The Thyroid and Aging
Fatigue, change in mood, hair and nail changes, weight changes, and memory issues. Sound like signs of aging? Maybe not. These could also be signs of a malfunctioning thyroid—a condition that can be mistaken for other reasons in older adults.
The Holiday Season: End Social Isolation Among Seniors
A May 2018 Forbes article highlighting the government report, “2017 Profile of Older Americans,” finds that 50 million Americans are age 65 or above. Of these older adults, about 14 percent of them live alone, and twice as many women as men in this age range live by themselves. Of American women over age 75, nearly half of them live alone. The year-end holiday season is often dreaded by many of these solo seniors who are just not up for the upbeat socializing and yuletide festivities.
Older Driver Safety Awareness Week
The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) sponsors Older Driver Safety Awareness Week, which aims to help keep seniors more active, healthy and safe when they are behind the wheel. By keeping seniors on the road, rates of isolation, loneliness and depression can be reduced.
Keeping Older Loved Ones Warm in Winter
Prevention of cold exposure to seniors takes precautionary measures before winter sets in and ongoing observation by family members, caregivers and those familiar with the older loved one’s health and living environment.
Compassionate End-of-Life Care for Chinese Americans
“In America, most families will honor the individual wishes of an elder as they age, but Chinese families don’t operate that way,” says Stokes. “A Chinese family makes a decision as a unit, which ultimately might not be what the senior wants. Chinese people don’t talk about end-of-life care, but we want to change that.”
10 Frequently Asked Questions for Gerontologists
"A gerontologist looks at the big picture. So where are you having some challenges? Are there some things that might be missing from your life that we could help recover or restore? What can we do to help you maintain your connection to community? We come up with services and resources that allow people to age with dignity," Dr. Julie Masters explains.
U.S. Vacations for Seniors With Limited Mobility
You have reached your senior years and now have more time for vacations, but your limited mobility is a concern. With some advance planning and the tips we share here, you can leisurely travel most anywhere in the United States.
5 Things to Consider About Aging in Place
Aging in place is a lifestyle—a way of living that allows you to remain in your home throughout life as long as possible. Many people don’t realize that on any given day, what was once easy for us to do may suddenly become harder and more time-consuming.
10 Frequently Asked Questions for Certified Aging in Place Specialists
With remodeling, when people hear “aging,” they think “old.” They wonder if the home modifications are going to look institutional like the large steel-looking grab bars or raised commode in a public restroom. They think of what a hospital or nursing home looks like. But home remodeling today is nowhere near that. The products, the style, the designs are awesome and they fit in any home style. You’ll never even know the design is clinical, ever.
How Men Can Be More Proactive With Their Health
Most guys find it easy to discuss sports or vent about work. But talk about their health? Nope, that’s not happening, well, at least not for the majority of men, reports a Cleveland Clinic men’s health survey. What keeps you or other men you know from talking about your health?
Caregiver Raises Awareness for Huntington’s Disease
Kim Schirrman, an award-winning caregiver for Right at Home on Long Island, had never heard of Huntington’s disease before meeting her husband & his family in 1995. Today, Kim & her family are actively involved with the Huntington's Disease Society of America, raising awareness for this rarely known disease.
Life Hacks That Help Boomers Age in Place
Life hacks refer to things that make your life a little bit easier. Learned from the collective wisdom of the internet, here are 6 life hacks that can help boomers age in place.
10 Most Frequently Asked Questions for Geriatric Nurses
“When people first return home from the hospital, they need a lot of education and help to ensure they don’t relapse and return to the hospital,” says Barbara Madison, Registered Nurse. “Geriatric nurses try to set them up for success.”
Fighting Parkinson’s With Boxing
Study found that boxing can help Parkinson's patients improve gait and balance. Are you ready to knock out Parkinson's?
Caregiving for a Parent Drew Siblings Closer Together
Navigating parental conflict, such as a divorce, or the death of a parent can actually reinforce the strength of sibling relationships. For one son who lost a parent to cancer, “If anything, the devastating diagnosis brought me and my siblings closer together.”
Spring Cleaning to Reduce Fall Risks
Spring is when everything starts to come alive again. The sluggish energy from winter moves out, and there’s a vibrant spirit of rejuvenation in the air. This is the time for a fresh look around to see what moved in during our winter hibernation. And do you know what many of us will find?
Clutter!
10 Frequently Asked Questions for Registered Dietitians
As a 20-year registered dietitian, Amy Mack fields a full menu of questions about food and the latest trending diets. As co-owner of the Right at Home office in Hudson Valley, New York, alongside her husband Scott Teresi, Amy understands the challenges of fueling the body as people age.
Calling All Women: Be Proactive to Protect Your Health
Find out more about the top 5 women's health concerns (e.g. osteoporosis, heart & autoimmune diseases) and why women should take charge of their own health.
Evacuating Elderly During Disasters
In August 2017, the people of Kingwood, Texas, and the rest of the greater Houston area were bracing for a storm. While no one was able to predict the devastation that ultimately befell the community, people tried to prepare as best they could while going about their daily lives. But even a hurricane could not prevent Lori from caring for her client.
5 Books on Caring for Aging Parents and Grandparents
Seeking help and support is vital to caregivers. Many of us find reading stories from other caregivers helpful to understand and prepare for caregiving duties. Based on popularity and ratings on Goodreads and Amazon books, we have shortlisted five books and graphic novels that depict the challenges of caring for seniors, and the coping strategies these authors employed.
Chronic Pain, Prescribed Opioids and Pain Management
Prescribing opioids for chronic pain remains controversial. What are the treatment alternatives and are there any resources for chronic pain management?
Frequently Asked Questions for Aging Life Care Professionals
Aging Life Care Professionals are specialized caseworkers who focus on holistic geriatric care management. They can be an excellent resource for both family caregivers and isolated older adults, providing help and advocacy across a variety of disciplines. We spoke with Brenda Shorkend, an independent Aging Life Care Professional with over 25 years of experience, and got answers to five most frequently asked questions for Aging Life Care Professionals.
Meal Prepping for Aging Parents
Preparing a week’s worth of meals in advance may sound daunting, but if you are an adult child caregiving for aging parents, meal prepping gives you peace of mind that your loved ones will get enough nutrients.
5 Healthy Seasonal Recipes
“Get healthy” is one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions. If this is your goal, how about achieving it by eating produce in season? Consuming seasonal foods not only means that your meals are going to be packed with flavors and nutrients, but it can also benefit your wallet.
5 Ways Seniors Can Beat the Post-Holiday Blues
The holidays are over. Sigh. After New Year’s Day, the letdown of the holiday season hits a low note for many of us, leaving us feeling lonely, depressed and just not up for socializing. How can we beat this post-holiday blues?
RightConversations Guide--How to Initiate The Conversation With Seniors
Right at Home developed RightConversations Guide to offer tips on discussing home care with senior loved ones and family.
Diagnosing Hearing Loss in Adults and Seniors
“People think hearing loss is an old-person thing,” says Maionchi, an audiologist. “But my average patient is in their mid- to late 50s."
How Can You Treat Arthritis With Aquatic Exercise?
People with arthritis tend to be less active due to pain and discomfort. But in warm water, the muscles are more relaxed and therefore more flexible for stretching and exercises.
During the Holidays, Watch for Clues Indicating Your Senior Loved One Might Need Help
Are you spending an extended amount of time with your loved ones during the holidays? If so, it may be an ideal time for your to be on the lookout for the well-being of an aging loved one. Here's what you should keep an eye on:
Join Our Free CEU Webinar "Aging In Place" on December 14!
Right at Home is hosting a free CEU webinar entitled "Aging in Place: The Preferences of Today's Aging Generation" in collaboration with the American Society on Aging (ASA). Join us for this one-hour program on December 14!
The Gift of Personal Touch – How Geriatric Massage Can Comfort Seniors
Geriatic massage not only improves aging health conditions, it also benefits seniors with limited social interaction. "The loving touch that goes along with therapeutic touch is immensely powerful," says Nicole Joy, a certified geriatric massage therapist.
We Need to Talk about Death and Celebrate Life
Grote Johnson’s father brought the family together. He told his children that he wanted to go out of this world in comfort and dignity. He had decided on hospice at that point. Being a registered nurse and having experience working at a home health and hospice agency in the past, Grote Johnson felt thankful for her father’s openness to have such a difficult conversation with his children, and for his unconventional way of educating his family on the topic.
Is it time to ask for help?
He is staring right at me but somehow things feel a little “off.” There is tension in his eyes as though he is struggling to remember who I am. He is at a loss for words to explain what is going on.
He is my father, my go-to person for everything—guidance, love, support and comfort.
Seniors Bullying Seniors
When people envision a bully, they think about a young kid or adolescent picking on someone smaller than them. What happens when an adult becomes the victim of bullying?
Hearing Loss Increases Risk for Dementia
Hearing loss affects more than 48 million Americans. The National Institutes of Health estimates that a third of U.S. adults age 65-74 and up to half of adults over age 75 have measurable hearing impairment.
“We Are Downsizing, But What About Our Stuff?”
“Moving is the third-most stressful life event that a person can experience, just behind death of a loved one and divorce,” says McMahon. “There is a very emotional and physical process to moving, and it helps to have someone get you through it.”
Scams Targeting Seniors
“Hi, Grandma. Hey, Grandpa. I’m in trouble, but please don’t tell anyone. Please. The cops arrested me and I didn’t do anything. I need $1,000 to post bail. I need you to send me money.”
Person-Centered Cognitive Support
Millions of Americans live with cognitive change, a decline of mental functioning that can affect memory, reasoning, language and judgment. Cognitive change, outside of the natural aging process, stems from a number of causes including head injury, stroke and neurological conditions.
Lifelong Learning Opportunities for Older Adults and Retirees
It’s that time of year again: back to school. And while you might think that only applies to kids, there are actually a significant amount of older folks who choose to go back to school post-retirement. In fact, more so than prior generations, seniors are choosing to continue their educations later in life, proving that it’s never too late to learn something new.
Fall Vegetable and Herb Gardening
Put on your brimmed hat, gloves and clogs. Stretch your green thumb. The sizzling days of summer are fading to the refreshing temperatures of fall—the perfect time for planting cool-season vegetables and herbs. Artichokes, spinach, radishes, cilantro and parsley are favorite headliners of late-season gardens. Whether you are new to garden planting or know your way around compost and N-P-K ratios, we’ve got several tips and reminders for your fall gardening.
Bell’s Palsy vs. a Stroke
Bell’s palsy is a temporary paralysis of the face caused by inflammation, compression or trauma to the facial nerve. Typically, the disorder only affects one side of the face, and the resulting physical distortion occurs suddenly and peaks within 48 hours. Because of the facial paralysis and possible affected speech, Bell’s palsy may be confused with a stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA), but Bell’s palsy is not connected with either of these conditions.
Caregiver’s Qualities Ensure Long, Successful Career Helping Seniors
When Karen arrived for work one afternoon and was kicked out of the home of a memory care client in her care who didn’t seem to recognize her, she didn’t panic. Instead, Karen walked out the door and decided to improvise. She put her hair up in a ponytail and knocked on the door. Her client greeted her with a big smile and invited her to come in the house.
Aging in Place: How to Stay in Your Home in Later Life
These baby boom boys and girls are now aging individuals who almost all agree on one thing: living in their own home later in life. Nearly 90 percent of the nation’s aging baby boomers want to age in place.
Hosting a Healthy Senior-Friendly Passover
Debbie is a new grandmother who is looking forward to not only spending time with her granddaughter, but seeing her own mother interact with the newest family member. Four generations will be together this year. She explains, “Family is really core of the religion for me.”
California Family Makes Senior Nutrition a Mission
Educating people about nutritious food is the first step toward achieving health empowerment. The second step is actually making nutritious food available to them. Through their work with food, the Atwoods are potentially empowering an entire post-retirement community to take control of their health.
Alcohol and Female Boomer Health
If you are female and in your 50s and early 60s, you may want to raise a glass of wine to a study in the journal Menopause: moderate alcohol consumption may lower your risk of osteoporosis.
Challenges of Retiring on Social Security
If the thought of retiring and living solely on your Social Security benefits scares you, you may have reason to breathe a sigh of relief, or at least exhale enough to realize that it is possible to live a happy life in America on a senior’s fixed income.
Can Table Tennis Help Prevent Falls?
Table tennis is an activity that many elders participate in, regardless of physical ability. Aside from being enjoyable, playing table tennis can also help elders avoid falling. As a physical exercise, table tennis helps reduce the risk of falls.
Better Digestion After the Thanksgiving Feast
You swirl another ladle of gravy on the mashed potatoes and gulp down another helping of turkey. But before the pumpkin pie is cut, you start to feel that internal restlessness. What happens to your body’s digestion when you overeat?
Favorite Inventions of Your Generation
The airplane, phonograph, automobile and motion picture were just a few of the most notable inventions of years gone by. What would you list as your most-appreciated scientific invention of your generation? Here’s a few decades’ worth to get you started.