Topic: age in place
May is Aging Life Care Month, an opportunity to celebrate our profession! We love our work.
What is an Aging Life Care Professional (aka Care Manager)?
We are health and human services specialists who act as guides and advocates for individuals and couples who are planning for themselves, and others, such as families, chosen families, and friends caring for older or disabled adults. …
“When we decide to ask for help, it doesn’t mean we no longer play a role in our own well-being. Getting the help we need allows us to do what we can without being at risk. It means we have created new networks of connection and relationship. It might well mean we discover creative and other outlets for ourselves when we no longer have to worry about doing the things we no longer can, or want to, do ourselves.” —Rebecca Crichton, Executive Director of the Northwest Center for Creative Aging. …
Neighbors Helping Neighbors: The Village MovementRead More »
There are many advantages to having a housemate: Defraying expenses. Sharing household chores. Help with transportation. Companionship. Increased safety. Peace of mind. In a survey of older adults who shared their homes, 50% said that since gaining a housemate, they are happier, sleep better, are getting out more, and they call upon their families less for help. Homesharing is a viable option for aging in place. …
Weather alerts and advisories in other parts of the country should serve as a bellwether of what we can expect and should prepare for this summer. Higher than average temperatures have persisted in California, Oregon, and across the Southwest and Southeast. We’ve even experienced unusually hot days here in western Washington state.
Excessive heat and humidity can be dangerous for all of us. Older adults and individuals living with chronic health conditions are especially vulnerable and at a higher risk of developing heat-related illnesses. The effects of some medications can contribute to making it difficult to regulate body temperature or to sweat. …
Aging in place has great appeal and can be challenging and expensive. Elders who are part of a “Village” help each other with simple tasks, making it easier and more financially feasible to stay at home. Today, there are close to 250 Villages across the country. They are part of a widespread grassroots movement of like-minded elders focused on community building and elder empowerment. This is not just another social service.
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“With a little help from our friends”: The Village movementRead More »
The decision to move someone in your care to memory care or an adult family home can be difficult. However, it’s often the best choice when daily caregiving responsibilities begin to impact the safety and health of either the person living with dementia and/or their primary caregiver, be it a spouse, partner, or adult child. …
Memorial Day weekend is often the unofficial kickoff to summer celebrations, graduations, weddings, and reunions. As you make plans for these special gatherings, it a perfect opportunity to adapt favorite traditions and create new ones. To minimize anxiety and encourage inclusive, more enjoyable gatherings for all, a little advance planning can go a long way to ensure everyone has a wonderful time.
For the person in your care who is living with Alzheimer’s or another dementia, here are a few tips to help make celebrations more inclusive: …
Concerns about an older parent’s well-being are normal. Striking the right balance between supporting independence and ensuring safety can be a struggle for adult children. One of the most common reasons adult children reach out to us is when a parent, who obviously needs help, refuses it.
When we see changes in our parents, it’s usually a sign that something has shifted. …
When Your Parent Refuses Help: How to move forwardRead More »
What is a long-distance caregiver?
Anyone who cares for a parent, other relative, or for a friend can be a care partner. If you live an hour’s drive or more away from a person who needs your support, you’re a long-distance care partner or caregiver.
What can a care partner do from a distance?
Each situation is different, but a long-distance caregiver role may include: …
It’s not unusual to hear the terms dementia and Alzheimer’s used interchangeably, though they are not synonymous; they have different meanings. Dementia is an umbrella term that describes a broad range of symptoms; dementia is a syndrome, not a disease. Dementia is a decline in cognitive function that is typically not reversible. …
What’s the difference between dementia and Alzheimer’s disease?Read More »