While it may be a tough reality to face, as your loved one ages, he or she is statistically more prone to illness and injury. Whether the case is minor or serious, the time could come where your loved one needs to visit the Emergency Room. As a family member or caregiver, it is important to be able to understand and identify the proper symptoms and necessary situations when you need to take your loved one to the ER. Here are some common causes for ER visits: [Read more…]
As much as we want to be, we can’t always be with our loved one in an assisted living home or long-term care facility. Busy lives, distance, and other factors often prevent families from being able to spend time together, which is why it’s important to have ways to stay in touch and check in with one another. Here are some simple ways to show that you are thinking about your loved one:
Family Meetings – If you’re lucky to live close enough to your loved one, a weekly family meeting is a great way to check in and spend time together. Many care facilities have areas for activities like board games, recreational areas where you can play shuffleboard, or even outdoor swimming pools. A fun family gathering can brighten anyone’s day. [Read more…]
Living in an assisted living community, seniors often find themselves with ample downtime and oftentimes, there is not much to do. Keeping seniors active has known to decrease depression, loneliness, and promote exercise and socialization. Therefore, in recent years, activity directors at assisted living communities have begun looking for new and innovative ways to keep seniors busy and active.
Here are some ways that assisted living communities are going beyond just bingo in order to keep residents entertained in their daily lives:
Despite what you may think, iPads, social media, and online shopping aren’t just for younger generations. According to a Pew Research Study, 68% of Americans in their early 70s go online.
With more time to spend and ample downtime, research shows that seniors are using devices for activities like keeping in touch with friends and family through email and social media; browsing the internet; and downloading apps to play games and read books.
While they’re are seeing great benefit from being online, the elderly are one of the most targeted demographics for scammers and thieves. Poor judgement and lack of education leaves seniors more susceptible to being lured into fraud, identity theft, and online predators. Common ways seniors are targeted online include: [Read more…]
Moving into a new home is a stressful time for anyone, and arguably even more so for seniors. Change of environment and routine can be taxing and uncomfortable, especially when transitioning into an assisted living community. There is an adjustment period that seniors may go through in order to gain back a sense of security and contentment in their living situation. Luckily, there are things you can do as a family member or caregiver to make your loved one’s transition a little bit easier.