Quieting Restless Leg Syndrome: Caregiver Tips Restless Leg Syndrome is usually diagnosed in people over the age of 50, and it affects an estimated 10 percent of older adults. Many with the condition view their restless legs as nothing more than an annoyance, and neglect to tell their doctor about their discomfort and let it go untreated. For others, the condition may disappear for a time for no apparent reason only to recur a few months later. If we are a caregiver of a loved one with RLS, knowing more about the disorder can help us understand what they are going through and explore different ways to help them find relief. Read more
Solutions for Millennial Caregivers: Life Doesn’t Always Have to be This Hard In many situations, it is easy to identify problems, but far more difficult to identify possible solutions. The caregiving challenges faced by millennials are no different. We may know the statistics, such as that millennials now represent 10 million of the current caregiver population, with 73 percent juggling their caregiving responsibilities with at least one other job. We may know the impact on their physical, financial, emotional and relational health. Caregivers are forever instructed to “manage their stress.” But what can millennial caregivers actually do to ease the burden that they carry each day? Read more
Recognizing COVID-19 Scams As COVID-19 impacts lives around the world, we may feel vulnerable, confused and in need of information, whether on how to keep ourselves and loved ones safe, or how to help support the doctors and nurses who work tirelessly to save lives. Sadly, the uncertainty of the times has also given rise to people who seek to take advantage of this vulnerability and confusion through scams, misinformation and false promises of cures and treatments. Our older loved ones may be particularly vulnerable to these scams as well. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), adults over the age of 60 lose money to scams at twice the rate of people between 20 and 59. Read more
Practicing Mindfulness as an Older Adult There’s no question that caring for our physical health is one of our most important concerns as we age. But maintaining physical wellness comes with concerns and sources of stress that can leave us feeling worse for wear. Whether it’s a disheartening doctor’s appointment or worries about flu season, our stress can start to impact our overall wellness, and the strain on our mental health can put strain on our physical health. But how can we cope with stress, when it feels like such an inescapable part of daily life? Read more
Community Eldercare Ecology in China Informed by the social-ecological framework, this book focuses on the development of Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) in urban China. Bringing a timely discussion around HCBS development in Shanghai, it presents an interplay of formal caregiving relationships, evolving caregiving culture, and the trajectory of long-term care in China. Drawing on surveys, in-depth interviews, and government archives, this book explores the emergence of one of the most developed HCBS programs in Shanghai, its development over the past decade, its administration and services, resource allocation, staff members’ work experiences, older adults’ service experiences, as well as service evaluation and improvements. Offering fresh insight into new forms of caregiving in community settings, and shaping a new discourse on caregiving policy, this book is a key read for both students and practitioners in the fields of long-term care, gerontology, geriatrics, health care, and health policy. Read more
Sunday Self Care with David Bass Dr. David Bass, Senior Vice President, Senior Research Scientist and Director of the Center for Research and Education at Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging, discusses resources for older adults and caregivers with Rabbi Brown of Temple Israel Akron. Read more
Research to Practice (R2P) Series Brief: A Novel Intervention to Identify and Report Suspected Abuse in Older, Primary Care Patients Background: Previous research has identified several barriers faced by clinicians in detecting and reporting elder abuse, such as lack of knowledge about the process to report suspected cases of abuse and lack of access to experts to consult with. A novel intervention was designed and tested that embedded two Adult Protective Services (APS) specialists in a healthcare system operating primary care clinics serving a large Medicare population. Objectives: To examine the types of roles the APS specialists played in the healthcare system and the number and types of cases of suspected abuse among older patients that clinicians consulted them about and reported to APS. Read more
A Novel Intervention to Identify and Report Suspected Abuse in Older, Primary Care Patients Previous research has identified several barriers faced by clinicians in detecting and reporting elder abuse, such as lack of knowledge about the process to report suspected cases of abuse and lack of access to experts to consult with. A novel intervention was designed and tested that embedded two Adult Protective Services (APS) specialists in a healthcare system operating primary care clinics serving a large Medicare population. Read more
Responding to COVID-19 as a Caregiver News about the coronavirus (COVID-19) fills every airway. There is information about social distancing, tips for staying healthy and guidelines if you think you are ill. But there has been little, if any discussion about how to handle this public health crisis if you are the caregiver for an older adult or someone else in a high-risk category. How can you best manage their physical and emotional needs, and what can you do to take care of yourself? Read more
5 Ways Caregivers Can Improve Relationship Strain with the Person They Care For When we begin providing care for a loved one, our relationship with that person can take on a new meaning as our role in their life changes. Whether we are their spouse, child, sibling or friend, taking on the role of managing their care or helping them cope with a disease or condition comes with unique responsibilities and relational dynamics. In some cases, caring for a loved one may make our relationship with them stronger, but in others, the stresses of caregiving may lead to increased strain which in turn can negatively impact our relationship with a loved one. Read more
