Tips
NH has the Second Oldest Population

NH has the second oldest population in the country! New Hampshire is tied with Vermont, and just behind Maine, who has the oldest population. The average age of residents in NH is 42. While most people think Florida, the hotspot of retirees, would have the oldest population, their average age 41. The shift was rather sudden. During the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, the state’s population increased by 20 percent each decade. The population growth stopped abruptly as younger people started to leave to look for new job opportunities.

NH has the Second Oldest Population

NH has the Second Oldest Population

 

While this is a fun record to have, it can also be the beginning of a crisis. Some are calling it the “Silver Tsunami” meaning there will be an overflow of elderly people who need care and not enough care to go around to everyone.

The three biggest concerns are high health care costs, a shortage of health care workers, and a lack of public transportation. With the amount of people entering their 70s, 80s, and 90s, Medicaid is likely to be stretched thin.

Today, roughly 25 percent of Medicaid payments made are for people 65 and older, that number is expected to climb to 50 percent.

Douglas McNutt, associate state director for AARP New Hampshire, says about 85 percent of all New Hampshire Medicaid money goes to facility care, while about 15 percent is for home-based care. An AARP comparison found that the yearly cost of facility-based care for a Medicaid patient was $66,203, while someone receiving care at home cost on average about $25,400 a year.

“We need to rebalance that needle. People want to stay at home as long as possible,” McNutt said. “If you can keep them at home two years later, we’ve just saved the taxpayers $180,000.”

Since not many younger people are moving to the state, there is a shortage of health workers. Half of the state’s nurses are between the ages of 50 and 69 and more than two-thirds are over the age of 40. This can can cause problems in the future as they age and become the ones that need care. There’s a possibility that the state will get more creative with how to treat citizens, using new technology to help them at home.

The bright side of all this is that the state is aware of these problems and are working on how to fix this.

Read the whole article here.

Top 5 Regrets of the Dying

Date: November 5, 2017
Author: Erynn
Categories: Stories & Tips
Top 5 Regrets of the Dying

Bronnie Ware, an Australian nurse, helps take care of people the last few months of their lives. She started to notice a pattern with the regrets her patients had, so she decided to start recording them. Here are the top 5 regrets of the dying, that she has seen. Maybe we can all learn something from them.

Top 5 Regrets of the Dying

Top 5 Regrets of the Dying

 

The first is not living the life they wanted, instead living the life that was expected of them. It’s easy to look back at your life and see all the things that you didn’t do. It’s hard to realize that there isn’t time to go and do those things.

The second regret is that people wished they hadn’t worked so much. This particular regret came from every male patient that Ware had, while some women mentioned it, they were not the breadwinner of the family. Many of the men missed their partner’s presence and their kids growing up.

Third, is that wish they could have expressed their emotions more. Whether they were afraid of getting hurt, or trying to keep the peace they shoved their feelings down.

The fourth regret is that they wished they saw their friends more.

The fifth, and final, regret is that they wish they had let themselves be happier.

Check out the whole article here.

Sleeping Problems and Tips

Date: November 5, 2017
Author: Erynn
Categories: Caring For Seniors NH, Podcast, Stories & Tips
Sleeping Problems and Tips

On the latest segment of “Caring for Seniors,” Judy and Rich discuss in-law apartments verses assisted living and sleeping problems and tips on how to fix them.

Sleeping Problems and Tips

Sleeping Problems and Tips

 

It started out with Judy saying that a realtor friend of hers had called to talk about a buyer that is looking at house with her mother. They were deciding if an in-law apartment would be better than assisted living. There would be significant savings if they chose the apartment because the mother did not need that much help.

Then Judy went on to talk about her husband, Randy, who had a nasty fall off a roof recently and is now suffering sleep problems as he recovers.

Judy asked Rich if he sleeps well, to which he responded that as soon as his head hits the pillow he’s out. Judy congratulates him and goes on to say that poor sleep is in the top ten concerns for the elderly. As we age we see that sleep problems seem to get worse and worse.

2 Major Categories for Sleeping Problems

 

There are two major categories for sleeping problems, one is dyssomnia, which includes insomnia and sleep apnea. The other is called parasomnia, this includes sleep walking, night terrors, and REM disorders.

We categorize this more often with people who have dementia. These problems can also come up when someone is in pain because they can’t get through all the stages of sleep. The progression of sleep throughout the night is called sleep architecture.

The first stage is light sleep, the second is called deep sleep, or nonREM sleep, and the third is REM sleep, which is our restorative sleep. It’s been difficult for Randy to get sleep because not only is he in pain but he is being woken up every couple of hours to take pain medicine to keep ahead of it all.

We see ten minutes less of REM sleep with each decade. Poor sleep can lead to daytime drowsiness and difficulty focusing. So for our elderly who already have muscle weakness, we will see an increase in falls. Some helpful ways to get sleep is to try melatonin or sleepy time tea.

Try to avoid daytime naps. Try to exercise more during the day and don’t work out three hours before going to sleep. It’s always good to try those before going the pharmaceutical route.

You can listen to the whole segment here.

The Danger of Slowing Down

Date: November 5, 2017
Author: Erynn
Categories: Stories & Tips
5 End of Life Lessons

Assisted living communities are a wonderful place. They keep people safe while providing them with a good quality of life. The only downside is that everything is done for the residents, causing them to physically slow down. This may be killing older adults in these communities, here is the danger of slowing down.

The Danger of Slowing Down

The Danger of Slowing Down

 

There are more than 735,000 older adults in assisted living across the country. Again, communities provide a wonderful lifestyle: meals and housekeeping are included. Stairs are replaced by ramps for those with difficulties. Many times all a person has to do is ask for something and is given it.

That’s part of the problem. Many residents basic functions are declining. Their bodies start to get harder and harder to move because they aren’t exercising enough.

A research team at Northwestern University looked into the amount of walking that residents do and it was only 1,680 steps a day. For the general population it should be 10,000 a day, and those with disabilities or chronic illness should take 6,500 to 8,500 steps a day.

The residents are barely moving in the grand scheme of things. Bigger amounts of steps are tied with better memory, better quality of life, better heart function, and more, so it’s important to balance care with assistance and challenges.

Read the whole article here.

Advocating for Loved Ones in Long Term Care

Date: November 1, 2017
Author: Erynn
Categories: Stories & Tips
Seniors Could Show Unusual Covid-19 Symptoms

Having a loved one in long term care can be hard. Not only is it a loss of control for your loved one but you as well. You are trusting strangers to take care of the most important people in your life, and you want to make sure it’s done right. Advocating for loved ones in long term care can be hard, but here are some tips that can help.

Advocating for Loved Ones in Long Term Care

The Move

 

The first thing to discuss is the move itself. Your loved one may not want to leave, which is understandable. Not only do they move from their house to a room, but they don’t know anyone there.

It may be hard, but try to give it three months. This would give them enough time to adjust and make a new friend. A friend in an unfamiliar place can make everything better.

If it’s still a problem, you can try to visit during activities to encourage them to participate. Along those lines, if you live far away and can’t visit, try calling them. Set up a set day and time—that way, they have something to look forward to. Try calling the staff to check-in and see how they are doing, or maybe you can ask a friend to go.

If that doesn’t work, you can hire someone to spend time with them. That is what our caregivers here at SHS can do. We visit communities often to be with people who need an extra friend.

Advocating for Loved Ones in Long Term Care

 

You may have concerns about the community that your loved one is staying in. Try visiting at different times and days. That way you can get the whole picture. If you see something concerning, don’t be afraid to speak up.

Remember you may be the only advocate for your loved one. Until something terrible does happen, be friendly to the staff and try to build a relationship with them. Together you can work as a team to make sure your loved one gets the best care.

If there are serious problems, try consulting with your local long-term care ombudsman, and if all else fails, find a new community. This also works if your loved one can’t speak for themselves. Visiting at different times allows you to be there if something is missing that a new aide might not notice.

If you and other family members notice things that need changing and are being ignored, ban together and speak to the community.

Join the family council, federal legislation from 1987 guarantees families of nursing home residents several important rights to improve a loved one’s experience. Among them is the right to form and hold regular private meetings of an organized group called a family council, according to The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care. If there isn’t one where you are, start one.

Finally, something we hope never happens, but it is a sad reality: elder abuse. If you are concerned that abuse is happening to your loved one, contact your local long-term care ombudsman. They are advocates for you and your loved one. If you think a crime occurred, contact law enforcement immediately.

Check out the whole article here.

Are the Decades After Your 60s the Best

Date: November 1, 2017
Author: Erynn
Categories: Stories & Tips

This year The Guardian published an article called, “Could your 60s and 70s be the best decades of life?” and it’s all about the quality of life after you turn 60. It poses the question, are the decades after your 60s the best?

Are the Decades After Your 60s the Best

Are the Decades After Your 60s the Best

 

Retiring can provide a lot of extra time. Not only because you are no longer working, but your children are grown up and with families of their own. This allows someone to follow their passions that they couldn’t do before, anything from volunteering to exercise to arts and crafts.

Research shows that people of retirement age tend to be happier than their younger counterparts. Also, all the “superagers” consider themselves lifelong students, so they always find something to make them feel fulfilled. Basically, aging is what you make of it, and if you make it enjoyable, you will be happy and feel good. Some 90-year-olds claim to still feel young and “normal.”

Of course, there is another perk of getting older, more self-confidence. It’s been a long known joke that the elderly don’t have to play by the same rules because they don’t care. We hear our loved ones say something sassy and we’ll sigh and say I can’t wait to be able to say that without caring. Years add up to experience, and from that experience comes a feeling of being self-assured.

You can read the whole article here.

Why You Should Eat More Protein and What It Does For Your Body

Date: October 27, 2017
Author: Erynn
Categories: Stories & Tips
Why You Should Eat More Protein

Are you eating enough protein? Protein is essential for the body in all sorts of ways. Here’s why you should eat more protein.

Why You Should Eat More Protein

Why You Should Eat More Protein

 

Starting around 50, we begin to lose our muscle mass slowly, and this is just a natural part of aging. Protein can help build and maintain muscles, so it’s important to increase our protein intake as we get older. Keeping muscles can help us move easier and decrease fall risk.

Protein can also boost the immune system if you notice you get sick more than others, that can be a sign that you need more protein. Swelling in the feet and ankles can also be a sign of protein deficiency. Protein helps regulate the fluids in your tissues and how your muscles can move the fluid out, so this could be one cause.

Being constantly tired is another sign, along with skin that doesn’t look healthy and brittle nails.

The way to get more protein, other than red meat, is through pork, poultry, fish, nuts, beans, tofu, and eggs.

Read the whole article here.

Caring for Drug Addicted Seniors

Date: October 4, 2017
Author: Erynn
Categories: Caring For Seniors NH, Podcast, Stories & Tips
Caring for Drug Addicted Seniors

On the latest segment of “Caring for Seniors” Judy and Rich discuss the opioid epidemic and how seniors are getting involved with it. While it may sound surprising, drug abuse is a problem among seniors. Caring for drug addicted seniors can be tough, but Judy suggests some ways we can help them.

Caring for Drug Addicted Seniors

Caring for Drug Addicted Seniors

 

A third of Medicaid recipients were prescribed opioids in 2016. That’s 12 million people that were prescribed pain medicine. 2.7 million of those people abused them. New Hampshire is second only to West Virginia in prescribed opioid death.

We are also 28th in the country in the use of antipsychotic drugs, which isn’t good. This means we may use the drugs inappropriately to keep seniors calm when they don’t need to be drugged. Especially, people with dementia who may have some behavioral problems. When in reality something could be wrong with the environment or they are bored and not upset or violent.

Why This Is Happening

 

The National Safety Council found through a survey in 2016, that 99 percent of doctors prescribed opioids over the dosage limit of three days described by the CDC. So now, we have people who have more medication than they need and either they or a family member now has access to abuse it.

We also need to understand that the dependency happens within days of using it. We have seen an increase of five times the regular amount of people over 65 arriving in hospitals due to an opioid overdose.

There was heavy marketing towards doctors in the 90s for prescribing more pain medication. The thought is that you won’t get addicted if you have serious pain. Seniors also take longer to process the drugs so they spent more time in their systems and the brains become more sensitive to the drugs.

Communities are also a little eager to hand out pills. All a resident has to do is complain of pain and they’re handed a pill. Instead of that being the automatic response, we should all try to look deeper into what is causing the pain. Same with trouble sleeping, having issues with sleep is a fact of getting older. We shouldn’t go straight to pills. Depression, family conflict, and loneliness can also cause drug abuse.

Check out the whole segment here.