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Things to Look for When Visiting an Older Loved One to Assess Wellbeing
As your loved one ages, you’re likely to find yourself worrying more about their wellbeing. Maybe you’re concerned about issues of them living safely in their current home, or taking care of themselves without in-home support. Or maybe you’re anxious about the possibility of memory loss, and early signs of dementia developing without anyone around to notice. These concerns are especially common for long-distance caregivers—who make up roughly 15 percent of all family caregivers.
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Aging in Place: Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities
The desire to age well in our homes tends to drive us to explore ways to safely remain in the community as long as possible. But safety isn’t the only concern: we hope to be independent, engaged, empowered, connected, and have access to resources when we need them as well. Naturally occurring retirement communities (NORCs) offer an opportunity to coordinate livable communities that ensure we can comfortably age in place.
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Understanding the Role of a Geriatric Care Manager in Elder Care
Those of us who provide care for a loved one have probably heard the term “Geriatric Care Manager” on a regular basis. However, even though the phrase is a familiar one, we may not know exactly what one is since it’s a relatively new profession in the field of eldercare. A geriatric care manager is a licensed professional, often a nursing or social work specialist, with expertise in geriatrics. Families hire them to evaluate their loved one's needs and coordinate care using community resources. This profession proves particularly valuable when families live far away or are unable to manage all caregiving responsibilities themselves. Geriatric care managers can act as "professional relatives" supporting the family.
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How Caregivers and Older Adults Can Manage Rising Food Costs
As anyone who has gone grocery shopping over the past few months can tell you, inflation is hitting food prices hard in 2023. As of February 2023, eggs are around $4.21 a dozen, a 110 percent increase from 2022, while foods like pasta, flour, potatoes and sugar have all seen increases in the 20-30 percent range. But one thing that hasn’t changed?: the barriers which exist to prevent us from making the most of our money and accessing quality, nutritional food.
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How Caregivers Can Help Older Adults Retain Independence
Lack or loss of control can be a very frustrating feeling, and it’s one most people have to contend with as they age. A natural reaction to loss of control is resistance. However, for those of us who are caregivers, that resistance can make providing the support a loved one needs challenging. It can feel like having to do daily battle against a loved one’s stubbornness, and as frustration mounts, it can become easy to forget just how much personal freedoms mean to a loved one and how hard it would be for anyone—including us—to give them up.
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