Winter’s cozy charm comes with shorter days and cooler weather—and for some seniors, it can bring Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). This winter-linked depression can dampen one’s mood, making it hard to enjoy the season’s comforts. The Seniors Helping Seniors® team is committed to helping your loved ones thrive no matter the season. Learn what SAD is, how it affects seniors, and our top tips for boosting spirits during winter’s chill.
What is Seasonal Affective Disorder
It’s normal to feel a little low in the winter with less sunlight and more time indoors. Many seniors notice their mood improves as spring arrives. However, if these shifts go deeper—affecting your thoughts, emotions, and daily routines—you might be dealing with Seasonal Affective Disorder. This type of depression follows a seasonal cycle, most commonly appearing in winter and lasting several months. Symptoms mirror general depression but may also include specific signs tied to the season.
SAD Symptoms in Seniors
For many, Seasonal Affective Disorder begins with mild symptoms in late fall or early winter, intensifying as the season wears on. Most symptoms fade as the sunny spring days return. In seniors, SAD often presents as oversleeping, low energy, carb cravings, weight gain, or feeling down most of the day. Other common signs include trouble concentrating, disinterest in hobbies, and feelings of hopelessness or guilt. Understanding these symptoms can help guide seniors toward effective support and care.
Tips for Combating SAD This Winter
Managing SAD starts with small, intentional changes to daily routines. Simple steps like getting outside during daylight hours, staying active, and eating a balanced diet can improve energy and mood. Brighten your space with natural light or use a light therapy box to mimic the sun’s uplifting effects. Engaging in hobbies or socializing can also help lift spirits. A Seniors Helping Seniors® caregiver can lend a hand by assisting with tasks, keeping seniors engaged, and ensuring their days are filled with light, warmth, and encouragement.
Winter may bring shorter days, but with the right strategies, it doesn’t have to dim your spirits. By making small lifestyle changes and seeking support when needed, seniors can combat the symptoms of SAD and embrace the season with renewed energy and optimism. The Seniors Helping Seniors® team is here to brighten every day by providing companionship, assistance, and encouragement. Together, we can make this winter a season of warmth and connection. If you or a loved one could use a little extra support, don’t hesitate to reach out to our caring team today.
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Fall is in the air, bringing with it pumpkin patch adventures, apple picking, baking sweet treats, and watching the leaves turn vibrant shades of red and gold. While this time of year offers plenty of seasonal excitement, it’s also important to focus on mental well-being—especially for seniors. The shorter days and cooler temperatures can disrupt daily routines, making it harder to stay active and get outside. The Seniors Helping Seniors® team understands these challenges and wants to help you stay happy and healthy this season. That’s why we’ve put together a list of simple tips to beat the seasonal blues. Keep reading for our advice on staying positive, active, and engaged this season.
As the summer days fade and September welcomes a new season, many seniors find themselves adjusting to changing routines and shorter days. This shift can sometimes bring on feelings of social isolation, which can impact mental, emotional, and physical well-being. The Seniors Helping Seniors® team understands how challenging it can be to stay connected with loved ones, especially if they’re far away.
As fall arrives, we say farewell to the zesty, bright flavors of summer and embrace the warm, comforting tastes of autumn. Whether you’re a pumpkin spice enthusiast or a fan of fresh squash and zucchini from your local farmer’s market, there’s a fall recipe for every palate. This September, the Seniors Helping Seniors® team is here to help you enjoy the season with simple, healthy recipes that complement the cozy, cooler days. Read on to discover the benefits of a healthy fall diet for seniors and check out our top fall recipes!
August marks the end of carefree summer days and the beginning of the back-to-school rush. As children nationwide squeeze in their last fun moments in the sun, parents and guardians scramble to prepare everything for a successful academic year. It’s a busy time for families, from buying art supplies for elementary students to sorting out tech gear for high schoolers.
Birdwatching is more than just a delightful pastime—it’s a wonderful way to connect with nature, boost your mood, and enjoy some gentle outdoor activity. For seniors, creating a backyard haven specifically designed for birdwatching can offer endless hours of joy and relaxation.
Welcome to the future of exploration, where travel is just a click away! Thanks to the power of virtual museum tours, discovering the world has never been more accessible or exciting! These virtual tours offer a fantastic opportunity to explore global treasures, stimulate your mind, and enjoy a vibrant cultural experience—all from the comfort of your home. Picture yourself strolling through the halls of the Louvre, admiring the Mona Lisa, or delving into ancient artifacts at the British Museum without leaving your favorite armchair.
This July, the Seniors Helping Seniors® family is happy to be feeling blue – that’s because it’s National Blueberry Month. These little blue gems are packed with flavor, nutrients, and antioxidants, making them a delicious super fruit with incredible health benefits for seniors. Reaching their peak ripeness in the summer heat, now is the perfect time to incorporate them into your diet. Whether you love them in baked goods, sprinkled over a summer salad, or as a solo snack, we’ve gathered our favorite blueberry recipes just for you.
Ah, the dog days of summer! And no, we’re not just talking about the heat. Longer daylight hours and warm weather make it the ideal season for fun-filled adventures with your furry friends. On days that are too nice to stay indoors, why not have some fun in the sun with your dog (or daring cat)?
Did you drink any water today? Summer weather can be intense, with temperatures often soaring into the 90s and humidity making it feel even hotter. It’s easy to get dehydrated quickly, especially when you’re out enjoying the sunshine. If you want to increase your water intake, the Seniors Helping Seniors® team has your back with some delightful tips to help you stay hydrated all summer.
Every year, on the last Monday of May, citizens celebrate Memorial Day to honor the brave US service members who sacrificed their lives for our country. It’s an impactful opportunity to remember and appreciate their selflessness and dedication.
This May, join the Seniors Helping Seniors® team in recognizing Older Americans Month. To celebrate, we want to share expert advice and tips to help seniors age healthily and happily at home. This article suggests simple lifestyle adjustments that make home life better for seniors.
April showers bring May flowers… and a dusting of pollen. While we welcome the arrival of warmer days and sunny skies, many Seniors Helping Seniors® clients face symptoms from springtime allergies. As we age, weakened immune systems or pre-existing health conditions can make older adults more vulnerable to allergies. With the allergy season peaking in April, symptoms like congestion, itchiness, and sneezing often come in full swing. If you’ve been struck by spring fever this year, the Seniors Helping Seniors® team wants to help. In this blog, we’ll review seven senior-focused tips for navigating the allergy season. Keep reading to discover our best advice for enjoying the beauty of spring while minimizing the annoying symptoms of allergies.
Celebrated each April, National Occupational Therapy Month recognizes the valuable contributions of this specialized form of healthcare. While Seniors Helping Seniors® in-home care services provide daily support for those we serve, occupational therapy is another method that helps seniors maintain their independence. In this Seniors Helping Seniors® blog, we’ll review the field of occupational therapy and explore the ways it can enhance the lives of seniors. Keep reading to learn more about National Occupational Therapy Month and the holistic advantages your Seniors Helping Seniors® caregiver can help provide and practice.
Seniors, it’s time to make every dollar count and thrive financially with our Seniors Helping Seniors® exclusive budgeting tips. In today’s rapidly evolving economic landscape, seniors in the southern region must manage their finances wisely, to ensure a comfortable and stable future. In this blog, we will explore various practical strategies and resources. From taking advantage of senior discounts offered at grocery stores to utilizing budgeting apps and automating savings, we’ll cover all the essentials. Whether you’re looking to extend your retirement savings, protect your investments, or explore sustainable energy solutions such as solar panels, our guide is here to help. Join us as we embark on a journey to empower seniors with the knowledge and tools necessary to achieve financial well-being and peace of mind. Keep reading and let’s dive in!
How did you sleep last night? The Seniors Helping Seniors® family is celebrating National Sleep Awareness Week from March 10th to March 16th. It’s an excellent opportunity to reflect on your habits and consider any adjustments you can make to enhance the quality of your sleep.
Even though Valentine’s Day has passed, there are no rules on when you can show gratitude toward those who matter most. Throughout the year, Seniors Helping Seniors® in-home care services demonstrate that Love is in our Care®. We do this with heartfelt acts of service and compassion. Our caregivers work tirelessly to provide exceptional assistance to seniors nationwide, and we cannot thank them enough for their hard work!
While physical fitness is crucial for seniors’ health, nurturing one’s mind is equally as important. Brain exercises enhance cognitive abilities, memory, and focus, similar to how diverse workouts target specific muscle groups. At Seniors Helping Seniors® in-home care services, we understand the unique needs of our clients in the Northeast. That’s why we’ve gathered eight enjoyable memory games designed to improve mental skills and keep the mind agile. Read on to discover these delightful, brain-boosting activities and let’s play!
Every passing year leaves behind its own set of special memories. The Seniors Helping Seniors® family loves helping those we serve to reflect on the past and document its most meaningful parts. The result is a tangible keepsake showcasing our clients’ treasured moments and personal growth.
The holiday season calls for joy, celebration, and connection! Technology can help increase accessibility during this festive period; however, many seniors feel overwhelmed navigating the digital space. To help our clients stay active and engaged during the holiday season, the Seniors Helping Seniors® team has put together a handy guide with easy-to-follow tech tips designed to elevate every experience during this special time of year.
Autumn represents change and reflection, making it the perfect backdrop for seniors to embrace the therapeutic benefits of music. During this transformative season, sentimental and nostalgic feelings often arise. Creating an uplifting fall song playlist can be a cathartic way to express emotions. In this blog post, we explore music’s profound impact on seniors’ emotional, physical, and social well-being. Continue reading for a few Seniors Helping Seniors® recommendations on curating an inspiring autumn soundtrack.
The Seniors Helping Seniors® family takes pride in facilitating meaningful, lasting connections between caregivers, clients, and families. We base our mission around the importance of forming a positive relationship between those giving and receiving in-home senior care.
Crafting beautiful and festive pumpkins doesn’t have to involve sharp tools and a big mess to clean up. For seniors in the Heartland looking for an orderly and safer way to decorate their fall gourds, the Seniors Helping Seniors® family has gathered a range of creative options that promise all the charm of pumpkin decoration without the fuss.
Growing older can be an amazing experience, and having your aging parents involved in your life and your children’s can be an enriching and wonderful thing for all concerned. However, as our parents move through their golden years, some additional challenges may emerge around 
Healthy Aging Month, celebrated every September, brings awareness to the physical and mental changes seniors experience as they age. This month-long observance also reminds seniors to care for physical and mental health throughout the golden years. Seniors Helping Seniors® in-home care services enable older adults to lead a vibrant and fulfilling life. A kind hand and a positive perspective will help you or your senior loved one remain connected, curious, and content as you navigate the later years.
Everyone views aging differently. To some, the idea of getting older is scary. Others embrace it with a youthful ferocity! At the end of the day, your mindset is more important than you think. It plays a large part in the quality of life experienced throughout your Golden Years.
The Seniors Helping Seniors® family loves seeing our care receivers enjoy the best parts of each season. With summer fast approaching in the Northeast, it will soon be time to break out the shorts, light the citronella candle, and dust off the patio table for the season’s first outdoor feast!
April is National Occupational Therapy Month and Seniors Helping Seniors® in-home care services is taking a moment to champion this life-changing treatment. Occupational therapy (OT) helps people of all ages maintain, or regain, the skills necessary to perform everyday activities.
Another way for your elderly loved one to improve their flexibility is through the standard shoulder stretch. If your elderly loved one has tight shoulders from sleeping in an odd position or for any other reason, this stretch can help. To do this stretch, your elderly loved one will need to do the following:
Systolic blood pressure is a measurement of the pressure within arteries during a heartbeat. Diastolic is a measurement of the pressure between heartbeats. The higher that pressure, the more risk of health issues related to the excess strain on the arteries and blood vessels.
On February 19 we celebrated National Caregivers Day! This special day was founded in 2015 by the Providers Association for Home Health & Hospice Agencies (PAHHHA) to honor the men and women who commit their lives to care for someone else’s needs. National Caregivers Day is the perfect time to acknowledge the dedicated and compassionate people who work as caregivers. At Seniors Helping Senior Raleigh we are grateful for our incredible caregivers who have continued to provide high-quality care for our clients over these challenging months. Our amazing team enjoyed lunch from Chick-Fil-A and Sheetz gift cards as a small token of our gratitude.
If your parent still does any work in his shop, like car repairs or maybe working on a hobby like wood crafting, it’s important he dons the correct protective eye wear to make sure his eyes aren’t damaged by flying materials or extreme heat. If he participates in sports activities like racquetball or tennis, protective goggles could save his eyes from a direct hit.
Scammers look for people who are lonely and don’t have a lot of people in their lives to help them make decisions. Thankfully, as a caregiver for your parent, you’ve already provided her with one resource against this tactic. Helping your parent stay connected with caring individuals like her senior care provider or local friends, will reduce the chance that she’ll reach out to a stranger for connection and then possible abuse.
Before you make any plans, look at your life. How many hours do you work each week? How long of a commute do you have? If you work eight hours a day and commute an hour every day, you’re already using up nine hours.
Board Games. Most board games require a group of people (or at least two) so if your parent has someone to play a board game with her such as yourself or her home care provider, why not break out the game of Monopoly or Connect Four to keep the brain sharp and engaged in the world around her?
Keeping eye contact can make your elderly loved one see that you care about them and love them. It is a polite gesture that allows your elderly loved one to feel like they have control over the situation, as well. It will also let them know you are trying to understand their feelings and what they are saying.
Most non-profits rely on the financial gifts of their supporters to fund their mission. From just a couple dollars to more if she feels led, your parent can support this endeavor to provide equal cancer care to everyone everywhere.
Your elderly loved one should also pay attention to their cholesterol. People who have high cholesterol often have plaque buildup. This can clog the arteries and cause heart disease and/or strokes. You and caregivers can help your elderly loved one to manage and control their cholesterol. By eating healthy, exercising, and possibly taking medications, your elderly loved one can get their cholesterol back to healthier levels.
There are two main types of glaucoma: open-angle glaucoma, and angle-closure glaucoma. Open-angle glaucoma is the most common type of the disease. Pressure grows in the eye slowly over time, damaging the optic nerve. It can happen so slowly that your parent may lose vision before she’s even aware of a problem. The other type of glaucoma, angle-closure glaucoma, is a lot more rare and often happens suddenly. The fluid in the eye is not able to circulate.
While your parent (or her elder care provider if she’s helping with this task) won’t want to use toothpaste to clean her dentures (it is abrasive and can cause tiny scratches on the dentures that food or bacteria may build up), dentures still require daily brushing and rinsing. Have your parent purchase a brush specifically designed to brush dentures with its soft bristles. She should brush her dentures daily with the brush and water, while also rinsing her dentures after each meal.
Broccoli is another one of the foods that can fight off cancer. This food contains a lot of sulforaphane in it. This helps the body to stay protected from chemicals that cause cancer. Some of the various types of cancer that broccoli can fight off include bladder, stomach, skin, prostate, lung, breast, and liver cancer. If you would like to help your elderly loved one fight off all these cancers, you and the home care providers should add more broccoli to your loved one’s meals.
She may get messages from people from time to time. They’ll often go into a spam or hidden folder at first. She needs to learn how to look at them without adding the person as a friend. She needs to learn that scammers will often try to befriend people through social media in hopes of getting them to share bank information or send money.
If your elderly loved one wants to take great care of their vision, they should also be doing eye exercises. They can move their eyes to one area and then slowly put them back to the original spot. They can rub their hands on top of each other and then put them on their eyes for a few seconds. This can be do multiple times. Rolling the eyes clockwise and counterclockwise can help to exercise the eyes, as well.
One of the things you might have been doing without realizing it is filling in the blanks for your elderly family member. Everybody does that now and again, but it’s a technique that can come with some pitfalls. You may not always correctly guess what she’s trying to say or where she’s trying to go with a specific conversation. There are times that she might even shut down out of frustration and then you might have missed something really important from her. This involves patience again and letting your senior guide the pace.
If you were under the impression that caregiver services were too costly for your elderly loved one, that may not be the case. The truth is that these services are usually quite affordable. When you think about it, your elderly loved one might only need home care services for a few hours every week. There is no reason to put them in a place where they will be charged a lot, when they don’t need that much extra help and care.
In some cases, a senior’s immune system is able to fight off the infection-causing bacteria on its own, but in other cases it cannot. Drinking extra fluids, especially cranberry juice, when mild, potential signs of UTI first rear their head may be enough to turn it around. However, if they persist more than a day or so, or are bothersome, talk to the doctor right away. They may want to arrange testing and treatment to prevent complications.
You will also want to encourage your elderly loved one to keep being independent when they can. It is a good thing for your elderly loved one to do tasks they are still capable of doing. For instance, if your elderly loved one can still do the dishes, let them. Yes, they might need someone to supervise to ensure they don’t turn the water up too hot. However, if they can do the task itself, encourage them to keep doing it. The longer your elderly loved one can be independent, the better their life can be.
Seniors Helping Seniors of North and East Raleigh was proud to participate in the Rolesville Chamber of Commerce’s Business Saturday on October 24th. Over 60 local businesses participated in this daylong event designed to provide attention and support to our local businesses during these trying times for our neighborhood economy. Prizes, giveaways and raffles were held at local Rolesville locations and a good time was had by all on a beautiful autumn afternoon.
You don’t have to have a lot of skill to turn out impressive paintings. Abstract paintings are just as beautiful as an impressionist painting. Get a starter kit that includes some acrylic or oil paints, brushes, a palette, and a few canvases for you and your dad to share.
Your senior’s doctor can help you to look even deeper. There are plenty of medical causes for cognitive changes, ranging from medication side effects to side effects from depression and even the early stages of dementia. It’s vital to determine as much as you can about what your senior is facing so that you can help her to cope. There may be simpler explanations than you and your elderly family member are worried you’ll hear about.
One of the most common involves assuming all home care is the same. It’s not. There are different types of home care, different levels, and different types of affordability.
Those small decisions that can bog down your day, like whether your senior has oatmeal or eggs for breakfast, could be ones that you really should leave to her. The choices that you give her don’t have to be the biggest or most complicated one on your plate at all. What you’re doing when you offer more options is opening up possibilities for her.
Another routine task that gets more difficult as your senior ages can be everything to do with food and preparing food. It takes a lot of energy to determine what to eat, to shop for the ingredients, and to cook the food. From there, your senior is also looking at cleaning up and dealing with any leftovers. It’s a lot to manage on her own. But with the right help, your senior also has a friendly face there with her for meals.
Some seniors find that their pain responds well to gentle massage. In one study, researchers found that people who had a 30-minute massage twice per week had less pain. As a result, they slept better at night.
Elderly care providers can ensure that seniors can continue to eat well even when they have difficulty cooking for themselves. An elderly care provider can prepare meals and snacks that use healthy ingredients. If the older adult enjoys cooking, they can cook with the elderly care provider, so they can still have a hand in making the food they eat.
Yoga is a good exercise. If you don’t want to go to a studio for a class, go onto YouTube and follow along to a beginner’s Yoga video.
Ask if Friends and Family Can Pitch In
Your dad forgot to pay a bill. He’s never forgotten a bill before so you’re concerned. One missed payment isn’t a big deal. It happens. He may have been distracted by other things. If he’s missing payments every month, it may be a sign of dementia. If he has reminders in place and still misses payments, it’s a stronger sign.
If you’re feeling as if your senior’s safety is more at risk now than it has been, that’s a big reason for your role as her caregiver to start changing. You might need to change how you and she handle certain situations or it may be time to bring in more help. Elderly care providers can be a huge help in terms of keeping your senior much safer at home. They’re trained to recognize specific safety issues and either correct them or bring them to your attention to get them corrected.
There are many elderly people who become aggressive. Sometimes, it might seem like there is no reason for them to be doing this. However, when looking into it, there is usually a reason. They might become aggressive because they can’t communicate well for some reason or another. They might also feel uncomfortable for various reasons. Some of these reasons might be because they either can’t do something on their own anymore or something in their environment is making them uncomfortable.
Stress affects more than just your brain. It very much affects your body in a variety of ways. And if you’re already not sleeping well, your body doesn’t get a chance to repair itself overnight. Stress builds up in your muscles, which can cause you to feel pain in those areas as well as the joints around those muscles. When your body hurts, other things are that much more difficult, too.
May reduce age-related memory loss.
A clerihew is always four lines. The structure is lines A and B rhyme and lines C and D rhyme. Lines don’t have to be the same length. They should vary in length. You could do one very short line, a long line, a line of medium length, and another long line. It’s up to you. It has to be biographical.
The first thing to think about when you and your elderly loved one go shopping for food is liquids. It is extremely important for elderly adults to consume plenty of liquids throughout the day. Water should be at the top of the list. Research shows that an elderly adult should also drink between 2 and 3 glasses of low-fat milk every day. In addition, to liquids, your elderly loved one should eat a variety of vegetables, protein, and whole grains, as well. As we all know, sometimes our elderly loved one might just want a frozen meal. If you choose to go this route, just make sure to read the nutritional label for information regarding calories, sodium, fats, and other nutrients that are included in the meal.
During these times of self-imposed isolation, it is important for your loved ones to get some social interaction even if they can’t go out on their own. We like to let them know that they are not alone, and we are here for them when they need us.
Much of that driving might involve getting some things done. Your senior may find that having someone to talk to while she’s handling necessary tasks is helpful, but the best part overall is that there’s someone there with her. If she has mobility problems or needs help safely navigating public spaces, it’s reassuring knowing that there’s someone there with her.
When you do have your elderly family member opening up to you, make sure that you’re listening to what she’s saying. Trust that she’s giving you information that you can use to make the best decisions possible for her. If she does share with you specific needs or wants, like aging in place for as long as possible, help her to formulate a plan to achieve that goal.
If your elderly loved one is concerned about getting skin cancer, one of the things they should be focused on is sun safety. There are many skin care products and sunscreen products that can help to protect your elderly loved one when they are out in the sun. Encouraging your elderly loved one to wear these products can help to reduce their risk of getting skin cancer. If your loved one’s elder care provider is going to take them outdoors, have them remind your loved one to put on sunscreen. While this doesn’t completely eliminate the risk of getting skin cancer, it does reduce the risk drastically.
There are many symptoms of eye floaters that you may need to know about. Some of these include the following:
It is hard to believe that May is almost gone, and summer is here. With the COVID-19 pandemic and our lives turned topsy turvy time has gotten away from me. But I would be remiss if I let the month pass without recognizing some unsung heroes working every day to help keep our senior population stay safe. May is National Aging Life Care month. You may not be entirely aware of what they do but they can be a huge help to families and seniors. The Aging Life Care Professional is a health and human services specialist who is a guide, advocate, and resource for families caring for an older relative or disabled adult. The Aging Life Care Professional sits down with families as they face difficult life decisions and help them determine what options they have. Their guidance leads families to the actions and decisions that ensure quality care and an optimal life for those they love, thus reducing worry, stress, and time off work for family caregivers. They have extensive knowledge about the costs, quality, and availability of resources in their communities. I can give a real-life example from one of our local experts… One of my families was overwhelmed with the process of addressing the sudden cognitive changes he was seeing in his father. I referred him to a local aging life care professional who helped him navigate the doctor visits, financial concerns, and the various living options and ultimately helped him find the best solution for his father’s safety and wellbeing.
These are just some of the causes of stress. No matter what has caused your elderly loved one’s stress to increase, there are ways to manage it.
During the second stage of this disease, it is likely that your elderly loved one will start experiencing some memory loss. However, this is generally attributed to age-related issues. Your elderly loved one might lose their keys or forget to use a word in a sentence. Many people in the family or even home care providers may push this off as normal forgetfulness. It could be the start of the progression of this disease.
No matter what your parents have heard, eliminating seafood isn’t a good idea. Studies find that healthy oils in seafood are more important than the small risk of mercury. It’s okay to eat fish. They just need to watch how much they eat. The current recommendations are that adults eat two or three servings of fish per week or one of a fish with a higher mercury content.
Hand washing is one of the best tools in your senior’s arsenal against all sorts of illnesses, Covid-19 included. The reason that hand washing is so effective is that it removes germs before they can get into your senior’s body. The skin is able to fend off germs, but areas like the nose, mouth, and eyes are permeable and let germs in. Washing her hands often helps to remove germs that could cause your senior to get sick.
Virginia is a resident at a local independent senior community. She was born in Michigan and grew up in Blacksburg, VA on an orchard farm. She and her family moved frequently for her husband’s career but was most fond of her time in Blacksburg when her husband was a professor at Virginia Tech. Phenomenally young at heart, Virginia is still going strong, as her six children who try to keep up with her can attest. Join us in wishing Virginia the happiest of birthdays and many more to come.
If your elderly family member is on bed rest or if she needs more time to recover when she gets home, she might find herself getting bored. This is especially true if she’s got some limitations on her activity levels. Take some time and line up some activities and boredom busters that she might enjoy while she’s a little under the weather.
If your senior has already gotten clearance from her doctor to get and to stay active, she may worry that it’s not possible to keep up with that now. Walking in place could be a good option, or there are plenty of exercise options available for streaming right now. If her doctor hasn’t cleared her for exercise just yet, a simple phone call could help to determine if a light stretching routine or a walking program could be right for her.
Part of the difficulty in getting to the bathroom may involve some crossed signals in your senior’s brain. She may not realize she needs to go until it’s almost too late. One way around this is to set up a bathroom schedule that works for her. If she’s visiting the loo every hour or every two hours, even if she doesn’t have to go right then, she may find that helps her to avoid those last-minute dashes.
Thank you to everyone caring for the sick during this pandemic. We support those working the front lines of this virus. #danccares
Cover coughs and sneezes
Household chores get difficult over time, too. Keeping up with the house, the lawn, and everything else can feel impossible for your senior but that doesn’t mean that she’s ready to give up her living situation. Knowing that your elderly family member has someone there with her who is keeping her home clean and sanitary for her can be a huge weight off your mind, too.
Once you’ve got an idea what stresses you’re experiencing, you can really get to work. Some of the stress you’re experiencing is avoidable and some isn’t. For instance, some of the stress you experience as a caregiver is avoidable. You can take breaks to keep from feeling overwhelmed or you can do research to learn about your senior’s health issues so that they’re not something that you’re afraid of any longer. Stress triggers that you can avoid are fantastic because you can do something about them.
A few too many of those scenarios and suddenly your elderly family member is swimming in stuff. If her home is fairly small or doesn’t have a lot of storage space anyway, it’s likely already at a premium. One way for you to be able to get some more information is to peek into drawers, cupboards, and closets. If they’re all packed to the brim, that’s a sign that your senior is running out of storage space and that her existing spaces are not really usable.
Parkinson’s Disease Dementia
You need to have a support system of some sort. Most people have a support system, even if that’s not how they think of it. Your support system in general are your friends, your family members, and the other resources that help you through life. Your support system as a caregiver is very similar. It will be made up of all of the resources and people that help you to be the best caregiver you can be.
After you’ve written down as many details as possible, it’s time to start looking at how the situation made you feel. It definitely spiked your stress levels, but what other emotions did you experience? Some of the feelings you might have experienced could be related to fear, anger, frustration, and other emotions you might consider “negative.” Instead of labeling your emotions, just keep going with your list until you’re sure you’re done.
When people read to a child regularly, that child is more likely to grow up and be interested in reading. By getting your parents to read to your child while you help with household chores, you’re helping them bond and instilling a love of reading at the same time. Fifteen minutes a day is all it takes.
Mobility concerns can be related to worsening health, or your senior may simply not be as active as she was which can cause her to lose more muscle tone than she expects. Her current living situation may be the biggest factor in whether moving might be a good idea for her, though. If there are a lot of stairways or other structural factors, your senior might need to simplify a bit and live in a home that’s one story and that accommodates her physical needs.
The type of floor surface in your senior’s bathroom makes a big difference in how safe she is in that room. Some surfaces, like tile, get incredibly slippery with just a little bit of water. Other surfaces are designed to be used in a bathroom and either absorb water or have a coating that keeps the surface from being slippery. Pay close attention to any bathmats or rugs in the room, too. If they don’t have a backing, they’re too easy to slip on.
One caveat, though. This is not a simple process. It is harder than you think to find the big and small wins every day. At first. When you get more adept at doing this on a regular basis, though, you’re going to wonder why you never did this before.
Your aging relative is retired now and ready to enjoy the slower pace of their golden years. There’s certainly nothing wrong with that. They’ve earned it. Having a puppy or kitten around the house might be full of fun and excitement, but it may not allow for much relaxation. Senior pets, on the other hand, are usually just as ready to slow down as their elderly owners. They don’t require as much exercise to stay healthy and happy. Instead, they are pretty content to lie on the floor at their owner’s feet, on their laps, or next to them on the couch.
An early sign of malnutrition is changes in fingernails. If your parent’s nails are starting to look spoon-shaped, you may want to investigate what they’ve been eating. A spoon-shaped nail is one that curls away from the nail bed, so it looks a little like a spoon. Another nail change to watch for is the development of ridges. These are signs of anemia.
Sending warm wishes from our house to yours
The statistics concerning falls in the elderly are concerning. They indicate a great need for caregivers to do whatever they can to prevent their older family members from falling. Some of the shocking statistics about falls are:
Turning the heat down can also lead to dangerous health concerns. Hypothermia is one of the greatest. It’s also a risk if you have a parent that goes outside for walks or to shovel and falls. Here’s what you need to know.
It’s likely that your aging relative takes at least one medication per day. In fact, about 36 percent of seniors take 5 or more prescription medications. Unfortunately, that also means there’s a greater chance of making a mistake. Medication errors can be dangerous, landing the older adult in the hospital or even causing death. To avoid making medication errors, it’s important to take safety measures when managing medications. Below are some tips to help you better manage your older family member’s medications.
Have you noticed your older family member isn’t eating well? Perhaps they skip meals or don’t eat balanced meals. They might eat fast food or grab a burger or hot dog from the convenience store on the corner. Or, they may dread meals because eating alone is a lonely prospect. If that’s the case, home care may be the answer to the older adult’s mealtime problems. Below are some ways that a home care provider can improve mealtimes for your aging relative.
Gastritis is the term doctors use to describe several conditions that have inflammation in the lining of the stomach in common. Gastritis is painful and can make it hard for older adults to eat and get all the nutrition they need. Understanding what gastritis is and the symptoms that indicate your aging relative has the condition may help you to ensure they receive medical care and allow you to better respond to their needs.
When your aging relative has their blood pressure checked, the nurse gives the results by saying something like, “120 over 80.” The top number is systolic blood pressure. It refers to the amount of pressure blood is placing on the walls of arteries when the heart beats. Diastolic is the bottom number. It’s the amount of pressure on the arteries when the heart is at rest. Many times, when someone is diagnosed with high blood pressure, both numbers are higher than normal. However, sometimes just one or the other number is elevated.
One of the misconceptions you might find yourself believing as a caregiver is that you just need to do more. This is a misconception because caregivers already do so very much every single day. It’s just difficult to see that when there’s still so much more to do.
Becoming a caregiver can be incredibly intimidating and even overwhelming. There’s a lot of change happening and you might worry that you’re doing things wrong or incorrectly. What you really need to remember is that you’re doing the best that you can and you’re constantly learning more about what works and what doesn’t.
This week was no ordinary week. This week was Pauline’s 90th birthday!! With her big smile, energy and optimism she immediately becomes your friend and you hers. Pauline tells her life stories with humor and inspiration and as Charlotte it put at the end of our breakfast visit, “Thanks for the laughs Pauline! If only everyday could start with coffee and Pauline.”
As people get older, one of the concerns they may have for themselves, and one that is often shared by their younger family member, is that they might suffer from memory loss and cognitive decline. It’s frightening to think they may not remember their loved ones or be able to live safely on their own. While there is no proven way to prevent dementia, there are things seniors can do to take good care of their brains and reduce the risk of suffering from memory loss. Below are 3 tips for taking care of the brain.
Took care of payroll, billing and barking. Another great week in the books. TGIF- Woof Woof!
Marcia used to love to bake. She was known for the elaborate birthday cakes she created for her children when they were young. She had even been asked to make a few wedding cakes in her younger years. She also loved to bake fancy decorated cookies every year for her family and her church’s annual cookie walk fundraiser. Unfortunately, as Marcia grew older, she developed painful arthritis in her hands that made it difficult for her to mix thick batters. As a result, she had all but given up baking, declining requests to make special cakes and no longer participating in the cookie walk. Having to give up one of her favorite hobbies made Marcia sad. Then, Marcia’s children hired home care to help her with tasks around her house. She was delighted to have someone help her with cleaning and running errands, but she was even more excited to learn that a home care provider could help her with activities she enjoyed, including baking.
Weather can have a huge impact on arthritis pain. Most people know that when it comes to cold weather, but warmer temperatures can also affect arthritis pain. Here are some things to keep in mind for your senior.
Hydration is important for everyone, especially in the summer heat that plagues much of the country right now. But for seniors, it can be key in staying healthy and maintaining proper function to almost every system in the human body, and dehydration is a common but often preventable ailment.
August is national psoriasis awareness month. There are many people who suffer from this skin condition. It is important that seniors learn how to properly manage it. Their caregivers and family members can help them to do that.
Age-related declines in memory and cognition are often blamed on physical illnesses and disease processes, but did you know that depression is also a major cause of such declines? Sure, we all slow down as we grow older, but we need to keep our elders engaged in activities that help them maintain mobility and keep them engaged and interested in life. Depression is a treatable illness. Social isolation and loneliness are risk factors for depression and suicide. The National Strategy for Suicide Prevention (2002) has repeatedly advised health care industry caregivers that the generation of baby boomers is at increased risk for depression and boredom. The June 19, 2003, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine released results of a five-year study that found seniors who regularly joined in mentally stimulating activities enjoyed a reduced risk of dementia.
For a new exercise program your senior really can’t beat walking. It’s easy to do and it’s something that she can do with friends if she wants. There are a host of reasons it’s a good choice.
Has your parent told you they’ve fallen? Even if they haven’t told you about a fall, it doesn’t necessarily mean they haven’t fallen. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), millions of people aged 65 and older fall every year, but fewer than 50 percent report falls to their doctor. They also say that once a senior falls, their chances of falling again are doubled. Sadly, one fifth of falls results in a serious injury, like a broken bone. If you’re concerned about your elderly parent falling, hiring senior care can be the key to preventing a dangerous fall or debilitating injury. Below are 4 things senior care can do to keep your parent from falling.
You might crave some extra time in your day, but find that actually getting it is a dream that you see no way to achieve. Truthfully there are some small changes you can make that can help you to find way more time than you expect.
Hot weather is something that a lot of people love, but it can be incredibly dangerous, particularly for seniors. Here’s what you need to be aware of in terms of heat and your senior.
We are pleased to announce our Caregiver of the Month, Debra Leach.
Medical conditions and frailty can cause disabilities that confine an older adult to a wheelchair. Some people who use wheelchairs feel like all people see when they look at them is the chair. If your older family member feels that way, instead of letting it get them down, encourage them to embrace it by personalizing their chair. When family caregivers help to personalize their chairs, it can make the older adult feel more comfortable in it and like the chair is a part of them instead of a burden. In addition, having a personalized chair can also be fun and help them show who they are. Below are 5 ways that caregivers can help older adults make their wheelchair more their own.
SCAD stands for spontaneous coronary artery dissection. It isn’t a terribly common condition, but when it occurs, it is serious. It can lead to a heart attack and may even be fatal. SCAD can occur at any age. If your older family member has recently experienced the condition, knowing more about it can help you to better understand their care needs.
Being a caregiver during an emergency is a different ball of wax than it is during normal situations. You’re under a great deal more stress and you may not be in a great frame of mind. These tips can help you to cope.
Keeping yourself organized when you’re a busy caregiver might mean that you need your own planning system. They sound complicated, but they’re really not.
When a doctor says that your older family member has a heart murmur, it can be concerning. Especially if you don’t know much about what that means. A heart murmur is an abnormal sound in the senior’s heartbeat. It is caused by the blood in the heart being turbulent. Understanding what a heart murmur is and what causes it may help put your mind at ease and allow you to take better care of your aging relative.
Too many caregivers don’t engage in proper self-care and it can do some serious harm to them in the process. If you’re noticing that you’re a bit light on the self-care yourself, you still have a chance to turn that around. The first step is to work out what’s keeping you from proper self-care practices.
Depending on your senior’s health and abilities, getting dressed each day might be something that she dreads. Whether it’s painful or just takes a long time for her to do, she can easily wind up frustrated.
As your parent ages, a special diet may become necessary. If your mom has diabetes, her diet will need to focus on cutting sugar. If your dad has high blood pressure, you need to cut down on the amount of salt that’s used. Those are just a few of the special diets you may come across when you’re caring for aging adults. Here are tips that may help you with your menu planning and meal preparation.
Family caregivers often ask, “how do you tell someone they have dementia?” In some cases, the answer may be that you simply can’t. Damage in the brain can cause people with Alzheimer’s, dementia, stroke, brain tumors, and other cognitive impairments to believe that there’s nothing wrong with them. When that happens, it’s called anosognosia. The word literally means “to not know a disease” and it’s much more than being in denial.
We are pleased to announce our Caregiver of the Month, Johanna Poupard.
You feel it’s time for your parents to have home care services. It’s not an easy decision, but it’s an important one. Before you make the call to arrange caregiver visits, hold a family meeting. There are four things that are important to discuss.
Boundaries give you a way to know and to understand what you can do and what you can’t do while you’re taking care of your senior. If you don’t already have strong boundaries, you might find that you’re feeling overwhelmed more often. You might also feel as if you’re not doing what you could as a caregiver, simply because you’re putting too much on yourself.
One of our caregivers, Christy Colebank, has returned from the trip of a lifetime after visiting China as an ambassador to the blind. Christy devoted 10-years teaching these individuals English which she considers her ministry and mission from God. Christy met with 11 of her Chinese online students face-to-face. She traveled to 10 different Chinese cities do this, with the help of Lian Qin, one of her former students, who was her interpreter and tour guide. She and her students celebrated that the majority were employed which is not common for Chinese adults who are blind. The students shared that learning to speak English better wasn’t their key to success, but rather the encouragement and confidence Christy gave them. Christy appreciated the gifts and food she received upon meeting them but seeing her students and embracing them was the greatest gift she received.
Home safety, particularly for a senior family member, is such a broad arena for you to cover as a family caregiver. Taking the time to look at some specifics can help you to hit some of the most important areas first.
In the past, doctors believed Huntington’s disease was rare. However, an estimated 30,000 people in the United States have the disease. Because of the progressive nature of the disease, it doesn’t just affect those who have it. It also affects the people who find themselves caring for the person as the disease gets worse. If you’re one of the many people acting as a family caregiver to someone who has Huntington’s disease, learning more about it can help you to better care for them.
We are pleased to announce our Caregivers of the Month; Jean Bieber, Adele Fitzsimmons, and Becky Messer!
No matter how old your aging relative is or how long it has been since they regularly exercised, it’s never too late to improve their health through physical activity. However, it’s important that the older adult exercises safely or it could do more harm than good. Below are some tips for seniors to follow to ensure they stay safe no matter what kind of exercise they choose to try.
No matter how hard they try, some elderly adults simply cannot live independently at home due to health issues, both physical and mental. It can mean they are definitely struggling to do daily tasks like cook and clean, or their cognitive state is in decline and they can’t remember when to take medication. Regardless of why, the aging adult’s ability to look after themselves and stay safe and healthy diminishes.
It doesn’t matter how old we are, we all want to participate in activities that make us happy, stimulate our minds and bring us closer to family and friends. However, with age, many seniors find that their fun activities quickly diminish due to a number of reasons. Among the most common are health issues, lack of mobility, loss of friends and family, loss of driving ability and lower strength and stamina. Family caregivers and home care providers who look after the elderly adult need to arrange for some activities several times per week to keep them engaged and happy.
High blood pressure is a risk factor for serious conditions like stroke and heart disease. If your aging relative has high blood pressure, you may be looking for ways to help them lower it. A new study indicates that taking a nap in the afternoon may be as effective as other kinds of lifestyle changes. The study involved 212 participants who were an average age of 62. Their systolic (the top number) blood pressure was an average of 130 mm Hg. The researchers looked at how napping influenced blood pressure numbers by comparing the numbers of those who napped to those who didn’t. The data showed that people who napped had lowered their systolic blood pressure by around 5 mm Hg. That may not seem like much but reducing blood pressure by just 2 mm Hg can lower the risk of having a heart attack by 10 percent.
Amy’s 85-year-old mother, Margaret, was always complaining of being cold. She kept turning her thermostat up even when others were too warm. Amy wondered if there might be something wrong, so she talked to Margaret’s doctor. She was surprised to learn that there are several reasons that older adults feel cold when everyone around them is warm. Below are 5 reasons that seniors feel cold.
If your aging relative has difficulty sleeping at night, you may want to ask them how their legs feel at night. Restless leg syndrome (RLS) is a common condition that cause a feeling in the legs like they have to move. Because it often occurs at night, it can interfere with sleep, either causing them to wake up or be unable to fall asleep. Understanding more about the condition and what causes it may help you to manage it in your aging relative.
We are pleased to announce that Susan Levine is our Caregiver of the Month!
When your aging family member is less active and involved in her own life than she once was, there’s likely a reason for that. Most commonly what has happened is that changes in her health and in her energy levels have caused her to withdraw a bit. Look for some of these signs to help you determine what’s going on.
As a family caregiver, it is likely to worry a considerable amount about helping your parent avoid falling. This is something emphasized to all senior adults and those who care for them, but is it really a serious risk? Understanding the realities of fall risk for older adults can help you as a family caregiver understand this challenge and make modifications to your care routine that will have to protect your parent from falls in the potentially devastating consequences that can occur as a result of them.
Family caregiving means a need for help with most activities of daily living. Simple tasks like bathing or getting out of a chair may require the assistance of others. Providing personal care to your loved one presents a daunting challenge that can be overcome. Join our Senior Helping Seniors® expert, Cherie Hylton, RN, as she shares strategies and techniques for tackling toileting and incontinence care, transferring from bed to chair, and proper hands-on care to your loved one. Cherie will teach and demonstrate how to do common things to make life easier at home on February 20th, from 10 am – noon at Wake Forest Presbyterian Church. This presentation is part of ongoing Dementia caregiver support classes presented by Pat Snyder, founder of Lewy Body Dementia NC. More information about these Dementia caregiver support classes can be found at 
Each year, fires occur in thousands of homes and businesses. When a fire breaks out, fast action is needed to evacuate a burning building and avoid smoke inhalation. Talk about fire safety with your elderly parent. Make sure they know these fire prevention tips.
It is with great pleasure I get the honor of announcing our 2nd annual recipient of the “Memaw Award”, recognizing our Caregiver of the Year, Melissa Pritzlaff. The award is named after my grandmother, who passed away in 2015 at the age of 98. To receive the award, we select the caregiver that embodies the attributes that motivated us to start Seniors Helping Seniors of North & East Raleigh. These attributes include compassion, empathy, and dedication. But primarily we choose the caregiver who treats every client like they would treat their “Memaw”. Melissa’s ‘family’ mindset results in exceptional care built on the everyday little things, from listening to stories of times long past to making a favorite meal. It’s a special calling to be a caregiver and Melissa is one of the best, allowing her beloved clients to age with grace and respect in the place they choose. Melissa, from Seniors Helping Seniors and all your client family, thank you and Congratulations!
When an older adult has a stroke, they need immediate medical attention to save their life and minimize damage done by the stroke. The time spent in the hospital can be confusing. There’s a lot of activity in the first few hours as the doctors work to stabilize the senior’s condition. And, in the days that follow, hospital staff will continue to monitor the older adult’s health and work with them to begin recovery. Understanding what goes on in the hospital can take some of the confusion out of the situation.
Seniors Helping Seniors® of North & East Raleigh was very honored and humbled to be recognized as a finalist for Best Home Health Service in the 2018 Wake Weekly Best of the Best reader’s choice contest. This is a regional competition held by The Wake Weekly which each year recognizes the very best of area businesses, services, schools and more. The Wake Weekly has been a part of the local business scene since 1947 and this contest emphasizes how important local businesses are to the community. The Best of the Best not only shines a spotlight on excellent community businesses, but it allows newcomers a chance to discover establishments that the locals have already deemed worthy of recognition.
If you have an older family member who is part of the Baby Boomer generation (born between 1945 and 1965), they should be tested for hepatitis C. Hepatitis C, or hep C, is a liver disease that is mainly transmitted through contact with an infected person’s blood. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), higher numbers of people in the Baby Boomer generation have hep c than other generations. The reason isn’t entirely clear, but experts say that it may be because transmission of the disease was at its peak from the 1960s through the 1980s. Also, guidelines for preventing transmission through medical equipment and procedures were not put into place until later.
We at Seniors Helping Seniors of North & East Raleigh would like to take a moment on Thanksgiving to reflect and give thanks for:
One of the biggest goals for aging adults is to remain independent. It’s such an important goal that your elderly family member might avoid telling you she’s having trouble with specific tasks. Here are some ways to help her to keep her independence for as long as possible.