Helping an Older Loved One Maintain Healthy Skin Care to Prevent Common Skin Conditions Changes in the skin occur in almost all of us as we age and are a normal part of the aging process. However, many skin conditions common in older adults can vary from person to person, and some can even be warning signs of skin cancer. As caregivers, it is important to understand which skin conditions are harmless or potentially dangerous, and how to best take care of a loved one’s skin to reduce their risk of skin cancer. Read more
Caring for an Older Loved One with Macular Degeneration When a loved one develops macular degeneration, we may face a variety of emotional, mental and physical challenges as they learn to adjust and develop new ways of living. As caregivers, we can encourage loved ones to remain as self-reliant as possible and provide the support they need to maintain their physical, mental and emotional well-being through understanding the condition and adopting care planning strategies. Read more
Coping with Challenges as Sandwich Generation Caregivers Sandwich generation caregivers manage multiple responsibilities, including work, childcare, household duties and care tasks for their parents, in-laws or other aging relatives. The COVID-19 pandemic has made these responsibilities far more challenging, as we may be dealing with work, teaching our children at home and managing household duties. At the same time, we may also be doing more distant caregiving due to social distancing recommendations if our loved ones don’t live in the same household, and especially if their immune system is compromised. Read more
Helping an Older Loved One Stay Cool at Home During the Summer Heat With summer temperatures reaching 90 degrees or over in certain parts of the country, COVID-19 guidelines that recommend staying at home may seem like a blessing. After all, it’s easier to keep cool in a well air-conditioned room than it is outside in the blistering heat. However, staying cool at home isn’t always as easy as it sounds, especially for older adults. According to the CDC, people aged 65 and older are at an increased risk for heat-related health problems such as heat stress, heat intolerance and difficulty regulating body temperature. Read more
Homebased Supports for Adults with Alzheimer’s or Dementia During COVID-19 As we continue to live with the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us are trying to get used to our “new normal.” This can be especially difficult for older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD), and their caregivers. The familiarity of a daily routine provides comfort and may be able to help a person with ADRD cope with short-term memory loss. Establishing a predictable pattern of events can help transfer the schedule of a daily routine into the long-term memory portion of the brain, helping a person retain their ability to perform activities of daily life. Read more
Understanding and Managing an Older Loved One’s Urinary Incontinence As we age, changes in our body can reduce how much urine our bladder can hold. The stream can become weaker and can cause us to feel the urge to urinate more often. Some people suffer from overactive bladder, which is characterized by urinary urgency and frequency. Others may also suffer from urinary incontinence, which is the loss of bladder control. It can range from leaking a small amount of urine, to having very strong urges to urinate that are difficult to control. Incontinence may be either a chronic or temporary problem. Read more
Handwashing Health to Prevent Infectious Diseases Handwashing is an essential precaution during cold and flu season, and has taken on an even greater significance due to the COVID-19 pandemic. From the beginning of the pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has urged people to wash their hands regularly as a key effort to reduce the spread of infection. Careful attention to washing hands throughout the day can prevent us and our loved ones from coming down with colds and the flu, as well as help with continued efforts to flatten the curve of COVID-19. Read more
Diabetes and Hypertension as Risk Factors for Kidney Disease in Older Adults For older adults, the risk for kidney disease especially critical as studies show that diabetes can increase with age due to factors such as obesity, decreased activity, hypertension and insulin resistance. Because of medical advances in the treatment of diabetes, patients with the disease are living longer, thus leading to more diabetes-related complications, such as kidney disease. Read more
Why Won’t My Parents Just Stay Home?: Older Adults and COVID-19 Restrictions Older adults as an age group have been particularly resistant to changing their behaviors in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. So often faced with age-related limitations on what they can do, they fight back against what others tell them to do, even if it is in their best interest. Moreover, at the end of the day, they many not see themselves as high-risk because they simply do not perceive themselves as “old.” Read more
How to Keep an Older Loved One Supplied with Necessities during the COVID-19 Pandemic With staying at home and practicing social distancing being recommended as two of the most important methods of “flattening the curve” and keeping safe during the current COVID-19 pandemic, most of us have had to rethink the ways we go about our day-to-day lives. Even basic trips to the convenience store or supermarket involve new levels of preparation and caution than before. This can be an additional challenge for those who have to think about providing for a vulnerable loved one, whether they are caregivers or just taking on a bigger role to assist their loved one and keep them safe at this time. Read more
