Barriers to Older Adults Remaining Social: Lessons Learned From the Pandemic Social isolation has always been a common issue for older adults, but became even more recognizable during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the past few years, we have seen the negative effects of loved ones being kept alone. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, extended periods of social isolation have resulted in an uptick in hospitalization of older adults due to health concerns, and an increase in depression and anxiety disorders across all ages, especially in older adults. Pandemic restrictions contributed to stress level hitting an all-time high, while at the same time lowering access to the social supports older adults and caregivers rely on for respite and building social connections. Read more
When Caregiving Affects Your Relationships There is no question that caregiving takes dedication. Your time, effort, emotions and mental headspace are all invested in this important role. Giving of yourself for the sake of someone else can be a beautiful thing. However, it can leave you without as much time or energy as you would like to take care of not only yourself, but your relationship with others. Read more
Creative Therapies for Loved Ones with Dementia While dementia does not yet have a cure, there are ways to treat and soothe a person with dementia’s symptoms and make their potential anxiety, stress, moods and challenging behavior easier to manage. If you’re a caregiver for a loved one with dementia, the creative arts are a great option to consider when it comes to supportive therapies. The arts can help engage your loved one’s attention in something stimulating often soothing, while giving them a way to express their emotions and thoughts in a way they may struggle to do verbally. The arts can also be beneficial for loved ones with both intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and dementia, who may be experiencing increasing challenges in expressing themselves and confidently building and practicing skills using other means. Read more
Bridging the Health Literacy Gap in Dementia Care: A Culturally Inclusive Approach Literacy skills are the largest predictor of health status, more than age, income, employment status, education level or racial/ethnic group. Improving and maximizing health status is important for all populations, but it is even more vital for individuals who live with compromising conditions such as dementia. Join Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging, Ohio Council for Cognitive Health and Asian Services in Action (ASIA) for an informative webinar for family and friend caregivers or supporters of persons with dementia as we explore the role of personal and organizational health literacy while learning culturally inclusive approaches to improving dementia care. Read more
The Policy of Developing a Quality Workforce in Long Term Care Learn as we discuss the intersection of policy, staffing, and workforce issues in long term care. Presented in partnership with the Elder Justice Coalition, Robyn Stone, Senior Vice President, Research and Co-Director at Leading Age, weprovide insight into current and future issues related to the needs of our aging society. Read more
Simplifying Personal Care Routines for People with Memory Loss As memory loss progresses, it can become increasingly difficult for older adults to manage many personal care activities. It takes longer for them to get dressed, groom themselves, take a bath and use the toilet. Busy caregivers sometimes decide that it's easier and faster to take over personal care tasks themselves. As a result, their loved one may gradually lose some of their independence and ability to manage their own care. The easiest way to help your loved one retain independence in their personal care is to keep things simple and find ways for them stay involved in the process while still offering your help. Read more
Keeping Bones Fit and Healthy as You Age Most people have been told at least once in their life to drink milk so they will have strong bones when they grow up. As all of us continue that process of growing up into older adulthood, maintaining strong and healthy bones can be of even greater importance in order to prevent serious fractures, brittleness and significant loss of bone mass. Read more
My Mother’s Caregiver: Long-Term Care Insurance Writer and photographer Mark A. Lee joins us yet again for a guest blog about his struggles advocating for both his mother and himself as a caregiver to long-term care insurance companies. Read more
Recognizing the Symptoms of Dementia with IDD Diagnosing dementia is rarely straightforward, but can be even more challenging for those in the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) community. Many of the most common symptoms of dementia such as language challenges and difficulty with coordination are often things people with IDD already struggle with. This can make it all the more difficult to separate symptoms of dementia from their pre-existing symptoms. Read more
Innovation and Collaboration: The Ohio State Plan on Aging This collaborative approach outlines strategies for Ohioans to age well in our communities. Presented in partnership with the Elder Justice Coalition, Director Ursel McElroy of the Ohio Department of Aging offers insight into Ohio’s State Plan and how the framework fits into other aging plans across the country. Read more
