Elder Care Cafe

While feeding, bathing, and dressing your loved one may play an important role in performing care giving duties, there are other responsibilities that a caregiver may also need to include. Not only will you take care of their physical and emotional needs, but you may also become their primary caregiver and need to handle their legal needs as well.

When you begin caring for them, you will need to make sure you have all the correct documentation in order to speak on their behalf, including a Power of Attorney and Medical Power of Attorney. [Read more →]

Everyone needs an outlet. Caregivers are special people but they are still people who have feelings and needs of their own. Journaling is a form of therapy to help caregivers cope with their difficult and often lonely task.

Most humans are prone to keeping their feelings bottled up inside. Unfortunately doing so can lead to stress which leads to poor health. As a caregiver, you can’t afford to be in poor health, including poor mental health. A healthy, positive outlook and mindset is crucial when caring for another. In order for you to continue with the important service of caring for your family member you need tools to unlock and release those feelings. [Read more →]

In most cases, caregivers are usually family members who have a vested interest in caring for a loved one or are placed in a position where there is no one else to take care of the person. Also, most of the time they perform their care giving duties not for pay, but out of love, responsibility and respect for the person they are caring for. Knowing who are the caregivers in your family can help everyone be prepared when the need arises. [Read more →]

Although we knew Dad was having problems with his memory, some of us actually thought he was experiencing a series of mini strokes much as my mother had prior to her death. She was diagnosed with TIA dementia, and Dad’s symptoms somewhat mirrored hers. However, yesterday we got the dreaded news that rather rocked our world.

Those of you who have been around a while know I created this site shortly after becoming Dad’s caregiver in September 2006. We were on Blogger first, then moved over to our own domain here at Elder Care Cafe. Although I rarely talk about him, he is the basis for this site. My plan has always been to sell or let go of Elder Care Cafe when he is no longer with us.  [Read more →]

Osteoporosis is a condition some people call “brittle bones.” As we age, our body loses calcium and this affects our bones. Women are particularly susceptible to osteoporosis. Fortunately, there is something you can do about it. Changing your diet can help you preserve your current level of bone mass.

For many years I worked in the health care industry. At the last hospital where I worked, living a healthy lifestyle was strongly encouraged. They had any number of programs over the years to help re-enforce the need to take care of our bodies. I started going to a Women’s Wellness Center that was connected to the hospital. They performed a bone density test once a year as long as I was living in the area. Not only did they give me the results of the test, but also guidelines as to how I could increase the density of the bones in my body. [Read more →]

Many seniors who live in the northern climates like to head south for the winter, while others prefer to stay where they are. After the bleakness and gloom of winter the glorious days of summer are very much longed for by most people. It is a time for holiday trips, cook-outs and a whole lot of fun. Most seniors prefer to travel during this time to take advantage of the good weather. 

It is a known fact that as we grow older our body begins to slow down and stops functioning as well as it once used to. Health concerns become very real and nothing can be taken for granted in senior years. In fact, many of us are surprised we have even made it to that status. [Read more →]

Retirement is a word that can instill a variety of feelings in a person ranging from fear to pleasurable expectations among others. I know I was more than ready to quit the nine to five regimens. In my case it happened to be 7 to 3:30, but it still made for a long day at times. Surprisingly, many people who lead highly active and busy lives actually fear retirement when it begins to loom on the horizon. The fear is so deep seated all thoughts of retirement are irrationally pushed aside.

While that approach may work as a temporary solution, some things are inevitable. We have to face facts and the better prepared we are to deal with the question of ‘what to do once you retire’, the happier our life will be. [Read more →]

Recently there has been some discussion regarding how old is old. The answer seems to depend on the age of the person who was asked that question. Now that Baby Boomers are moving into their mid-sixties, the definition of old has dramatically changed. While many think that 40 is the new 30, they also believe that old is in the early sixties. Others believe that old can be anywhere from the mid-sixties to the early 80’s. That’s quite a wide range. Let’s see how that breaks down by the age of the person being asked.

As I was reading the article this post is based on, I learned a new term that I had not heard before. Apparently those born in the 1980s and 1990s are now called Millennials. Not sure why, but there it is. What is of interest to us oldsters is that those in that age group believe 62 is old. [Read more →]

Because this is the end of the year and the beginning of our next yearly adventure, I wanted to take the opportunity to thank all of you who have visited this site, participated in any way, and passed on the link to others. You are very much appreciated.

We have not been without struggles this year as Dad turned 89 in October. We are awaiting results of his recent MRI and Carotid Doppler to see whether he is having problems with some form of dementia, strokes, or both. As it is, the need for care giving is definitely increasing. We are seeing an increase in the signs of dementia, but also in strokes as well. It wouldn’t surprise me if we receive news of a combination of the two. [Read more →]

Alzheimer’s disease occurs when the brain cells of a person begin to die causing connections among cells to get lost. This disconnect causes cognitive symptoms to worsen. Cognitive involves conscious intellectual activity such as thinking, reasoning, and remembering according to Webster’s Dictionary. The sad news is that there is no drug on the market that can cure Alzheimer’s disease. However, researchers have found a number of medications that can help lessen the symptoms of confusion or memory loss, at least temporarily.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved two types of medications. Cholinesterase inhibitor and Memantine can both be used to treat the cognitive symptoms of Alzheimer’s. [Read more →]

Any discussion of the warning signs of Alzheimer’s disease must include a caveat. Many misconceptions or simply fears of Alzheimer’s and lists of so-called early symptoms result in the danger of overreaction by individuals evaluating themselves, their partner’s, relatives, or others.

Three types of Alzheimer’s disease are defined medically as early on-set Alzheimer’s, Familial Alzheimer’s (FAD), and late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Early-onset Alzheimer’s appears in persons younger than age 65 and is a rare form of the disease (less the 5-10% of all Alzheimer’s patients) and usually occurs as the result of premature aging. [Read more →]

Years ago we envisioned our golden years to be full of relaxation and stress free living; at least most of us did. Who in the world would want financial woes, family problems, or emotional upheavals to plague them as they entered their senior years? Most seniors look forward to living a life that allows them independence, the ability to pay their bills on time, the joy of gardening or playing golf to their heart’s content. They want to play with their grandchildren in a park or meet up with their buddies for a coffee and conversation. Certainly that would be most people’s idea of the perfect life. [Read more →]

As we all know aging is a process that occurs over time. We are young, active, and enjoying life. Then one day the realization sets in that we are feeling and looking older; we either do not or cannot exercise or participate in sports the way we used to; and we are beginning to tire of all the activity around us preferring to stay home instead. On top of that, aches and pains and weariness are becoming a daily occurrence. In other words, we are getting older. [Read more →]

A working definition of dementia is that it is a medical condition in which the brain loses its ability to function. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia and the terms are often used interchangeably. It is often difficult to tell whether someone has Alzheimer’s or any of the other many forms of dementia, or if they are developing memory problems due to variety of other reasons such as an illness. [Read more →]

Healthy eating does not mean that you have to deprive yourself of your favorite foods. It is more about smart eating. It does not matter about what you eat. You need to be more focused on how you eat your foods. By choosing the foods carefully you can reduce the risk of different diseases. Healthy eating also improves your memory, stabilizes your mood and boosts your energy levels. Given below are some useful guidelines for a healthy diet. [Read more →]